Name: Balmacara Hotel
Address: A87, Kyle Of Lochalsh, IV40 8DH, GB

10/10

Exceptional

23 Jul 2026

Charles

Nicely renovated modern hotel room. Staff very helpful. Worked well as a staging point for a day trip to Skye.

10/10

Exceptional

21 Jul 2026

justin

Clean average size room, great view, good food super friendly staff

Family_with_children

10/10

Exceptional

20 Jul 2026

Simona

Clean room, perfect parking.
Attentive and friendly staff

Friends_and_family Family

10/10

Exceptional

10 Jul 2026

Beth

We had a great time at this hotel. We were there 2 nights and it was very easy to get in the car and see all of Isle of Sky from there. The property was under some construction but they did a good job of keeping it mostly away from the rest of the hotel. We were probably going to miss dinner one night but the staff said they’d put in an order for us at 8:15 pm so we could roll in with a reserved seat and eat before they closed. Nice! Breakfast was good and customers can order an egg a different way if you prefer something other than scrambled. We realized our back patio door didn’t lock and we let the front desk know. Parking is tight but the staff actually walked outside to help us get settled somewhere each night. The staff bent over backwards for us! Second floor had some historical pictures of the area and they weren’t great but the art on the first floor was bright and fun. The upstairs pictures might be changing with the construction. The hotel dining areas had excellent views of the water and mountains. The food was really good and tried different things both evenings. We really enjoyed it! I think, if I’m remembering correctly that it was under new management starting in late 2025-early 2026 so whatever they are doing differently, they are doing it right! Loved it and would go back again if we are ever back in the area.

Family

6/10

Pleasant

08 Jul 2026

Marius

Free parking. Friendly staff.

Friends_and_family Family

6/10

Pleasant

08 Jul 2026

Stacey

This was the most expensive stay of our trip. They also charge a $22 extra person fee (There were only two of us.) which I find ridiculous. Our view was also of a brick wall, so for $400 for one night I do not feel we got our money worth on this one. Parking was also a problem. We had to park across the street until the dinner rush was over, then we were able to move our car into the parking lot of the hotel. I honestly expected more.

Partner

8/10

Excellent

08 Jul 2026

Lukasz

Price and performance is fair

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

05 Jul 2026

Daniel

El staff muy atento

Friends

8/10

Excellent

01 Jul 2026

Katherine

Lovely hotel. Staff were very friendly and helpful. Comfortable bed.

Self

8/10

Excellent

30 Jun 2026

Patricia

Great location for an Isle of Skye trip. Amazing views from the front of property. Parking was never an issue. The room was clean. Would definitely stay here again.

Family_with_children

10/10

Exceptional

28 Jun 2026

Joseph

Excellent service, very nice dinner, excellent breakfast. We will stay again.

Family

10/10

Exceptional

27 Jun 2026

Zvi

A nice modern hotel

8/10

Excellent

26 Jun 2026

Krystina

.

Family

10/10

Exceptional

24 Jun 2026

Maulik

The staff made this one of the best stays for us in particular jeevan Jitendra and sonu

They took good care of us throughout and were helpful with tips of what to do etc

Family_with_children

10/10

Exceptional

20 Jun 2026

Pinaki

We spent two nights at Balmacara Hotel during a family road trip through the Scottish Highlands, and it became one of the most memorable stays of our entire journey. The hotel sits right on the water's edge, with Loch Alsh stretching out before you and the Isle of Skye visible across the water. There is a rare quality to this location: complete solitude and stillness, yet a sense of being fully held by the natural world. We sat by the loch after dinner both evenings watching the light change over Skye long past 10PM. Cinematic does not begin to cover it.

The staff made this stay genuinely exceptional. The restaurant and bar team were warm, attentive, and consistently above and beyond in ways that felt completely natural rather than scripted. Room service was equally prompt and courteous. This is the kind of hospitality that comes from people who genuinely care, and it showed in every interaction.

For families driving the Edinburgh to Skye route, Balmacara is the perfect two-night base. The Skye Bridge is ten minutes away and Eilean Donan Castle is five. Do not rush through. The area rewards stillness.
Five stars. Without hesitation.

Family_with_children

8/10

Excellent

11 Jun 2026

Wendy

Nice property, everything was close and food was really good. Bathroom fan turned on but didn’t help to reduce moisture at all and room didn’t have access to heat control as I just wanted to take the chill from the room for a wee bit and couldn’t.

Partner

8/10

Excellent

11 Jun 2026

Wendy

The staff eee so good!

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

10 Jun 2026

Somesh

V good hotel

Friends

4/10

Poor

10 Jun 2026

Paula

I was very disappointed by this hotel. The room was small and missing many of the basic amenities such as climate control and a refrigerator which was shocking for a 4 star hotel. The room was hot and stuffy. They placed us near the stairwell where we could hear people yelling from downstairs and every single person who walked up the stairs. The room was also not clean and there was mildew and debris buildup in the shower. There was sprayed stains on the walls and the baseboards hadn’t been cleaned. Overall we were quite disappointed and the hotel refused to rectify the situation.

Partner

8/10

Excellent

08 Jun 2026

deborah

We had a very enjoyable stay at this hotel. While the property is older, it is well maintained and has been kept in excellent condition. The staff were consistently friendly, welcoming, and helpful throughout our visit, making us feel right at home. The location is another major advantage, with convenient access to dining. The dinner was very good. Overall, this hotel offers a comfortable stay, great service, and an excellent location. We would happily stay here again.

Family

8/10

Excellent

08 Jun 2026

Wendy

We were in a room that had only been in operation for 2 weeks so there lots of things that still needed tending to. The lighting all run off one switch was no good……drywall wasn’t finished around socket outlets etc etc…… poor finishes.
The staff on the hand were trying so hard but not quite up to the quality that was advertised. They were super friendly and great to chat with. For me it just didnt live up what was advertised.

Partner

8/10

Excellent

04 Jun 2026

Catherine

The room was a bit tight, but everything was clean. Our dinner was very tasty, however the service was a bit confused. We enjoyed sitting outside and watching the lake.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

03 Jun 2026

Monika

Clean spacious room, comfortable bed, great food at the restaurant. Staff was very friendly and helpful. Parking space and availability could be better. Good base for daily activities at Skye if you do not mind driving

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

03 Jun 2026

Seneca Maria

Clean hotel with amazing food and staff.

Family

8/10

Excellent

31 May 2026

Dan

Initially annoyed at check-in when the rooms that I paid for were not provided. Booked two Standard Twin rooms, and got two Queen rooms. They were able to separate the beds in one room, but not the other. I was told by the front desk that I would have needed to contact the hotel in advance if I wanted standard TWIN room, which is exactly what I had booked (!). Then one room came with a handicapped bathroom, which normally wouldn't be a concern. But the entire bathroom is an open shower room. Everything gets wet; almost no shelves to place things on; no lighting above the small/low sink. Miserable experience.

The hotel has recently been updated, and everything is nicely refurbished. The new floor to ceiling heating units and bathroom towel heaters were all on upon arrival, so the rooms were unbearable hot (over 80F) with no way to cool the room down.

On the bright side, the restaurant food was incredible.

Friends_and_family Family

8/10

Excellent

30 May 2026

Don

Room was a bit small although clean. The highway was a bit noisy. The buffet was large and lots of good food.

Friends_and_family Friends

8/10

Excellent

28 May 2026

Michael

Accomodating staff. Rooms were clean but a little small

Friends

8/10

Excellent

28 May 2026

Frances

A little noisy

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

27 May 2026

Diane

Great location for visiting the Isle of Skye. Staff was very helpful and friendly. Located next to a Spar which was great for picking up goodies your days out.

Partner

8/10

Excellent

21 May 2026

kurt

Staff was very nice and helpful. breakfast and dinners were good.

Friends_and_family Friends

6/10

Pleasant

20 May 2026

Jean

We’ve been traveling Scotland for a week and this was the most expensive stay, yet the accommodations were lacking. Cons: The bed sagged, you could hear people walking above you and the noise from the neighboring tv. Pros: it was clean, they had nice linens, and the staff were very friendly. Their restaurant was very good. Breakfast at the hotel had many options, however they were reluctant to refill after the tour bus left. Way too pricey for what we got.

Friends

6/10

Pleasant

19 May 2026

Jane

The room, though on the small side, was clean and adequately equipped although a dirty cup was left on day 2 and tissues not replaced. The evening meals were tasty, although service was rather chaotic. There did not seem to be sufficient glassware and cutlery to service numbers on site. Breakfast on the second day was dreadful. There was a large group who all turned up together, overwhelming service and causing huge queues. The hotel does not seem to have adequate systems in place to regulate flow of guests. I think they need to decide if they wish to prioritise full paying guests or coach parties, as we felt overlooked. It is very expensive for what is offered.

Partner

8/10

Excellent

17 May 2026

Harold

Great steak dinner!

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

16 May 2026

Adrian

This is an old Scottish Hotel with a modern reception, dining and extension. It has retained the best of both worlds and of course is on the sea front. We had a ground floor room in the extension with a small individual patio and facing the sea loch. We could park directly outside so bag carry was a few yards. Food excellent, perhaps over generous portions! Excellent shower ample hot water and good local toiletries. Bed large and comfortable. WiFi sound. POD based coffee. Staff excellent. Happy to go again.

Partner

8/10

Excellent

15 May 2026

Arlene

Breakfast had good selection.

Family

8/10

Excellent

14 May 2026

Stephen

Staff was very helpful. Breakfast was good.

Self

2/10

Poor

13 May 2026

Leonardo

Overcharged and was not given the view I paid for

4/10

Poor

13 May 2026

Renée

Breakfast was fresh , staff friendly but for the price there is no fridge in room Can hear every step of the person walking upstairs.

Family

10/10

Exceptional

12 May 2026

Natalie

Balmacara Hotel was one of the best properties we stayed at in Scotland. Wish we could have stayed longer than our 2 nights because our view was AMAZING! We had a breathtaking view of Loch Alsh, the mountains around it, and a very clean, spacious room. The staff was very friendly, and so helpful even assisting with our luggage. We were able to rest up after our scenic trip from Inverness to Kyle, then had a fantastic meal downstairs in their restaurant, with another beautiful view of the Loch and mountains. We enjoyed the Scottish White Crab Meat-locally sourced, Pumpkin & Sage Ravioli, Butter Greens with Grana Padano Cheese and Chocolate Clementine Tort. All the food was prepared fresh, served at proper temperatures and mouth-watering delicious. The restaurant deserves a fantastic separate review, as the food was impeccable and satisfying, served by Jeevan who was courteous, attentive and friendly, and the meal came without sticker shock from being overcharged. Breakfast was also good, offering a large variety, something for everyone. I especially loved the yogurt and muesli, coffee machine, fruits and pastries with variety of jams.
We LOVED everything about this hotel, even down to every detail, like how they saved us a parking spot on our 2nd night, knowing we were out late exploring Isle of Skye!
Words alone can not express how WONDERFUL this property location was, while the employees were so kind and helpful. We will visit here again!!

Family

10/10

Exceptional

12 May 2026

Dwayne

Staff very nice and food excellent

10/10

Exceptional

08 May 2026

Marnie

Dinner at the restaurant was delicious. View from our room was a trailer park but I assume a lakeside view would have been more expensive. Parking was barely adequate.

Partner

6/10

Pleasant

06 May 2026

Todd

Food was AMAZING. Staff was awesome. Only two negatives. First, the parking is barely enough for the guests. You sometimes have to fight for a spot because people will come to the restaurant to just eat. Lastly, the floors are hardwoods. If you are on the first floor, you will absolutely hear every step above you. We had to engage the desk clerk when the people above us moved furniture over a 3 hr period. I assume it was kids pushing the chairs. Staff and food was perfect though.

10/10

Exceptional

03 May 2026

Gloria

-

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

27 Apr 2026

George

Views spectacular food excellent great spot to stay

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

19 Apr 2026

Sandis

Great hotel, rooms are spacious, staff are helpful.

Business

8/10

Excellent

19 Apr 2026

David

Stayed in 4 highlands hotels. This was hands down the best food and most modern rooms. Downsides were dinner service was very slow and rooms too warm. The latter could be a problem in summer.

Partner

6/10

Pleasant

18 Apr 2026

Stanley

Location & Breakfast.

Self

8/10

Excellent

14 Apr 2026

Mark

Cold plates for a supposedly hot breakfast isn’t good.
Just warm the plates!!!

Self

8/10

Excellent

09 Apr 2026

Jo

A lovely stay at this bright fresh hotel. Nicely refurbished and staffed by helpful and friendly people. The breakfast was superb and the dinner was very good. This is a little gem of a hotel.

Family_with_children

6/10

Pleasant

05 Apr 2026

Sophie

Original room mis-sold as a king bed, when it was a double. Moved to a king room which housed a loud unit containing heating pipes. Some staff were more helpful than others.
Bed was reasonably comfortable.
Breakfast was lack lustre for the equivalent cost however the coffee was nice.
Hot water in the room got scalding hot

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

04 Apr 2026

Clare-Anne

Fantastic stay, acomodationg staff, very comfortable and relaxing stay

Family_with_children

2/10

Poor

04 Apr 2026

Paul

Very expensive hotel/building site.

Struggled to park in the car park doe to all the tradesmens’ vans.

Checked in having paid £233 fo a family room and immediately got upsold breakfast for another £34.

Got room key (33) and although the room itself was nice, the ambience was somewhat diminished by the jackhammer and steamrollers laying the new car park. There was a digger within touching distance of my balcony.

We asked to change rooms and th receptionist tried to charge me again for setting up a child’s bed in the new room (43).

Bar was full of workmen in hi viz vests. Felt like a Travelodge.

Dinner was great but they tried to overcharge by billing the wrong wine. When pulled up, they blamed not having the right wine on their till system but failed to apologise.

Breakfast was a zoo. Full of workmen hoovering up everything like locusts.

Massively disappointing. I realise that improving the hotel in the “off season” makes commercial sense, but it ruined our experience and the cost should have been reduced or at least we should have been warned about the work going on….

Friends_and_family Family

10/10

Exceptional

03 Apr 2026

Grant

Our room on the ground floor of the new build area was spacious and well furnished.
Menu for evening meal gave a wide choice. Our dishes were presented well. Breakfast was largely buffet with option to order other items.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

30 Mar 2026

Margaret

Great for Solo traveller. Felt really safe. Could park right outside my room. Breakfast had a good variety to choose from. Meals in restaurant were great. Not too long to wait.
Staff were fantastic and very attentive. Nothing too much trouble. Good location before heading up to Skye. Looks out on the water. Not too much highway noise.

8/10

Excellent

26 Mar 2026

Alan

Only downside of this hotel

10/10

Exceptional

21 Mar 2026

Aziz

Friendly and responsive staff. Very convenient location.

10/10

Exceptional

18 Feb 2026

David

I was upgraded to an Excellent room and staff were all really courteous

Self

8/10

Excellent

15 Feb 2026

Dylan

Room was comfortable but mattress was lumpy with the springs bulging.

Food was amazing and they catered to my gluten and dairy intolerance without a problem!

Shower was good too.

Place has an amazing view and was very clean.

Staff are very friendly

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

09 Feb 2026

Nelson

While there was no elevator to the second deck the staff was very nice. Romul works in the dinning hall and very helpful.

10/10

Exceptional

10 Jan 2026

Theresa

On arrival we were told they'd upgraded our room at no extra cost which was a lovely surprise. The room was spacious, clean and very well kept. The staff were very friendly and helpful, especially Singh. Would definitely stay again.

Partner

8/10

Excellent

01 Jan 2026

Kieran

The breakfast was not free as you say in your review site. I had to pay extra for it. It was however worth it: Anywhere that serves Vegetarian haggis always gains for me.

I have to highlight one major egregious point about the hotel: The 'optional' service charge of 12%. This was disgusting, and to have a line that says \"if you are unhappy with the staff and wish the charge removed, please ask\" is just obscene. To guilt you into paying extra for something you've already paid for? Not good enough.

The hotel was fantastic, but that one line ruined it for me. I'm giving 4 stars for the overall stay as everything else was good, but that one item, not good enough. Oh, and the food is mislabelled: fish are not vegetarian friendly.

Self

10/10

Exceptional

31 Dec 2025

Simon

Friendly staff, great room

6/10

Pleasant

30 Dec 2025

Bhargav

Staff were excellent, and breakfast was good but amenities and room conditions is poor

Leisure Friends

8/10

Excellent

21 Dec 2025

Vinnie

We only stood one night during our road trip through Scotland. The view on a clear morning is exceptional. There is a store right next to the hotel. A great place to stock up for your day's adventure. We recommend the mussels at their restaurant!

Leisure Family_with_children

10/10

Exceptional

13 Dec 2025

Michael

Absolutely magnificent stay. Deepak and his staff did an amazing job and we will definately be back next year. Well done.

Leisure Partner

8/10

Excellent

10 Dec 2025

Sarah

Very good stay. Nicely set out and in a lovey spot. Staff were kind and room was good and spotlessly clean.

Business

8/10

Excellent

01 Dec 2025

Roisin

Lovely clean spacious room. Good shower. Comfy bedding. Really friendly staff.

10/10

Exceptional

26 Nov 2025

James

Lovely fast & friendly check in . Room was very clean, tastefully decorated with excellent water pressure in the shower.
Local Spar shop next door as everything you need if you're traveling too .

Lovely hotel , kudos to staff & owners.

Business Self

10/10

Exceptional

14 Nov 2025

JOSEPH

Great room, great location

Self

10/10

Exceptional

12 Nov 2025

Grant

A vert short visit and did not have the opportunity to dine in the evening or breakfast in the morning. However, very friendly and warm welcome on arrival, room was clean and comfortable, would definitely visit again.

Business

10/10

Exceptional

09 Nov 2025

David

The staff were friendly and courtious, the food was good, the hotel was clean and tidy and there were plenty parking spaces, all round,it was a pleasant experience

Business

8/10

Excellent

07 Nov 2025

Colin

Staff were very friendly and helpful, always with a smile.

Food was good and everything was clean and tidy.

Heating / water system outside of my room was quite noisy at night for some reason. Not so good if you are a light sleeper.

10/10

Exceptional

01 Nov 2025

Jacob

Nice spot close to the Isle of Skye.

Leisure Partner

8/10

Excellent

31 Oct 2025

Mark

Nice, but food is very expensive.

Business

10/10

Exceptional

29 Oct 2025

Gene

Short but sweet

Friends_and_family Family

6/10

Pleasant

26 Oct 2025

Gordon

Indifferent welcome, clean room.

10/10

Exceptional

19 Oct 2025

Richard

An excellent hotel, with great facilities and superb staff

8/10

Excellent

18 Oct 2025

Wendy

Tasty breakfast and extremely comfortable bed. Great staff, very helpful.

Partner

8/10

Excellent

18 Oct 2025

Vinnie

Staff was friendly and the room was satisfactory. We loved the views across the street. The real gem was the Mussels appetizer! A must order

Leisure Family

8/10

Excellent

16 Oct 2025

John

The plus side: the meals, clean comfortable room, friendly staff. The negative side: my room window was immediately above the kitchen extractor fan, which came on at 06.40 both days, audible, plus cooking smells entering the room though the window was closed. Very sensitive fire alarm sensors, so an alarm was triggered at 00.45hrs apparently by someone having a shower and filling the room with steam. Also unfortunate was the road surfacing machinery on the road and lay-by outside the hotel, working through the night! Distinctly audible from my room. Not quite so noticeable the second night as they had move along the road a little.

Leisure Self

10/10

Exceptional

09 Oct 2025

Nigel

Modern, clean and very well run. Lovely views from the front (once the rain stopped…) Bed was a little tired and the walls were thin enough to hear the TV in the room next door. The guest directly above my room dragged their chair over the solid wood floor several times, which was irritating, but hardly the hotel’s fault. Good value though, which coming from a Yorkshireman, is high praise…

Leisure Family

8/10

Excellent

06 Oct 2025

Patrick

The only issue, no heat in one section of the hotel.

Leisure Self

6/10

Pleasant

04 Oct 2025

Lisa

Room was just clean enough. Dirty shower grout and filthy baseboards.

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

01 Oct 2025

Ryan

Great

10/10

Exceptional

27 Sep 2025

Wayne

Great place to stay before isle of Skye. Large rooms. Great restaurant. Breakfast (included) was delicious. There is a grocery store next door too.

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

26 Sep 2025

Angela

This was a great place to stop on the road from Skye (detouring through Applecross). The staff were warm and welcoming after an exhausting ride.

10/10

Exceptional

22 Sep 2025

Tim

Very nice hotel with reasonable rates for the area. Our jumping off point to the Isle of Skye. Friendly and professional staff.

Leisure Friends

6/10

Pleasant

21 Sep 2025

Chi Kit

Good and bad

Basic condition of the room is good and the shower is spacious and user friendly. However we ordered a room for three adults, but the extra bed is just an added-on, is small, and rather low when compared to the overall level of the hotel. Also the bed is preparing when we walked in our room at 6pm and not before. It is rather unprofessional and unacceptable.

Friends_and_family Family

10/10

Exceptional

19 Sep 2025

Christine

Lovely stay

Delicious food and coffee! Comfortable and clean. Professional and accommodating staff, would stay here again. Close to Skye Bridge

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

19 Sep 2025

Sheila

Very nice and quiet location.

8/10

Excellent

18 Sep 2025

Lynda

There was no elevators and we had to carry our luggage up a steep set of stairs. Room over looked an alley way that smelled and had garbage. We thought we were getting a sea view based on description. Staff were excellent and really took great care of us.

Leisure Partner

8/10

Excellent

09 Sep 2025

Gregory

Nice place with friendly staff. Wi-fi suspect.

Spent only one night. Very clean rooms and friendly staff. Nice place to stay as you’re passing through highlands.

My only complaint is the wi-fi signal was non existent in the room we were staying. Couple that with poor cell reception, it was difficult to plan next day and communicate.

6/10

Pleasant

06 Sep 2025

phil

Comfy rooms but service lacking. Waited about 5 minutes at the front desk while the guy was on his cell talking. Checked in, went to the bar, same guy said he’d be right back to serve us, he came back 10 minutes later which by then another couple was also waiting. Dined there for supper and asked for fish with salad instead of chips, server said she’d have to check with the kitchen. Never saw her again, food arrived with chips by someone else. Finally the dinner bill had 20% gratuity automatically added. Not recommended.

Leisure Friends

6/10

Pleasant

05 Sep 2025

gail

No teabags, tissues and coffee not in hospitality tray on arrival. Fire alarm went off at 9. Went downstairs and told to go back to bedroom. It was handled badly.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

30 Aug 2025

Verified traveler

Space was clean and updated. Bartender was lovely!

Friends_and_family Friends

8/10

Excellent

30 Aug 2025

Miranda

Comfortable and quiet, staff had some difficulty understanding our food allergy and could not provide options (Ie we ask for a steak just seasoned with salt but were told we had to have the pork belly instead.)

Leisure Family

8/10

Excellent

26 Aug 2025

SARABJIT

Convenient location. Beautiful view of the lake.

Leisure Self

10/10

Exceptional

09 Aug 2025

Monica

The staff made a real effort with us and our young son. They were really friendly, welcoming and informative. The hotel was in lovely condition, freshly decorated, nice attention to detail. Anything we needed they provided with efficiency and a smile. It was a real pleasure to stay there and we would have liked to stay longer.

Leisure Family_with_children

2/10

Poor

29 Jul 2025

Thomas

We got there and they said there was no reservation even though i showed them the confirmation. Very schetchy place. We found another hotel later. The receptionist told me other pe6had similar problems with them. i think they're avoiding paying Expedia

10/10

Exceptional

28 Jul 2025

Trantran

Excellent enjoyed this place especially the friendly staff

Leisure Family_with_children