Ardbeg House — Hotel in Islay

My wife and I attended the Ardbeg House Open Day on Saturday 6th September 2025. We were totally "Wowed" by what we saw and can't believe that Islay is blessed with having a hotel of such unique and outstanding beauty and splendour. The reception hallway sucks you in with gloriously flamboyant light fittings and imaginative use of metal and fabrics which, strangely, compliment each other; the restaurant has been opened up to make best use of the natural light coming through the windows, and every piece of furniture and fixture is a work of art in it's own right, everywhere you look you see something that is very obviously Ardbeggian sitting alongside intricacies that have been carved, sculpted and moulded by local artists and artisans; the two bedrooms on view are sumptuously chic and greatly superior to the images that were previously released to promote the hotel; the only thing still recognisable in the totally remodelled bar was Donny and Niall quietly playing their instruments in the same corner, as always, while calming the sense of wonderment and admiration at the fantastic ornaments and fittings on view every which way you turn; and the outside area to the rear of the hotel just continues to give with the quirky, industrial but purposeful barbecue (I want one!) being the one standout highlight amongst many. Well done to all who have been involved in giving Islay something that we could only ever have dreamed off in our wildest imagination. I hope that the dinner reservation my wife has made for later in the month lives up to what we have seen so far...it it does, we are in...

Wow, what a place to visit for a drink in the bar or a culinary treat in the restaurant. We love everything Islay and visit the Ardbeg distillery each year for a sip of this very special whisky, we were so excited to visit the brand new Ardbeg House boutique hotel and restaurant, wow we have never dined in such a fantastic restaurant, the look and feel is amazing, the detail of handmade furniture, tables and chairs, and lighting is a feast for the senses. As soon as we walked in we were greeted by such a lovely friendly warm Islay welcome and very well looked after by the restaurant team. The food was superb, we had venison pie and the trout for our main courses and the sticky date pudding and pistachio souffle for dessert. We could not fault the quality of the food at very reasonable price and great portion size, the drinks menu and wine list was first class, the atmosphere and experience was really special we would highly recommend a visit. It's a credit to the Ardbeg team for creating something truly special and is a true asset to Port Ellen and the island. If you're coming to Islay on holiday or lucky enough to live on the island get a table booked you will not be disappointed, we look forward to returning and hopefully one day stay over in the hotel, if the restaurant and bar décor is anything to go by it must be amazing in the boutique rooms, the design and detail is off the scale! And if you are an Ardbeg whisky fan you have just arrived in...

It would be nearly impossible to overstate just how lovely Ardbeg House is. Every facet of my partner and I's stay in early October was absolutely top notch, from the welcoming and thoughtfully designed room to the warm and helpful staff members. Our first night there, we had quite the travel day and ended up arriving right before our dinner reservation in the Signature restaurant. Moira, having called to check in with us while we were on the road, was prepared the moment we arrived and whisked us to our table before she kindly took our bags up to our room. After a delicious dinner, my boyfriend decided the moment was right to propose! As it turns out, we were their first onsite engagement! Ellie went above and beyond for us in a big way. For example, since the distillery was closed over the weekend, she hosted a tasting at the hotel and tailored the whiskys she selected to us perfectly. Additionally, she arranged an engagement photoshoot for us with a local photographer! To close this out, I would just like to say a huge thank you to both Moira and Ellie, as well as Lindsay and Seb. We had a perfect stay and will be talking about it to anyone who will sit still long enough to listen for...