The love here is in the details: Everything is just right at Coruisk House – from the ingredients in the bread to the sheepskin in front of the bed. Who is looking for a place to stay in the south of the Isly of Skye and brings a little money, will feel comfortable here..
“Restaurant with Rooms” – a restaurant with bedrooms is what operators Clare and Iain promise their guests. Indeed, a good meal here can cost more than the room rental. But in return, the visitor gets a lot: The rooms are tastefully decorated and not too overdone. It looks simple, but the sheepskin is real, the bed (in contrast to some other stays) stable, the mattress comfortable, the furnishings unique.
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And then there’s the food: served downstairs in the restaurant. Whoever imagines a busy, noisy room is mistaken. Because there is room here for maybe 16 people. The diners sit on benches with high backrests that partition off the table area like a train compartment. The food served by the couple is local and exquisite. The lobster and mussels come from the fisherman in Elgol, the venison from the hunter at Portree, the fish from Mallaig, The hostess bakes the bread herself. In the process, the pair create dishes you haven’t had before without getting too experimental. To drink, there is wine or Scottish beers. Without exaggeration: A poem!
And what does one do during the day? Either you decide to take a cruise around Skye or you walk down the road from here to the village of Elgol. There you can enjoy the magnificent scenery of the Cuilins (take a photo!). From here several boat operators leave for tours to the beautiful Loch Coruisk or to watch seals and whales. For walkers, Elgol is also a good starting point into the mountains of Skye.
Tip: Ask the hosts
Clare and Iain are keen walkers themselves and take a keen interest in everything happening on the island. They usually have a good idea of what to do. So don’t be shy.
Knowledge: Blackhouse Inside
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At its core, Coruisk House is a former blackhouse (like the ones here at the Museum of Island Life) that used to be thatched. It is, after all, around 300 years old. It also served as a post office for a while before being extended and used as a guest house around 1900.
Personal note: Wonderful time there
Perhaps to some the description may seem too gushy. But I am honestly thrilled with Coruisk House – and unfortunately, it’s not just me. When we went to book again for May 2013, all but one day was booked up. So the sooner you ask, the better. The photos we took at the time unfortunately don’t give a good representation of the ambience and beautiful decor. I hope we get it better this time.
What impressed me was the consistently cheerful mood of the hosts. Even when the power went out when we were supposed to get breakfast, Ian calmly took it as a challenge. The stove was gas fired and the fresh coffee beans ground with a mortar …
However, Katrin and I quickly stopped thinking about money. If you eat in the restaurant and the rooms come after it, you are as a couple per night quickly times 150 pounds and more. But we have never regretted it.
UPDATE 2014: We kept returning to Coruisk House and eventually celebrated our wedding there. As you would expect, Clare and Iain were a wonderful help. Even when the tire on our rental car went flat (yes, on our honeymoon), Clare gave us strong support.
Directions:
From Skye Bridge, continue along the A87 towards Portree until you reach Broadford (large petrol station and supermarket on the right). Shortly after, a large green sign points to the turnoff to Elgol. So turn left here and keep going along the road. Soon the road becomes a single track road, there are about 22 kilometres to ride, you will go around the Loch Slapin. At some point you will see Coruisk House on the right hand side. You can hardly get lost.
