Hotels unveil £1.8m plans for makeover

Highland Coast Hotels has unveiled plans for a £1.8 million makeover of two wellknown venues in the far north Scottish Highlands, using local expertise to bring their vision for the future to life.

Tongue Hotel, on the North Coast 500, and Plockton Inn in Wester Ross will reopen to visitors in early April following an extensive, three-month refurbishment, supported by Highland-based Rona Douglas Interiors.

Both historic venues are being given a contemporary new look inspired by their stunning locations in areas of outstanding natural beauty.

Tongue enjoys views over the Kyle of Tongue, Ben Loyal and Ben Hope, while

Plockton is affectionately known as The Jewel of the Highlands and sits on a sheltered bay overlooking Loch Carron.

Tongue Hotel, which is a former 19th-Century sporting lodge, will offer 19 individually styled guest rooms and a refurbished restaurant and bar, while retaining its historic charm.

This includes original wood panelling, antique furnishings and open fires, as well as local artwork by Rona Kant and Katherine Sutherland, and black and white photography of the local landscape by photographer Glyn Slatterly.

DELUXE BEDROOM

The new Deluxe Feature bedroom at Tongue Hotel has a sumptuous feel, complete with freestanding roll top bath, rich and textured soft furnishings and an open fireplace.

The rich velvet curtain fabrics in the bedrooms are manufactured from recycled materials and the beds are hand-crafted by Inverness-based Highland Blind Craft Beds.

The contemporary tartan throws are made with natural and sustainable materials by ethical Scottish firm The Tartan Blanket Company.

Tongue Hotel’s new 40cover restaurant, Varrich, takes inspiration from the remains of the Viking Castle Varrich on the headland opposite.

There will be a new decking area for al fresco dining and the Brass Tap Bar will get a makeover.

Plockton Inn will see the 14 bedrooms reduced to 12 to allow for larger en-suite bathrooms for selected rooms.

The makeover of Plockton Inn will also include Sorley’s House in the building opposite, which takes its name from the Scottish poet Sorley MacLean, who lived on the site.

The new 80-cover restaurant, dining areas and bar at Plockton Inn will retain many of its period features.

The artwork and colour scheme of blues, greens, coppery tones and golds

take inspiration from its location. Again, the Inn will showcase local artists and photographers, including Danny Campbell, Cath Waters of Skye and Sam Bilner.

David Whiteford, chairman of Highland Coast Hotels, said: “We’re really excited to be welcoming the iconic Tongue Hotel and Plockton Inn to the Highland Coast Hotels collection this spring.

“The history, architectural features and locations in areas of outstanding natural beauty are what make these two

venues stand out from the crowd. We’ve invested a significant amount of time, money, care and attention to detail to give both venues a sympathetic and contemporary makeover.

“As with all our venues, the focus is also on creating environmentally friendly hotels and supporting local communities, suppliers, producers, designers and artists.”

The redevelopment of the hotels has been supported by Highlands & Islands Enterprise.

LUXURY: CGI images show how the refurbished hotels will look when completed.