A lockdown life of luxury at Loch Melfort Hotel
Staff at an award-winning hotel are living the life of luxury lockdown thousands of miles from home.
When three of its furloughed staff could not get home, Loch Melfort Hotel bosses Rachel and Calum Ross came to the rescue.
Instead of changing beds, greeting guests and attending to their other usual duties, Marta Delgado from Spain, Andrea Lacinova from the Czech Republic and Toni Kashmiri from London are enjoying the four-star hotel all to themselves.
The three workmates have been upgraded to guest bedrooms and have the run of the lounge and decking, with Rachel ‘being mum’ and doing the shopping and lots of the cooking.
‘We’re all self-isolating together because we’re living as a family,’ said Rachel.
And the friends are making the most of the grounds - 17 acres of gardens and beach enjoying the company of the hotel’s only other residents, the Ross’s Highland cows and goats.
Marta, who has family in
Madrid, says looking after the hotel’s animals is a cheerful daily chore.
‘We volunteered to feed them because we love their cheery faces and they are so pleased to see us every day.
‘With views like this no wonder they’re all happy!’
Andrea said: ‘It’s a beautiful place to be stuck - locked in on lockdown at Loch Melfort.’
Mr and Mrs Ross bought the hotel at Arduaine back in September 2008 embarking on a rolling refurbishment project and their venture has just scooped two top accolades at the virtual Scottish Hotel Awards, picking up the national prize for Small Country Hotel of the Year and receiving a special commendation for industry leadership.
The prizes were announced in a live Facebook ceremony on Sunday April 26, after the awards dinner at Edinburgh’s Sheraton GrandHotel and Spa was cancelled due to COVID-19.
Last month’s honours adds to the four awards the pet-friendly hotel received in 2019.