Coll Hotel: An Island HavenColl Hotel: An Island Haven Nestled in the heart of the Atlantic, a three-hour ferry ride from Oban, lies the charming Coll Hotel, voted one of Scotland’s finest. With only 10 cozy bedrooms, this family-run establishment is an oasis of tranquility and has earned numerous accolades. Awards and Recognition: * Joint winner, Independent Hotel category, Catering Scotland (CIS) Awards 2021 * VisitScotland Gold status * ‘Best Hotel Experience Under 20 Rooms’ and ‘Best Eatery Experience’, Highlands & Islands Tourism Awards 2022 History and Modernization: The Coll Hotel has been a thriving business for 150 years. In recent years, the Oliphant family doubled the number of bedrooms and expanded with a new restaurant, kitchen, and bar. Despite its modern upgrades, the hotel retains its historic charm. Dining Delights: The hotel’s restaurant overlooks the picturesque bay and village. They specialize in fresh seafood, with lobster, langoustine, squat lobster, and crab caught locally. Scallops are hand-dived from Mull, and smoked fish is sourced from the Tobermory Fish Company. The restaurant has earned an AA Rosette for Culinary Excellence, renowned for its fresh ingredients and simple cooking style. The bar offers a wide selection of Scottish gins, whiskies, wines, and soft drinks. Stunning Views and Amenities: The hotel’s location offers breathtaking views across the bay to Mull, Staffa, and The Treshnish Isles. Guest rooms are adorned with coastal-inspired decor and include amenities like Tartan Company blankets, local baked goods, premium tea and coffee, and seaweed toiletries. A charming garden invites guests to relax and take in the scenery. In winter, the island’s dark skies provide opportunities to witness the Northern Lights. Exploring Coll Island: The Coll Hotel is the perfect base for exploring the beautiful island of Coll. Its strategic location provides easy access to beaches, hiking trails, and historical sites. Guests can also embark on wildlife cruises, offering encounters with seals, dolphins, and seabirds. For reservations or more information, visit the Coll Hotel’s website.
Voted one of Scotland’s best hotels, the small hotel ‘in the middle of the Atlantic’ is well worth a visit, despite being a three-hour boat ride from the mainland.
The 10-bedroom Coll Hotel on the island of the same name, a three-hour ferry ride from Oban, is also home to the island’s only pub. Based in Arinagour, the family-run business was named joint winner in the Independent Hotel category at the 2021 Catering Scotland (CIS) Awards, along with the five-star Glenapp Castle in South Ayrshire.
That’s not the only accolade the hotel has received. It has been awarded VisitScotland Gold status for exceeding expectations in all areas of its business, and won ‘Best Hotel Experience Under 20 Rooms’ and ‘Best Eatery Experience’ at the Highlands & Islands Tourism Awards 2022.
Photo: Coll Hotel
A few years ago, the Oliphant family, who run the hotel, doubled the number of bedrooms and added an extension with a new restaurant, kitchen and bar. Although the hotel has a modern new look, it has been a business on the island for 150 years.
Peter Irvine’s book Scotland the Best calls it a ‘haven’ and says: “Julie and Kevin Oliphant and their daughter Laura continue to win accolades for their exemplary island hotel and restaurant. A fixture for 150 years, under the careful and conscientious ownership of the Oliphants for the past 60.
“For visitors and locals alike, the inn is a haven. The conservatory restaurant overlooks the bay and village; the carefully tended garden looks out across the Mull.” While others have said it is a ‘perfect rural retreat’.
The menu features fresh fish, either caught on the Isle or Mull. In particular, the lobster, langoustine, squat lobster and crab are all caught on Coll’s creels, while the scallops are hand-dived from Mull and the smoked fish comes from the Tobermory Fish Company.
It is the fresh fish and simple cooking style that have earned the hotel’s restaurant rave reviews, including an AA Rosette for Culinary Excellence.
The restaurant overlooks the village of Arinagour, the bay and the islands beyond. The bar offers a range of Scottish gins, whisky, beer, wine and soft drinks. There is a garden to enjoy a drink and enjoy the good weather, along with the great views.
The view from the restaurant. Photo: Coll Hotel
The hotel’s location offers guests unrivalled views across the bay to Mull, Staffa and The Treshnish Isles. The bedroom interior design reflects the coastal location and all rooms feature Tartan Company blankets, Island Bakery biscuits, Teapig tea, The Little Coffee Bag Company coffee bags and Scottish Fine Soaps, Seaweed toiletries.
For guests visiting the island in the winter months, it is an ideal place to enjoy the dark skies, meaning you may be able to spot the Northern Lights due to the lack of light pollution.
If you would like to know more about Coll Island, the Coll Hotel or book a room or meal, please visit their website.
