Situated in the 'arse end of nowhere', The Summer Isles Hotel is somewhat of an enigma. On one hand the rooms are small, the temperature of the shower water has a mind of it's own and the cattle grid outside the room annoys the hell out of you. On the other, the drive to get there is fantastic and the views beautiful, the bedrooms are well equipped and the food is just stunning.
We stayed in room 25 and although pleasant enough, the water wouldn't keep temperature (despite being an electric shower) and every time a car drove over the cattle grid, we knew about it ! I suppose that sort of added a little charm to the place.
The Hotel requests that all guests gather prior to dinner being served at 8pm, for canapes (mussels in breadcrumbs = yum !).
The restaurant was full, and was a little cramped for my liking - if you can, request a table next to the window. The food was very good, we started with garlic mushrooms, followed by langoustines with risotto, then lamb. Make sure you have room for the desert trolley - a VERY good selection, ranging from a basic berry salad to creme brulee to chocolate 'oh my god I've eaten too much'. Lastly the cheese trolley - varied local / not so local selection and accompanied with good ports. The only thing that let them down was our white wine was a little warm - so make sure you order yours early ! The bar next door (part of the hotel) also serves food and I would recommend the seafood platter - plenty for 2 to share. The hotel also has a smoke-house (this is not located at the hotel, but a few miles down the road). Sadly it is closed on Sundays (so we missed out), but we heard it was good to visit. Come breakfast, we managed to squeeze in a full 'fry up', which again was cooked perfectly. Would I come back ? Definitely - but only as a special treat; as although being good, I think it was slightly overpriced. For those of you with an interest, I went with my partner and this hotel is certainly gay friendly - so no need to worry about odd looks when you check in !

For our first wedding anniversary we decided on a trip up north staying in places known for fabulous food. This was the most remote place we went to, and we loved it. We were accommodated in what was the lowest tariff room in the place... and felt like we were being punished for it! The room itself was clean, comfortable although a bit sparse, but the bathroom as a disgrace for such an establishment! It was old, falling apart and had no shower - we were given a plastic shower attachment you stick onto the bath taps to use!
BUT, the food...ahh, the food! My husband is a New Zealander and chatted with the sommelier about wine. Pre dinner drinks and canapes were served in the lounge before dinner and it was lovely - even although we realised that we were bringing down the average age of all the others present by quite a margin by being so much younger than everyone else there! If you like the loud, London hunting, fishing, shooting crowd you would feel very comfortable there!!
Five course dinner was an extravaganza and the staff were helpful, friendly and enthusiastic about the food they were serving which added to the experience.
Would happily eat here again, but not fussed about the accommodation there as felt it was a rip off... of course, the accommodation choices are such that you may not have a choice!! Someone should open up a lovely B & B there, then you could enjoy the food at Summer Isles then retire to a less pretentious and more comfortable accommodation!
Breakfast was amazing, but after all that food at dinner, who wants breakfast!

Spectacular location for walks (if you don't mind rain) and views. We had a room at the front - large - looking out to the water over the sheep etc. Bathroom not wonderful - problem about hot water for bath. One comes here for the food and/or the location (which is the middle of nowhere). There will be no tour groups here because the access roads are too narrow and twisty for buses. The location is spectacular.

Dinner was good, but not, in my view, great. Too many courses also! But the meal was very pleasant and the staff was wonderful - friendly but observant and careful. Drinks before dinner in the lounge were casual and pleasant. Breakfast was fabulous - but who needs all that food?

Didn't stay but did eat dinner at this hotel. The meal and service were as good as we had remembered...if not better. Great wine-to-food matching advice, superb five-course set meal with good veggie options and the cheese board has to be the best in the UK. Convivial atmosphere on the Friday night we dined; not at all stuffy. Take your loved one, your family or even just go on your own. Great food in an idyllic location with attentive, amusing and knowledgeable waiting-on staff, overseen immaculately by New Zealand Bob.