The Colonsay

The Colonsay has commanding views over the sea to the island of Jura. With open fires, painted floorboards and deep sofas throughout, choose from the bar, log room, library or restaurant to relax in. The restaurant is more gastro-pub than formal dining and sources a seasonal menu from the best local and Scottish produce, focusing on Colonsay shellfish, fish, organic salads and vegetables.

Colonsay is famous for sandy beaches, oodles of wildlife and pure escapism. The island is blessed with the same rugged beauty as its Hebridean neighbours, yet lacks the numbers of tourists, and is thus an altogether more appealing proposition for an excursion through Scotland's Atlantic isles.

This Atlantic outcrop is a little over four hours from Glasgow by car and ferry (which services the island up to five days a week). Readily accessible, it is served up to five times a week by the Oban ferries and there will soon be scheduled Highland Air service from Oban.

Most guests do one of two things. The first is a spectacular walk around the island. The second is a round of golf at the island's golf club. Some say that the view from the tenth green is one of the best in golf. The hotel provides a Landrover for those who choose to leave their cars behind, but with views like these and over 200 species of birds to look at, who wants to be cooped up in a vehicle?