Toravaig House Hotel

Toravaig House Hotel Toravaig on the Isle of Skye, Luxury Hotel perfect for weddings & romantic getaways.
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As some of our wonderful young colleagues prepare to return to education, or take their next steps, we hosted some after...
29/08/2024

As some of our wonderful young colleagues prepare to return to education, or take their next steps, we hosted some afternoon tea parties at Skeabost House Hotel and Duisdale House Hotel over the last week to send them off in style.

It was great having everyone come together to wish them well, and also for our teams to take a well deserved break from delivering all the fantastic experiences our guests have had this summer.

Thank you to all of our colleagues for your continued excellence, and to our departing young folk, we cannot wait to see what you do next!

Beannachd leat an-dràsta!

Happy International Dog Day! Here is our our Sonas Collection Owner, Anne Gracie with our very own Duisdale Dog, Brodie....
26/08/2024

Happy International Dog Day! Here is our our Sonas Collection Owner, Anne Gracie with our very own Duisdale Dog, Brodie. He regularly enjoys the local beaches on Skye as pictured below. Remember Duisdale House Hotel is a very dog friendly hotel.

✨ Excited to welcome all our wonderful wedding guests! 💍❤️ The countdown is on, and we can't wait to celebrate love, lau...
12/08/2024

✨ Excited to welcome all our wonderful wedding guests! 💍❤️ The countdown is on, and we can't wait to celebrate love, laughter, and unforgettable memories with you all. Let the festivities begin! 🥂🎉

We are very proud to introduce our two newly promoted Duty Managers at Skeabost House Hotel.🤩John O Loughlin joined us l...
29/07/2024

We are very proud to introduce our two newly promoted Duty Managers at Skeabost House Hotel.🤩

John O Loughlin joined us last year as a Kitchen Porter and Housekeeper. Mastering the back of house areas, along with his experience in retail management, gave the perfect mix of skills and experience to progress John to Duty Manager.

Fianna Murdoch also joined the team at Skeabost last year as an F&B Assistant. With a strong background in hospitality, she was keen to develop her career in reception this year and is excelling her in her new role as Duty Manager.

Congratulations John & Fianna ! We cannot wait to see what comes next 🌠

The famous Skye Bridge (Drochaid an Eilein Sgitheanaich) celebrates its 30th birthday next year having been opened by th...
16/07/2024

The famous Skye Bridge (Drochaid an Eilein Sgitheanaich) celebrates its 30th birthday next year having been opened by the Secretary of State for Scotland on 16th October 1995. For countless years, small and then bigger ferries carried passengers and cars across the narrow strait between Kyle of Lochalsh and Kyleakin. By 1971 two 28-car ferries carried more than 300,000 vehicles annually often with lengthy queues which led calls for a road bridge to built.

Construction of the Skye Bridge began in 1992 and on opening Caledonian MacBrayne's ferry service ceased. The £25m cost was the first major capital project funded by a private finance initiative which meant the construction company could charge a toll to recoup its costs and ultimately make a profit. It took a massive public campaign to have the tolls removed and in December 2004, nine years after the bridge was built, the crossing was free. In its first year of operation it recorded traffic of 612,000 vehicles.

The Skye Bridge is 35m above Loch Alsh allowing vessels to pass through at the right tide and connects Kyle to Eilean Bàn with its Stephenson Lighthouse. The island was home to the author Gavin Maxwell (Ring of Bright Water) who had plans to create a wildlife reserve before his death in 1969.

There are magnificent views from the top of the bridge to Skye, Applecross and east to the mountains of Kintail. These days it is an economic lifeline for local communities and the gateway to Skye. You can also travel via CalMac's Mallaig-Armadale ferry and during the summer months take the world's last manually operated turntable car ferry 'MV Glenachulish' between Glenelg and Kylerhea.

Welcome to Skye!

Nature gave us another magnificent sunset last night,  photographed from the beach  in Ord, south Skye. What better reas...
10/07/2024

Nature gave us another magnificent sunset last night, photographed from the beach in Ord, south Skye.

What better reason to come and stay with us at Duisdale and Toravaig and of course Skeabost as well!

https://sonascollection.com/

At the height of summer in Skye our fields, paths, hedgerows and verges are a blaze of colour, places off the beaten tra...
07/07/2024

At the height of summer in Skye our fields, paths, hedgerows and verges are a blaze of colour, places off the beaten track and in quiet secluded spots not often seen by visitors. From foxgloves, buttercups, dandelions, heather, orchids and rhododendrons there is so much flora and fauna to see and enjoy across the island.

Ask at your hotel, bed and breakfast or local people; they will know some wonderful gentle walks through some stunning scenery. Skye produces some great tourism guides and lots of online content which often direct people to the area's iconic hotspots such as the 'Fairy Pools' and the 'Old Man of Storr'. But there is so much more to see than just the 'Big Five'!

If you search you can easily find walks where you might not see someone else all day; what a great way to slow down, see a bit less but experience so much more.

Our pictures are from one of the nature trails around the Armadale Castle and Gardens highland estate in south Skye.

https://sonascollection.com/about-us/

We are DELIGHTED to announce the internal promotions of the wonderful Sarah & Rob! Sarah joined us in 2023 as Duty Manag...
02/07/2024

We are DELIGHTED to announce the internal promotions of the wonderful Sarah & Rob!

Sarah joined us in 2023 as Duty Manager at Toravaig House Hotel and has now been promoted to Operations Manager at Duisdale House Hotel.

Rob joined us at the start of the 2024 season as Operations Manager at Toravaig House Hotel, and has now been promoted to Assistant General Manager at Duisdale House Hotel.

Both Sarah & Rob are great examples of the passion and determination for great highland hospitality our colleagues have across The Sonas Hotel Collection. We are delighted that we are able to support our colleagues to grow in their careers and are so excited to see what is to come for Sarah and Rob!

Mealaibh Ur Naidheachd!

Just ten miles east of the Skye Bridge Eilean Donan Castle is one of the most iconic visitor attractions  in the whole o...
26/06/2024

Just ten miles east of the Skye Bridge Eilean Donan Castle is one of the most iconic visitor attractions in the whole of Scotland and is a must-visit stop on the west coast. Located on an island at where three sea lochs meet (Alsh, Long and Duich) the castle is set amid wonderful mountain and coastal scenery with views to the west of Skye, and the famous 'Five Sisters of Kintail' to the east.

The castle not only a fantastic place to visit but has a long and chequered history. It is believed to have been founded as a monastery in the 6th or 7th century. Eilean Donan, which means simply "island of Donnán", is named after Donnán of Eigg, a Celtic saint who was martyred in 617. The original castle was built in the the 13th century and later became a stronghold of the Clan MacKenzie and their allies, the Clan MacRae. Fast forward to May 1719 when three British warships bombarded the castle then occupied by Spanish soldiers. The soldiers were captured and taken to Edinburgh on one of the frigates and a month later the remaining Spaniards were defeated at the nearby Battle of Glen Shiel.

Between 1919 and 1932, the castle was rebuilt by Lt. Col. John MacRae-Gilstrap. The restoration included the construction of an arched bridge to give easier access to the island.

Eilean Donan is also something of a film star having appeared in over 30 movies, including the original Highlander, The Master of Ballantrae, Made of Honor, The World Is Not Enough (007), Rob Roy and surprisingly some Bollywood films.

Most of all don't forget your camera.

There is something for everyone at Eilean Donan Castle, read more here.

https://ow.ly/yVjS50SpLTY

#1745

'A place to think'.Ask almost any first-time visitor to the Isle of Skye what do they want to see first. Is it the ‘Fair...
15/06/2024

'A place to think'.

Ask almost any first-time visitor to the Isle of Skye what do they want to see first. Is it the ‘Fairy Pools’, The Old Man of Storr, Neist Point lighthouse or maybe the ‘Fairy Glen’?

You probably won’t find one who answers ‘Tormore Community Forest’, a thousand acres of community owned woodland in the Sleat peninsula, the southernmost part of the island, long known as the ‘garden of Skye’. Purchased by Sleat Community Trust in 2011, the forest is located three miles south of Armadale and on the higher ground there are 360-degree views across to the mainland, Lochaber, Ardnamurchan and the aptly named ‘Small Isles’.

Tormore is one of many community-owned assets across Skye where local groups have acquired land for a range of benefits including affordable housing, well-being, income generation, picnic areas, paths and recreational facilities. Thousands of native trees are being planted regenerating the forest at Tormore and in recent years two major schemes for peatland restoration have been undertaken as well as a community hydro-electric scheme.

If you are staying on the island why not ask about our off-the-beaten-track special hidden secrets, avoid the crowds in the hotspots, and enjoy some peace and quiet.

Thank you to local residents Hans and Tricia Petri for their generous donation of the bench overlooking the sea.

Read more about Tormore Community Forest here and perhaps take a walk out into the countryside.

https://www.sleat.org.uk/project/tormore-forest/

We couldn't showcase the magnificent gardens at Duisdale without featuring our sister hotel in south Skye, Toravaig Hous...
06/06/2024

We couldn't showcase the magnificent gardens at Duisdale without featuring our sister hotel in south Skye, Toravaig House. Toravaig was the first of our lovely Sonas Collection of hotels, which opened at Easter 2004 and was recently joined by the Knipoch Hotel just six miles south of Oban, 'gateway' to the isles'.

Toravaig has had a number of uses over the years built originally in 1933 as the private home of Colonel Horace and Mrs Kythie Kemble, it was sold to the Church of Scotland in 1954 for an 'eventide' home and served for a while as a backpackers hostel. What you see today at Toravaig is a Hebridean gem small hotel set among beautiful gardens overlooking the Sound of Sleat, Knock Bay and the stunning Torabhaig Distillery.

Our lovely gardens with fine lawns and shrubs are a blaze of colour and overlooked by a stunning sun terrace, perfect after your long journey, or a day exploring the Isle of Skye and the incomparable Highland scenery.

We look forward to welcoming you to Toravaig.

https://sonascollection.com/our-hotels/toravaig/

Today is World Otter Day! Did you know that the International Otter Survival Fund based here in Skye supports local comm...
29/05/2024

Today is World Otter Day! Did you know that the International Otter Survival Fund based here in Skye supports local communities to protect and conserve the 13 species of otter that live across the world.

When you stay at our hotels you can also buy a sustainable toy otter to take home, and we will make a £2 donation to IOSF.

If you would like to find out more about their valuable work just visit https://www.otter.org/

Thank you to Rob for the image of one happy Skye Otter.

May has been a wonderful month on the west coast for fine weather with blue skies, long sunny days and the occasional sh...
28/05/2024

May has been a wonderful month on the west coast for fine weather with blue skies, long sunny days and the occasional shower of rain. For our expert horticultural team here at Duisdale the conditions have proved perfect to showcase the hotel’s gardens at their very best. The lawns resemble the opening day at Wimbledon, the shrubs and flowers display a blaze of colour and the trees surrounding the hotel provide a shady scenic back drop. Add to that enjoy our magnificent views across the Sound of Sleat.

Our amazing gardeners work year-round to ensure the hotel’s gardens are looking fabulous throughout the summer. Thank you, ‘Team Duisdale’.

Come and see for yourselves.

Read more about our ‘Sonas Secret Saver’ here.

https://sonascollection.com/offer/sonas-secret-saver/

A huge TAPADH LEAT to all of our Waitresses and Waiters on this National Waiters Day!  We could not deliver our fantasti...
16/05/2024

A huge TAPADH LEAT to all of our Waitresses and Waiters on this National Waiters Day!

We could not deliver our fantastic dining options without your continued drive and passion. Each day you create lasting encounters with our guests and our colleagues, helping everyone find their sonas.

Thank you for being you!

'Seven Coronal Mass Ejections (CMEs) are racing towards Earth'.  That was the dramatic headline yesterday when scientist...
11/05/2024

'Seven Coronal Mass Ejections (CMEs) are racing towards Earth'. That was the dramatic headline yesterday when scientists across the globe predicted severe geomagnetic storms this weekend.

To you and I it meant an incredible display overnight of the aurora borealis or Northern Lights, probably some of the finest ever seen. Here in northern Scotland the days are long at this time of year and it was around midnight when nature put on an out of this world display!

Our pictures were taken from Ord in Sleat and unusually the stunning skies were best looking south and west. The lights peaked at around 0100 but the good news is that tonight a further display is very likely.

Usually it is the winter months when the aurora is at its best and here at the Sonas Collection we have Dark Skye special offers at the Duisdale and Dark Sky Oban at our lovely new Knipoch Hotel. Read more here.

https://sonascollection.com/offer/dark-sky-duisdale/

https://sonascollection.com/offer/dark-skye-oban-winter-24-25/

But you can come any time of the year!

It’s often said that May in Skye is the best time of the year; the weather is warmer, the days are longer and a time to ...
07/05/2024

It’s often said that May in Skye is the best time of the year; the weather is warmer, the days are longer and a time to enjoy the stunning blaze of colour on our hills and in the woods. The swathes of bluebells and wild garlic are the ultimate signs of spring and if you have a path running through them what better walk could you have?

Enjoy a few images from this week from the woodland trail above the seawall on the A851 Sleat road a mile north of the entrance to Armadale Castle and Gardens. (See the map, the walk is the ‘Red Trail’ running parallel to the road). Perhaps the recent weather and a little rain have worked together to put on a beautiful display but be quick the blues and whites don’t last too long!

Why not head up to Skye soon and and take a short break in one of our three award-winning boutique hotels, enjoy our magnificent scenery, fine hospitality, wonderful food and drink and nature at its best.

https://sonascollection.com/

Join us this Saturday 4th May for our Tales by the Fireside - cosy up by the fire and this month learn about Beltane - t...
30/04/2024

Join us this Saturday 4th May for our Tales by the Fireside - cosy up by the fire and this month learn about Beltane - the Gaelic May Day festival, marking the beginning of summer, we love hearing tales of the past.

This free event runs on the first Saturday of each month at 9pm, why not join us for dinner beforehand.

You can make your dinner reservation on Tel 01470 373737 or
www.sonascollection.com/offer/tales-from-the-fireside/

It’s expected that more than one million people will visit the Isle of Skye in 2024, Scotland’s second most popular dest...
26/04/2024

It’s expected that more than one million people will visit the Isle of Skye in 2024, Scotland’s second most popular destination after Edinburgh. The island is a must-see stop on the itineraries of visitors, particularly those from overseas who make it a part of their ‘grand tour’ of Scotland. Many will arrive at Armadale on the scenic CalMac Ferries crossing from Mallaig, but most will travel via the iconic Skye Bridge linking Kyle of Lochalsh and Kyleakin.

But there is a hidden gem in the shadow of the bridge that is a perfect for a rest stop on your journey. The ‘Plock of Kyle’ is a community owned parkland in hundreds of acres of woodlands, meadows, and a rocky shoreline with magnificent views of Skye and the surrounding countryside. The peninsula is found at the mainland end of the Skye Bridge on the A87 and came under community ownership in 2019.

There are dozens of marked nature trails, a forest school, community garden, picnic areas and much more. If you are tired after a long journey, need to stretch your legs, let the dog take you for a walk then the Plock of Kyle is just for you! Take a short walk up to the viewpoint with 360 degrees vista of the bridge, the mountains of Skye and Raasay, Applecross and Wester Ross.



https://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/kintail/Plockofkyle.shtml

https://sonascollection.com/

A huge congratulations to our Island neighbours The Broch at Borve Lodge on Harris for being nominated as Scotland’s Gre...
18/04/2024

A huge congratulations to our Island neighbours The Broch at Borve Lodge on Harris for being nominated as Scotland’s Greatest Escape on last nights programme!

Anne and Andreas were thrilled to be part of programme and to meet all the other worthy finalists. It was also an honour to have the opportunity to welcome Grado, and our lovely judges Marina and Vanessa to our island home to showcase the beauty of Skye. A big thank you goes to our amazing team who work their magic every day - we are very proud of you all. ❤️‍

Anne and Andreas would like to thank everyone who has contacted us with so many wonderful messages of support for Scotla...
16/04/2024

Anne and Andreas would like to thank everyone who has contacted us with so many wonderful messages of support for Scotland's Greatest Escape - it means the world to us. ❤️‍

We will be on the TV again tomorrow so set your reminders for the final at 8pm (Wednesday 17th) on BBC Scotland!

We can honestly say it has been so much fun to part of be part of this programme and we feel so humbled to have got this far. With over 1400 nominations, just being shortlisted was a huge honour for us.

One of the highlights of the summer in Skye is the annual visit of the P.S. Waverley, the world's last seagoing passenge...
13/04/2024

One of the highlights of the summer in Skye is the annual visit of the P.S. Waverley, the world's last seagoing passenger-carrying paddle steamer. Built in 1946, the 'Waverley' has been sailing the waters around the UK for over 75 years, many of them as a steamer service around the Clyde and Argyll islands. She sailed with the Caledonian Steam Packet Company for a long time, which later became Caledonian MacBrayne and is now known as CalMac.

If you are visiting the west coast next month an excursion on the grand old lady is something for all the family. She'll be cruising the Skye area between 21st and 23rd May and bookings for all sailings are open now. Better still come and stay in one of our three lovely hotels on Skye and spend some time on the pristine waters on one of the most iconic vessels in the UK. You'll see some magnificent scenery too!

https://waverleyexcursions.co.uk/welcome-aboard-waverley/

https://sonascollection.com/

We’re are so thrilled that Duisdale House Hotel was voted the winner of Scotland’s Greatest Escape Island and Coastal ca...
11/04/2024

We’re are so thrilled that Duisdale House Hotel was voted the winner of Scotland’s Greatest Escape Island and Coastal category! The judges were taken with both the quality of the accommodation combined with the uniquely authentic Skye experience that Duisdale can offer its guests.

Customer service was an important part of the judging process and we are so proud of our team here at Duisdale in that they have recognition for something they also do naturally every day for all our guests that visit us here in Skye. As you know Sonas means Happiness in Gaelic!

We would like to send a huge thank you to our local partners for their support in making it all happen. Peter from Loch Eishort Mussels and David from and Alasdair our young talented piper. You were all amazing!

Thank you also to everyone for your lovely messages - it means a lot to us thank you. ❤️‍

Today is the day - get the popcorn ready, we are very excited!Set your reminders for 8pm tonight on BBC Scotland as Grad...
10/04/2024

Today is the day - get the popcorn ready, we are very excited!

Set your reminders for 8pm tonight on BBC Scotland as Grado and his expert judges on Scotland's Greatest Escape travel to Skye for a warm island welcome hosted by our very own Anne Gracie Gunn and Andreas Maszczyk.

08/04/2024

Only a few more days to go!

Tune into Scotland’s Greatest Escape on BBC Scotland on Wednesday at 8pm, where host Grado and his judges will be visiting the three finalists in the Island and Coastal category.

Watch out for a few familiar faces!

Stay tuned as Duisdale House Hotel gets a moment in the spotlight with a special TV appearance that’s not to be missed! ...
05/04/2024

Stay tuned as Duisdale House Hotel gets a moment in the spotlight with a special TV appearance that’s not to be missed!

In just a few days the hills, fields and verges across Skye will be full of newly born lambs skipping and jumping in the...
02/04/2024

In just a few days the hills, fields and verges across Skye will be full of newly born lambs skipping and jumping in the spring sunshine.

On the island most, if not all of the farmers and crofters, wait until the previous November before putting the tups (male sheep) out with the ewes. A tup is also known as a "ram", but in Scotland the word "tup" is used more commonly.

This way the lambs are carried for 145 days so as to arrive in April when the weather should have improved. There's a old saying among farmers: 'if the ram goes in with the ewes on bonfire night, the lambs will be born on 1st April' – 'In with a bang and out like fools!'

Most lambs will be let loose from their place of birth within a few days, diligently following their mums. So please ensure that if you have a dog you are required by law to keep it under close control at all times.

Spring is here, perhaps time for a celebration?

https://sonascollection.com/celebrations/

Sometimes words to accompany a Facebook post simply aren't needed.But every so often Skye puts on a display that takes y...
26/03/2024

Sometimes words to accompany a Facebook post simply aren't needed.

But every so often Skye puts on a display that takes your breath away. Tonight the sunset was stunning, a sky on fire looking west from Sleat to the Small Isles of Rum and Canna.

The Easter week's weather has not disappointed so far and if you want to get away for a few days why not come and stay with us.

'Natural hospitality routed in destination.'

https://ow.ly/hmWp50R2MW1

It's that great time of the year again when the days are  getting longer,  our trees and plants are bursting into life a...
21/03/2024

It's that great time of the year again when the days are getting longer, our trees and plants are bursting into life and today is the first day of spring. All over the island our hospitality businesses are getting ready to welcome visitors for the early Easter holidays.

Spring is good time to get out into the great outdoors, whether it's a walk in the magnificent coastal and mountain scenery or a stroll to one of the many pristine beaches. If you are intending to head into the Cuillin please ensure you are prepared for tough terrain, ever changing Highland weather and, if you are walking alone, let someone know where you are going and what time you will be expected back.

But most of us prefer a less strenuous walk in Skye and leisurely enjoy the stunning views. Our photos are from the trail above Armadale Castle and Gardens in Sleat which leads up to Armadale Hill (Cnoc Armadail) at 200m where you can see across the Sound of Sleat to the mainland, the Cuillin Mountains and west to the Small Isles.

Information on this lovely hike can be found here.

https://ow.ly/zMz950QYzB1



https://sonascollection.com/offers/

The fires are lit at our wee Hebridean gem here in the south of Skye! Our staff are working tirelessly to give you a war...
18/03/2024

The fires are lit at our wee Hebridean gem here in the south of Skye! Our staff are working tirelessly to give you a warm welcome and create a cosy atmosphere for your visit. Come relax by the fire and enjoy the stunning views of our beautiful island paradise.

Can’t wait to see you soon!

https://sonascollection.com/our-hotels/toravaig/

Today, we set sail on our exciting new venture in beautiful Argyll. Along with many local friends, Knipoch House Hotel w...
15/03/2024

Today, we set sail on our exciting new venture in beautiful Argyll.

Along with many local friends, Knipoch House Hotel was officially welcomed into the Sonas Collection Family by founder Anne Gracie Gunn, daughter Jennifer Gracie and Group General Manager Andreas Maszczyk.

We are so looking forward to welcoming you to our new home in Argyll.

Head to the link in our bio to learn more and book now.

Address

Sleat, Isle Of Skye
Teangue
IV448RE

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Toravaig House Hotel

Toravaig House on the enchanting Isle of Skye, Scotland is a small boutique hotel, within a collection of three family-owned hotels on the island.

The accommodation in the hotel is made up of nine individually designed contemporary bedrooms and offers an elegant dining experience in its 2AA rosette restaurant.

Toravaig House is situated in an elevated, south facing position on the southern peninsula on the Isle of Skye, enjoying views out across the Atlantic waters of the Sound of Sleat over to the distant hills of Arisaig. This Hebridean gem has, many times, won the title “Scottish Island Hotel of the Year” at the Scottish Hotel Awards. With its comfortable lounge, open fire and baby grand piano, this is a beautiful place to begin your dining experience after a day exploring our beautiful landscapes.

There are many activities, craft shops and castles to visit and enjoy on the island and our experienced receptionists will help you tailor a holiday to remember on the beautiful Isle of Skye.