The Albannach

Of all the places we stayed during our two weeks in Scotland, The Albannach blew us away. The quality of EVERYTHING was impeccable, from design of the space, to breakfast in the morning, and the friendliness of our hosts. In the rainy season, we loved a hike in the morning followed by a soak in the giant bathtub at the Albannach as well as the outdoor hot tub, yes there was a hot tub and private back yard— this depends on which space you book, but I’m sure each is equally beautiful and unique. The food in the morning was both healthy and perfectly proportioned and served in the incredible sun room filled with plants and with a glorious view of the property and mountains (on a clear day). Fresh fruit, overnight oats, some of the best pancakes this American has ever had, and great omelettes— the menu is varied and feels absolutely fresh. The lovely town of Lochinver is close by and we had great food both nights and were bummed to have not had a chance to try the handmade pies in town. We also grabbed sandwiches for a hike from the local grocery store and purchased a hat and gloves for the very wet and chilly weather from the hardware store. For a small place, it has everything you need. There is great hiking right in town in a park where only minutes into the forest you feel far from civilization and can walk to the beach. And there’s a number of walks right from the Albannach as well as excellent and more intense hiking near by which we prioritized. My only fear in shedding more light on the fabulous gem that is the Albannach is that it will be so booked up that we won’t be able to frequent it again. This place is incredible, you won’t be disappointed.

We can't recommend The Albannoch highly enough, what a truly delightful place to stay - in our case, during our North Coast 500 roadtrip. Robin & Ballal are wonderful, friendly hosts, they made us feel so very welcome. Our room was very comfortable & clean with marvellous views out across Lochinver. The breakfasts are delicious, varied and beautifully prepared, setting you up for the day. We felt very much at home and would definitely love to stay again as and when we get to Lochinver in the future. Thanks so much guys, it was an absolute treat!

An unbelievable stay. Our two hosts were wonderful and catered to our every whim. The breakfasts were fresh and cooked to order every morning. From the bed linens to the gardens, the accommodation was superb. It was definitely our best hotel along the NC500!

Absolutely excellent 3 night stay at The Albannach in Lochinver. We stayed in the "Penthouse" suite. The Albannach is easily the best B&B we have EVER stayed in. Where do I start - the bed was very comfortable and sleeping on the linen bedding was absolutely divine. The suite was immaculate, comfortable and absolutely stunning with little extras that made our stay so memorable - the massive bathroom with the walk in rain shower, the fridge, the filtered water, the fresh milk, the chocolate tea cakes, fantastic views - I could go on and on. Furniture and furnishings in the Albannach are not only inkeeping with style of the property, it is also clear that no expense has been spaired. Breakfasts were served in the conservatory and were "to die for". The quality of food and the choices were amazing - not the usual cooked breakfasts, these were more creative using products from their own garden and homemade. Ballal and Robin are amazing hosts - they are "the best". They took turns in serving the different courses and are very interactive with their guests. We were so sad to leave - it was like leaving family! Ballal and Robin have worked hard to create a beautiful home which they share with their guests, and it is easy to appreciate how hard they have worked to create a fantastic experience for everyone who stays at the Albannach. I am already looking forward to staying again next year.

This is a small boutique hotel owned and run by the excellent hosts Balal and Robin delightedly situated overlooking Lochinver and about a kilometre from the centre of the village. The accommodation is in tastefully decorated suites. We had the Kalsoom suite looking over the gardens to the loch and it was extremely comfortable with separate sleeping and lounge area giving a lovely homely feel. Evening meals are not offered but there are two very good restaurants in Lochinver - our favourite was Delilah’s. Breakfast, with eggs every which way, including shakshuka, is in the conservatory at the front of the house overlooking the garden.||What makes the Albannach special is the quality and friendliness of the owner hosts. They are genuinely interested in their guests and committed to ensuring a pleasant stay here. We can absolutely recommend the Albanach if you are visiting this corner of Scotland. It’s a great place to base yourself to explore the magnificent north west coast.

Luxurious B&B - a four night stay on my NC500 trip - and very well worth it indeed. Secure and easy parking, stylish home/public rooms with a wide range of eclectic art, the 33 stairs to the penthouse suite are well worth it for the views, the suite is very well appointed (deep luxurious bath, spacious shower, separate WC, and fresh milk for ones tea/coffee). Breakfasts are a real delight with inventive and flavourful freshly cooked options - the Salmon Benedict was SO good. Great base for exploring the area - whatever the weather |!

When my wife and I were planning our international wedding in Scotland, we spent a lot of time searching for the perfect BNB for lodging. I am so glad we did, because our stay at the Albannach was everything we could have hoped for. Our room was excellent, with all the amenities we needed for our wedding day. The breakfast in the greenroom was fantastic, featuring homemade bread and homegrown plants from the garden. The surrounding views of Assynt were absolutely gorgeous. Our hosts even introduced us to Townsey, the kindest whippet you've ever met! On our wedding day, the hosts helped us capture many magnificent photos in their gorgeous sunroom. We ended up purchasing much of the stoneware used in our ceremony at Highland Stoneware pottery, a five minute walk from our room. Our time at the Albannach with our hosts (and Townsey!) contributed to our fondest memories of our trip to Scotland. I can't imagine having stayed anywhere else

Lochinver is a nice little town with a good selection of restaurants, much better than in many places along the NC 500. |The Albannach we would highly recommend. We rented the penthouse and it was gorgeous. Beautifully designed, spacious with a nice sitting area and large bedroom, wardrobe, separate wc, good bathroom. Breakfast served in the conservatory, and a very nice selection of breakfast dishes.|This place was the most relaxing and best value for money during our 2 week trip along the NC500.

What a lovely destination hotel/restaurant this is. First impressions count for a lot and the first impressions here are first class. We arrived, on a overcast September day looking forward to hunkering down for the afternoon. Upon arrival we were greeted warmly and after we were shown to our room were served with complimentary tea and cake in the hotel's conservatory. It was just what we were after and the cake was delicious which boded well for our meal at the hotel's Michelin starred restaurant (our primary reason for the visit) later. Non-residents can dine here too but it is much more pleasant to be able to stagger off to bed rather than mess around with taxis etc. Our room was perfectly pleasant and clean but not the reason to visit. That was to come at dinner. We assembled in the conservatory for pre-dinner drinks and the set-menu was explained to us. Dietary requirements had been taken when we arrived so there were no unpleasant surprises waiting for us. Then followed a huge single langoustine as a pre-dinner snack. It was exceptionally good, tasting as if it had been farmed the same day. The dinner was similarly successful with the stand out dish being a beautifully roasted piece of roe deer with candied beetroot among the accompaniments. The following morning we were treated to a beautifully cooked Scottish breakfast before heading out into the hills and repeating the same experience all over again until our stay came to an end.