Aldourie Castle

Description

Details

Enjoy the very best of Scottish Highland hospitality at the historic ‘Grade A Listed’ Aldourie Castle Estate, on the shores of fabled Loch Ness. Filled with fairytale grandeur the Castle and Estate is situated on the southern shore of Loch Ness, close to the city of Inverness, capital of the Scottish Highlands. Aldourie is the only habitable Castle on the shores of Loch Ness and has occupied this site for hundreds of years. While less than five miles from Inverness, the Estate seems in a world of its own, with an unforgettably atmospheric sense of peace that will soothe the mind and energise the spirit.

Inside

Tradition, opulence, classic style and total comfort guests will find these qualities in abundance at Aldourie Castle. The interiors have the grace and scale of an historic house, yet the intimacy and cosy warmth that dispel any notion of formality. Furnishings are of the highest quality, with rich fabrics, elegant furniture and fine antiques. From the light and airy hall to the deep ruby of the Red Drawing Room; from the magnificent Dining Room to the panelled Lairds Room, Aldourie is a place where the cares of the world seem far, far away.

Bedrooms

9 of the 15 bedrooms are on the first floor and tend to have taller ceilings and larger windows. Many of the rooms have their own ensuite bathroom and some also inter-connect with other rooms, which is often convenient for family groups. 6 further bedrooms are housed on the second floor, though second floor hardly describes this fascinating maze of landings, towers, doorways and stone staircases. The bedrooms are cosy, imaginative and as generously proportioned as those on the first floor. Ranging from grand four-posters to the cosy single rooms, with a charm all of their own. Each bedroom and bathroom is entirely individual yet all are wonderfully comfortable. Some are decorated in honour of a previous owner at the Castle; some are themed around a period style, others around the architectural features of that particular room. The bathrooms are equipped with the very best of classic British fitments, designed in traditional style. The bedrooms are cosy, imaginative and as generously proportioned as those on the first floor.

Outside

Love and attention have been lavished outdoors too, with the gardens and woodlands have been restored to the splendour of their 19th century heyday. A winding, tree-lined drive leads to the Castle and a broad lawn slopes gently down to Loch Ness itself a world of total peace and privacy. Guests may take cocktails on the Terrace, or stroll through the woods to the leafy Marina.

As well as a formal garden, the original kitchen gardens have been preserved, with splendid historic greenhouses and fine shrubs and walkways to delight the eye. Both outside and indoors, Aldourie exudes a sense of poetic history unique to a Highland Estate.

Location

Aldourie Castle Estate is situated on the south side of Loch Ness, approximately five miles from Inverness and a thirty minute drive from Inverness Airport, with connections to London and most British cities.

Staff & Dining

Different occasions will require different solutions and Aldourie can be as flexible as your own home. Guests may prefer to take care of their own catering and housekeeping arrangements. However, we have our own team of chefs, housekeepers, managers and facilitators on hand. Whatever your preferred arrangements, we will ensure that you experience the very best of Scottish hospitality.

Things to Do

Monsters apart, the Loch has a romantic and mysterious allure all of its own and its extraordinary beauty has mesmerised visitors for centuries. With its deep waters and mountainous, tree-clad sides, Loch Ness fills most of the Great Glen, a spectacular gash dividing Highland Scotland in two. The area boasts some of the most outstanding and scenic attractions in Scotland: Urquhart Castle, the battlefield of Culloden, Moray Firth dolphins, whisky distilleries, Highland Games, and the city of Inverness, to name but a few. In addition, there are outstanding golf courses, walks and cycle routes, rivers and lochs for fishing, boat trips, ski slopes and more.