Monachyle Mhor

Rustic Scottish Highlands getaway that's decidedly Mhor-ish

Guests are wild about Monachyle Mhor – and it’s not hard to see why. This boutique haven hidden amid rugged mountains and lochs up in the Trossachs is one of Scotland’s top dining spots.

Know It All

Hit the spot
Around 90 minutes from Edinburgh, or 15 miles from Callander, in the Trossachs.

Come here for…
• Wild-at-heart seclusion in the Highlands. • Top-notch, creative dining. • Stylish boudoirs and designer bathrooms. • Majestic mountain scenery.

Amenities
There’s a much-acclaimed restaurant, an intimate bar, a scenic terrace overlooking the loch and wi-fi in the common areas. The cosy lounge has a roaring fire for chill evenings.

Good to know
Not for fans of trad tartan style, or night owls who miss the bright lights.

Bedtime...

Bedrooms
14 rooms and suites

Special features
Rooms in the main manor are a contemporary take on classic country style, while the courtyard rooms are sophisticated designer dens with fabulous bathrooms done out in slate and wood. You'll find bold artworks, a widescreen TV and DVD player, a hospitality tray with home-baked cookies and Sedbergh organic lotions and gels. While smaller and plainer than the courtyard rooms, those in the house manor have winning views over the loch.

Pillow Talk
Push the boat out and take one of the luxury Feature rooms, three of which have private steam rooms and wood burning stoves. We loved light-filled Room 14 with its huge bed, slate bathroom, steam room shower and wood burner. Room 15 has a reindeer rug sprawled across a wood floor, while 12 has a huge egg-shaped stone bath. Another winner is Room 11, with its side-by-side slipper baths.

Eat & Drink

Dining in
Monachyle Mhor is a destination restaurant that draws foodies from far afield. Expect top-notch dining packed with flavour that pays homage to the area’s riches: venison and lamb reared on the farm, locally caught game and veggies from the kitchen garden. Oysters and seafood come here directly from the western Isles.

Dining in the conservatory is a treat on sunny evenings, while you’ll feel toasty in the adjoining wood panelled dining room in winter. If the weather is mild, start the evening (as we did) with al fresco drinks on the lochside terrace, nibbling on delicious canapés such as haggis bonbons, followed by treats such as Isle of Mull langoustines, Scrabster cod or Blairgowrie beef.

For daytime eats, you can’t do better than call into one of the Lewis family’s growing number of nearby culinary outlets: Mhor Fish in Callander for fish and chips, Mhor Bread for oven-fresh pastries or artisan loaves, and Mhor Tea near the hotel in the village of Balquhidder for yummy afternoon tea and cakes. For take-home taste of your stay, you can order some farm-reared venison to go.

Breakfast
Breakfast is served until 10am. Look forward to farm-laid eggs or local kippers and smoked salmon. The bread and brioches are freshly baked, of course.

Room service

Yes
 

Activities

See & Do
Do bring some sturdy shoes – the walking hereabouts is spectacular, whether it’s a two-mile stroll down the glen to the tea shop at Balquhidder or a four-hour hike up one of the many peaks. Staff at Monachyle Mhor will be pleased to set you up with a delicious picnic lunch for the day. There’s also some great golfing in Callander and Aberfoyle.

Drive (or cycle) the 15-mile circuit through the Trossachs National Park, which starts and ends in nearby Callander, taking in five lochs, stunning views and the castle at Doune. We detoured to take the boat across the Lake of Menteith to visit Inchmahome Priory – haunting ruins set on a tiny island where Mary Queen of Scots played as a child. You’ll want to stop in Balquhidder on the way back to see the churchyard grave of Scottish folk hero Rob Roy.

Hire quad bikes or mountain bikes from the hotel for some off-trail discovery, or head off for some trout fishing – reception can arrange permits and a ghillie. You can also go kayaking and windsurfing hereabouts. Would-be cooks can pre-book culinary courses at Mhor Fish and Mhor Bread.

Spa
There’s a therapist on call, so you can book an in-room massage or beauty treatment through reception.

Diary Dates
July
Sheep shearers from around the world flock to the Lochearnhead Shears to clip local (and flighty) blackface sheep against the clock.

September
Jazz it up in the Trossachs with three days of music at the Callander Jazz festival.