Scotland on Sunday Travel Wishlist - The Bosville Hotel, Portree, Skye

Picture postcard views with traditional style and innovative, locally-sourced menus

A short amble uphill from Portree Harbour, The Bosville has a stylish restaurant and popular bar

@TheBosville

DAVID MCLEAN

The Bosville Hotel, Portree, Skye

Full use has been made of every available square metre in the trio of restored 19th-century cottages to create 20 spacious bedrooms

It had been at least a dozen years since my last trip to Portree, the Isle of Skye’s principal settlement – but it definitely didn’t feel like it. The pace of change in the Inner Hebrides is much slower than on the mainland and pleasant memories of previous visits soon came rushing back. Two nights at the Bosville Hotel, with its stunning harbour views and old world vibe, further fuelled the warm waves of nostalgia.

Room service

Situated a short amble uphill from Portree Harbour and the craft shops, bars and restaurants of Somerled Square and Wentworth Street, the hotel is easy to find and serves as the ideal base to explore this extraordinary island.

Wearing its Hebridean heritage with pride, The Bosville is contained within a trio of 19th-century cottages that have been lovingly restored and converted. Full use has been made of every available square metre in order to cram an astonishing 20 perfectly spacious rooms, plus bar and restaurant, into this compact, warren-like property.

Décor and furnishings are understated but project a cosiness. Nothing in this property is particularly flashy – but be prepared to pick your jaw up off the floor if you’ve a front-facing room. The Bosville’s picturesque views of Portree Harbour with its famous, colourful array of little buildings, have to be seen to be believed. There is a flatscreen as standard in every room, but personally I found the view out the window far more alluring than anything our terrestrial TV stations had on offer.

Wining and dining

Breakfast, lunch and dinner were served at the Bosville’s stylish and family-friendly Dulse and Brose restaurant. Despite sounding a little like a designer clothing label, the name of the restaurant is actually a reflection of its Hebridean origins and matches its locally-sourced menu by drawing on Skye’s heritage and its links to the land and sea. Dulse, a type of seaweed, is traditionally paired in this part of Scotland with oats and brose – an uncooked form of porridge. Hats off to the chef for creating an innovative menu that, while not short on succulent seafood dishes, is varied and hearty enough to satisfy palates of all ages.

On the west wing of the property, the Merchant Bar provides a pleasant place to sit and converse with a tea or coffee during the day and has an impressive collection of ales, gins and whiskies to keep your spirits up late into the evening. Among Portree’s busiest bars, it fills up fast on the weekends. Those staying in rooms directly above the bar should be aware it can be rather noisy at times. Luckily, double-glazed windows work well to block out the sound of Friday revellers for guests desiring a little peace and quiet.

Budget or boutique?

Neither. While the hotel edges towards the boutique in certain aspects, rooms at the Bosville are affordable and the general character of the property is relaxed.

Worth getting out of bed for

Pick a direction, any direction, and plan a day out. Skye is gorgeous throughout but the island is deceptively vast and can take up to a fortnight to explore properly. With a single full day at our disposal, we opted for Trotternish, the northern peninsula, taking in the Old Man of Storr, the Fairy Glen, Flora McDonald’s grave and the breathtaking majesty of the Quiraing among other arresting sights – including the preserved dinosaur footprints at Staffin and the ubiquitous roadside hairy coos that delighted our young daughter.

While Skye is notoriously over-populated with tourists during the more clement months – though this year will be a notable exception– visit between November and February and you’ll have many of the sights to yourself if you’re not put off by rotten weather.

Little extras

Special mention must go to the Bosville staff, who were friendly and always eager to cater for our every need. And it was most convenient to have a small Co-op supermarket directly across the road to stock up on supplies for the long journey home.

Guestbook comments

Offering substance wrapped in a traditional style, The Bosville Hotel is the perfect base to explore the stunning Isle of Skye, with arguably the finest picture postcard views of just about any hotel in Scotland if not Europe.

Room rates at The Bosville start from £109 per night based on a room only basis in a Standard Double.

The Bosville Hotel, 9-11 Bosville Terrace, Portree IV51 9DG Scotland, (01478 612846, www.bosvillehotel.co.uk)

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