This hotel is in a superb location and we were really looking forward to our stay here. We arrived on a sunny afternoon and our host recommended we book for dinner at 8pm. We happliy enjoyed a round of golf at their golf course and arrived back at the hotel with 20 mins to spare before dinner, only to be chastised by a rude waitress that we were late and holding up the dinner for the other 2 tables. Apparently dinner is served promptly at 8pm with canapes served at 7.30pm. We had not been informed of this procedure and given that dinner was 45 pounds per person i would expect that i could arrive and eat when it suited me!
The entire staff were snobby and never tried to make us feel welcome. I would not recommend this hotels uptight attitude to anyone wishing for a relaxing break in the highlands.

We stayed one night in Ballachulish House on our way to Skye. It was no doubt the nicest and most elegant place we stayed in Scotland, even though it was not the most expensive. We had the room with the pink walls shown on the Web site. A very pretty room, spacious and with wonderful views out over the grounds. Bath was lovely and spacious as well.

We were met by a staffperson who greeted us by name and showed us around the hotel and to our very nice room. Ballachulish is one of the top country house hotels in Scotland and it shows in the details. The drawing room, where we had drinks and canapes before dinner, is comfortable and nicely decorated. Before dinner, Marie, the proprietor, came and warmly welcomed us.

Dinner was quite an event, lasting close to three hourse. I lost track of how many courses were served. I had monkfish and my husband had lamb. It was all wonderfully prepared and presented. After dinner we were invited to have after-dinner drinks and hand-made chocolates in the drawing room, but it was only our second day in Scotland and we were so jet-lagged we couldn't keep our eyes open.

Breakfast the next morning was also one of the best we had in Scotland. There was a superb haddock dish that I never found anywhere else.

Ballachulish House is near Glen Coe, with its magnificent mountain scenery. The hotel has its own golf course on the grounds; we don't play golf but I think many of the guests come for that reason. All in all we had a splendid stay and would definitely return next chance we have to come to Scotland.

We had a dissapointing stay due to the snobbish attitude by the owner who made our party feel most unwelcome. She felt we were too noisy but given that she had taken a booking for seven people, she should have expected a little noise with everybody chatting.

The hotel ran out of most drinks which we ordered including champagne and red wine which we did not believe was satisfactory for a hotel of this standing.

The rooms did not lock and we had to share a bathroom with people across the corridor. The bathroom was very small and not to the standard we would have expected.

The food, however, was excellent and if the service had been better and we had been made to feel more welcome, I would not be writing this review.

Glencoe was spectacular and I will be back there but unfortunately not to the the Ballachulish House Hotel.

Right from booking the room through to the welcome at reception and the service at dinner that staff at Ballachulish House were friendly and helpful. We stayed one night after a long trip round the coast to avoid a snow-blocked road. We instantly relaxed and travelled the short distance to the shared swimming pool and fitness centre in Glen Coe.
This would be my only gripe in that having arrived at 6pm there was no availability for the fitness area which was fully booked. The swimming pool was welcoming though and the sauna helped to ease the tensions of the day.
We enjoyed an excellent evening meal with local specialies which was good value I thought considering the quality and lovely surroundings. Then we relaxed with a drink in the lounge in the warm environment of candles and soft furnishings.