Business of the Month: Achnagairn Estate
We spoke to Gillian from Achnagairn Estate, our luxury accommodation partner, located at the start and end of the NC500 route.
Achnagairn has much to offer the NC500 visitor: from a fabulous dinner in their onsite restaurant – Table Manors (fabulous food – they have just been awarded 2 AA Rosettes for culinary excellence), through to wonderful accommodation, whether an ensuite bedroom in their Mini Manors, self-catering in an entire Mini-Manor or the exclusive hire of an entire castle if you truly want to travel in style!
1. Hello Gillian! First of all can you please tell us a little bit about yourself?
I always find this question quite hard to answer. In terms of character I would say I I’m pretty optimistic and quite energetic – I always like to be doing new things. In terms of background, I am a bit of a Jack of all trades. If I go way back, my degree is in politics and economics and my first job was as a management consultant at an international firm called McKinsey. I then joined BBC TV as a Correspondent with a focus on different elements at different times from Consumer Affairs Correspondent to Business & Economics Correspondent. I was broadcasting at the BBC for 15 years but then became an academic. I now teach Leadership and Entrepreneurship at UCL (University College London). I also run Achnagairn with my husband Mike but we couldn’t do it without our fabulous chairman Marina Huggett who has built up a phenomenal team. In terms of hospitality, we bought Achnagairn 12 years ago and its sister property Cortes House in Aberdeenshire 16 years ago.
2. How much does your background influence how you do things at Achnagairn?
Enormously. My time as Consumer Affairs Correspondent at the BBC means I really understand the importance of great service – an issue we take very seriously at Achnagairn. Also, less obviously, my experiences from when I was working as a management consultant have played a large role. I used to travel a lot and was very lucky in that the company put us into fabulous hotels. But there was one hitch. The beautiful five-star properties were all pretty much identical – beige and neutral.
I decided then and there that if I ever had a hospitality place of my own I would stamp some personality onto it. Initially it was a scary thing to do but it has proved a huge success – I think people are sick of bland places which are virtually all the same… At Achnagairn our motto is ”Escape the Ordinary” and that drives all we do.
For example, we have 7 Mini Manors at Achnagairn Estate each has its own name and theme. Within that, each bedroom has totally unique furnishings and ambience. For example, in one Mini Manor called La Belle France, obviously everything is French, and there is a bedroom with a big Monet reproduction of the waterlilies behind the bed. That room is called Monet Monet Monet! We like to give our guests a sense of fun and surprise. The aim is for people to go away feeling inspired and invigorated and if you take a look at our guest book, that is exactly what we have managed to achieve. I am incredibly proud of the team and the way they pull this off time after time. Every guest is treated like a friend and no one is a stranger at Achnagairn.
3. So you are positioned near the start and end of the NC500! What makes Achnagairn Estate the perfect stopping point for NC500 visitors to relax?
Achnagairn Estate has a brilliant location for any NC500 participant. We are only 7 miles away from Inverness and so it’s the perfect place to start and end your tour. But to be honest it has far more to offer than just the convenience of the location. We love being a key partner of the NC500 and our chefs have been inspired to create special NC500 menus.
Also that motto of “Escape the Ordinary” that I talked about before is worth emphasising here. It’s a mantra we hear out staff repeating all the time. For everything we do, we ask ourselves – is that truly extraordinary? With luxury accommodation (5*), excellent food and staff who are always happy to provide more, to smile more and to go not just the extra mile but maybe a whole league further!
We offer something for everyone. We have luxury accommodation in the form of individual bedrooms, whole properties for self-catering and a gorgeous castle too for exclusive use. You may wish to stay in one of our Mini Manors, perfect for individual travellers, family and group of friends. These spacious, comfortable lodges each sleep up to 12 guests –you can hire the entire lodge, starting at £ 450 per night or an individual room (B&B) from £ 100 per night. If you are looking to indulge in gourmet food, Table Manors Restaurant, located in the estate grounds, is the ultimate culinary experience (price for a 2 course meals starts at £ 20). Our highly talented young chefs, both of whom have won the Young Highland Chef of the Year award, have just received the coveted AA Two Rosettes for culinary excellence. And let me say again, because I’m so delighted about it, a special NC500 tasting menu is also available at Table Manors for all NC500 visitors! So escape the ordinary and start planning your NC500 adventure with Achnagairn.
Mini Manors
4. And what about groups?
Well, we’re fortunate to be able to offer two superb options for groups. If you are looking for a self-catered property, Achnagairn’s seven luxury Mini Manors are the solution. We have some with five bedrooms, and others with six, so if you’re going with family or friends, this works really well.
On the other hand, if you really want to push the boat out and have a major celebration with a bigger group, why not go for the castle? Achnagairn Castle with its 24 bedrooms and ballroom would probably wow the most critical of your friends! The bedrooms are to-die for and the ballroom is something out of Harry Potter! (Exclusive use for 2 nights, Price on Application).
Castle Exterior
And if a group comes, could you do the catering for them?
Of course! As I was saying, we have this amazing restaurant, Table Manors, and for a large group the same team of chefs would be happy to come and cater for you in the castle or even in a Mini Manor. It’s a wonderful way to indulge yourself in the ultimate luxury!
Table Manors, Achnagairn’s onsite restaurant
5. What sort of sights and activities does the surrounding area offer?
Where do I start? There’s so much to do and see – Achnagairn provides the NC500 visitor with a really great base for exploring the surrounding areas and attractions in Inverness and the Black Isle. You can find out whether Nessie really does exist with Loch Ness boat trips. Jacobite organises cruises and tours of Loch Ness. Only 7 miles away from Achnagairn Estate, you can also visit Glen Ord Distillery, located in Muir of Ord, the home of Singleton. It is the only remaining single malt scotch whisky distillery on the Black Isle. Visitors can expect a range of different tour and tasting options. If you are interested in fly fishing, TroutQuest has a base just off the Black Isle to provide custom guided fly fishing excursions for individuals and small groups of anglers throughout the counties of Ross-shire, Sutherland and Caithness. Also if you are looking for a brilliant day trip and want to venture a little further afield, why not visit the breathtaking Dunrobin Castle, which is around 47 miles away from the estate in Golspie, Sutherland.
6. Now, how much of the NC500 have you travelled…? What comes to your mind when you think of the North Coast 500?
As you’d expect, I have explored most of the NC500 route and there are so many fantastic things to experience on the journey. One of my favourites would be the Drumbeg loop in Lochinver. Stunning white sand beaches with turquoise water (Achmelvich Beach) and a spectacular drive along 23 miles of single track roads. Applecross in Wester Ross is also fabulous. I get quite emotional talking about this, but it really is a land of beautiful landscapes, secretive hill lochs, mist shrouded mountain peaks and Mediterranean style beaches.
7. And…do you have a hidden Highland gem you can share with us?
Located less than five minutes’ drive away from Achnagairn Estate, there’s a wonderful and quite unique forest walk at Reelig Glen. They say it has some of Britain’s tallest trees, and they certainly seem pretty big to us! If you’re really into trees, we’d be happy to organise a guided walk. This really is a hidden gem right at our doorstep!
8. How do you think the NC500 has impacted the North Highland area?
The NC500 route has been very successful in raising awareness in this beautiful area. It has apparently reached a huge audience, with eighty thousand followers on social media, and there’s been loads of national and international press coverage.
It’s certainly boosted our numbers and now it makes pressure on rooms huge for us which is a nice problem to have! We certainly see a lot of our visitors coming specifically to do the NC500. The same people come at the start and finish but they seem almost to be different people by the time they’ve done the route – genuinely moved by the strange lyrical beauty. Oops, there I go again…
9. And… What do you hope for the future of the North Coast 500?
We obviously hope it will go from strength to strength. Tourism is vitally important to this region of Scotland and from a personal viewpoint it’s been very satisfying to see the Scottish Highlands placed on the global map. To be considered the best road trip in the world (Conde Nast Traveller) is a truly remarkable achievement!
10. And finally… The prestigious magazine Harper Bazaar has put you at the top of their list of the best UK wedding venues… Tell us more!
Yes, we felt very lucky to be selected by them. So many brides have come to us after reading their coverage. At first, we were equally delighted and intimidated – it’s quite something to be picked out as the best! But then we listened to our brides and grooms and they reassured us that the mixture of superb staff, individually decorated bedrooms (with the most indulgent bathrooms you’ve ever seen!) and the breath-taking ballroom do justify the title! Long may it continue!
Castle Bridal Suit
