Return to Victorian values
Hotel which was once host to Britain’s young queen is given a right royal makeover
IN the 200 or so years since it first opened its doors, it might seem – at first glance – that nothing much has changed at the Atholl Arms. It’s a fine old Georgian hotel which still stands like a sturdy gatekeeper at the southern entrance to the historic village of Dunkeld.
In the early days of her reign, a young Queen Victoria came to stay. To this day, a horse-drawn royal carriage would not look out of place pulling up beside the whitewashed walls.
Exactly as it did back then, the view from the hotel still captures the sweep of Perthshire’s forested hills; the River Tay still flows past, broad and powerful.
But even though a traveller from the early 19th Century returning in 2016 would be heartened to see such a lovely scene unchanged by time, the hospitality on offer at the Atholl is definitely not stuck in the past.
Recently, as part of a major upgrade by new owners, the rooms have been given a modern makeover, while the amazing garden terrace – a beer-gardencum-café right down beside the river – has been revamped.
More than anything, though, great work has been done to establish the Atholl as one of the best places to eat in Highland Perthshire.
During a midweek visit earlier this summer, my partner and I ate at the Meeting Place, the hotel’s bar and bistro, which opens onto Bridge St, Dunkeld’s bustling main road.
Alongside pizza and pasta standards, the menu offers a great choice of modern Scottish dishes: proper hearty fare, focused on locally-sourced ingredients, and served with interesting chef-y touches.
Although she kept detailed diaries, Queen Victoria – currently the subject of a successful ITV drama series – chose not to record what she ate during her stay at the Atholl in 1844 (presumably whatever the chef served left her, characteristically, “not amused”).
These days, however, the food on offer is well worth a mention in any traveller’s journal. For starters, we chose the delicious pigeon breast with crowdie mousse and beetroot puree, and a chicken and tarragon terrine with Perthshire oatcakes, followed by a main course of beautiful Perthshire lamb rump with fine beans and potato gratin. Dessert just had to be the show-stopping clootie dumpling with crème anglaise.
It’s no surprise that the food and the chefs who create it have won a string of local and national awards.
THE hotel itself combines 21st Century luxury with heaps of historical charm. The reception area is full of comfy sofas and cheerful paintings – the ideal place to plan a day-trip, enjoy an after-dinner drink or chat to other guests.
Although the Atholl, like all old buildings, has its quirks (squeaks, sloping floors and mysterious remnants of old pipework on show), the bedrooms – there are 17 en-suite rooms in total – are all modern and comfortable, freshly painted in subtle tones in keeping with the Georgian architecture and fitted out with stylish headboards and furniture.
The most popular rooms overlook the river and the famous five-arched stone bridge that leads into the village.
Costs vary from £64 per night for a twin room during the week to £159 per night for a suite at the weekend.
Another stand-out feature of the Atholl is the fabulous Garden Terrace, which has been recently overhauled to become much more than a beer garden. A wooden pavilion serves meals, snacks, tea and coffee plus cocktails, beers and wines to guests and members of the public who can sit right on the banks of the Tay.
Beyond the hotel, the village of Dunkeld – with its cathedral ruins and ornate memorial fountain – is a treasury of fascinating history, while the surrounding countryside offers opportunities for scenic drives, walking and cycling.
Queen Victoria’s passion for the Highlands – a forerunner of the modern trend for ‘staycationing’ – was regarded as something of an eccentricity among her courtiers.
But as we sat on the Atholl’s terrace in the afternoon sunshine nursing a cold drink and watching the river rush past while looking forward to another fine meal, it was easy to see her point: when there’s a corner of Scotland as lovely as this, why would one venture any further?