Hospitable island hosts win top Thistle Award
Helen and Andrew How of Carraig Mhor B&B in Lamlash have been awarded a Scottish Thistle Award for the Most Hospitable B&B in the Scotland west region.
Receiving the award at the impressive Òran Mór in Glasgow, the couple will now automatically be entered into the national finals in Edinburgh in March.
No strangers to receiving awards after many years in the hospitality industry, Helen and Andrew, before moving to Arran in 2014, successfully ran a B&B called Burn View which they elevated to a fourstar B&B, winning both a Breakfast Award and a Silver Award by the tourist board.
Carraig Mhor is located right on the coast of Lamlash in a distinctive and elegant building. The Waverly room, their premier room fitted with every luxury and mod-con available, looks out over the dramatic landscape of Holy Isle and Lamlash Bay and offers unrivalled privacy with its own private corridor.
On receiving the accolade, Helen said: ‘We are obviously delighted and honoured to receive this unexpected award and we are thrilled to be bringing it back to Arran.
‘The service we provide on Arran is not entirely of our own doing and we have to thank the community who all work together in unison to provide and enhance the visitor experience for guests who visit our beautiful island.’
Sheila Gilmore of VisitArran said: ‘ I am delighted to hear that Carraig Mhor won the Thistle regional finals in the Most Hospitable B&B category. Congratulations to Helen and Andy on this super accolade.
‘They were nominated by a guest, which reflects the offering they provide for their visitors. Well done Carraig Mhor!’
In addition to award-winning hospitality, Carraig Mhor has made a strong commitment to environmental best practice and the promotion of environmentally friendly policies. They are also passionate about food and, along with their freshly prepared breakfasts, they also offer vegetarian and special requirement breakfasts, many using traditional Carraig Mhor recipes.