Frequently Asked Questions

Planning your visit

  • We open from early April to late October each year. Exact dates vary slightly and are shown on our online booking page.

  • Our rates are structured to favour Dinner, Bed & Breakfast stays of two nights or more, with additional value for stays of five nights or longer. This reflects our belief that Eddrachilles is best enjoyed as a place to settle, dine well, and stay a while.

  • Occasionally, yes - but we can't predict when or guarantee them year to year. As a small, 10-room hotel, our approach to pricing is flexible and depends on booking patterns rather than automatic seasonal discounts.

    If you're waiting for a deal, be aware that our rooms often sell out well before the season, particularly in our most popular months. Special offers, when they do appear, tend to be for specific periods or last-minute availability, not guaranteed discounts.

    If I've already booked, can I switch to a lower rate if one appears later?

    No. When you book, we honour that rate even if our costs increase between booking and arrival - we hold our side of the contract. We ask guests to do the same. The rate you've secured guarantees your room; special offers that may appear later are for remaining availability only.

    If certainty and securing your preferred dates matter to you, we'd recommend booking when you're ready rather than waiting for a discount that may not materialize.

  • Yes. the Glebe Kitchen is the in-house restaurant at Eddrachilles Hotel. The perfect option for relaxed, refined dining at the end of a busy day.

    Non residents are most welcome, but we recommend that you book a table well in advance.

  • Our rates reflect the realities of operating a small, independently-owned hotel in one of Scotland's most remote locations.

    Northwest Sutherland has costs comparable to Norway. We're Britain's least populated mainland area, which affects everything from supplies to staffing. Delivery charges alone add a third to basic costs. Unlike chains with bulk buying power, we're a genuine small business paying market rates.

    The defining factor is seasonality. We operate April to October because the wild, remote landscape that's so compelling in summer becomes inhospitable for most guests in winter. This means compressing a year's revenue into seven months of trading - yet many of our fixed costs (insurance, rates, maintenance, licences) are charged as if we operated year-round.

    What you're paying for is a ten-room heritage hotel with award-winning standards (Good Hotel Guide César Award for Best Hotel in Scotland), run by owners who are here daily. Within Northwest Sutherland's accommodation market - which sees higher demand than supply, particularly since the NC500 - we offer exceptional value at our price point.

  • With such a small local population, we typically recruit from outside Northwest Sutherland and provide accommodation at our cost, although we have had some great colleagues from the local villages. We pay Real Living Wage Foundation rates and above - the same professional standards you'd expect in Edinburgh or London apply here, and so should the wages.

  • We're just over 2 miles south of Scourie, directly off the A894 (NC500) at Lower Badcall. Important: Do not follow your satnav if it tries to direct you off the A894 onto the road signed for Badcall.

    Approximate drive times: Ullapool 1 hour 5 minutes, Inverness 2 hours 10 minutes.

    Free on-site parking is to the rear of the hotel. For check-in and check-out, there are short-stay bays (20 minutes) at the front. One disabled access parking bay is located next to the hotel's front door.

  • Check-in is from 3.00 pm and check-out is by 10.30 am. If you expect to arrive later in the evening, a quick call or email is always appreciated. If you arrive before check-in, you're very welcome to wait in our lounges.

  • From January 2026 you will be able book directly single night stay (overnight rate) at Eddrachilles 30 days or less from check-in.

    Any overnight bookings already made will, of course, be honoured.

    There is also a small allocation on Booking.com of single night B&B availability which is available more than 30 days before arrival.

Accommodation

  • Yes - well-behaved, fully socialised dogs are welcome in designated rooms by prior arrangement. Please mention this when booking so we can allocate appropriate accommodation. [Full details on our dog-friendly pageescription text goes here

  • For accommodation we welcome guests aged 12 and over. Experience has shown that guests from this age are best suited to enjoy our tranquil, relaxed atmosphere.

    Our rooms are typical of a west coast heritage manse - cosy and comfortable for two adults but without space for extra beds so we cannot create family rooms.

  • We have ten guest rooms across two floors, each individually furnished. Four ground-floor rooms can be configured as twins. Some rooms have baths, some shower-only. Full details including photos and facilities are on our Guest Rooms page

  • WiFi is good for the area - perfectly adequate for emails, browsing, and social media, though we suggest downloading movies in advance rather than streaming.

    Mobile coverage is very poor in the grounds and virtually non-existent inside the building. WiFi calling (if your contract permits) works best. This is simply a feature of our remote location.

Dining

  • The Glebe Kitchen is the award-winning in-house restaurant at Eddrachilles Hotel. It’s where all guests take breakfast and dinner.

  • Our DBB package includes your room, full Highland breakfast, and two three-course dinners from our standard menu for each night of your stay (minimum two nights).

    Complimentary afternoon tea, coffee, and baking (4-5 pm) and standard tray service (7.30 am - 10.30 pm) are also included.

    Other drinks, lunches, and menu supplements are charged separately.

  • Dinner sittings are at 6.00 pm, 7.00 pm, and 8.00 pm.

    Reservations are essential for both resident and non-resident guests

  • Yes. We warmly welcome non-resident diners during the season - simply book ahead online, by phone, or by email. Local residents are entitled to a 10% Parish Discount.

  • Absolutely. Our professional kitchen team cooks from fresh ingredients and can usually accommodate vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free, lactose-free, and other common dietary needs. Allergen information is provided on the day’s menu.

    More complex dietary requirements may require special ingredients which take time to deliver to our remote location.

    Please let us know when booking and again on arrival so the chefs can plan accordingly.

  • A sample menu for The Glebe Kitchen is on our Dining page. This is from our 2025 season. If you would like a wider selection to consider, please Contact Us.

The Area & Activities

  • That depends what you're looking for. If you need theme parks, shopping centres, or packed itineraries, Northwest Sutherland isn't for you.

    What we offer is space - both physical and mental. Empty beaches where you might be the only person for miles. Walks where the loudest sound is birdsong or waves. Time to read, think, watch wildlife, or simply be still. The chance to step off the treadmill, reconnect with Nature, and let your nervous system actually rest.

    There's increasing recognition that wild, quiet places offer genuine restorative benefits and improved well being with lowered stress, better sleep, mental clarity. Our guests often tell us they didn't realize how tired they were until they arrived somewhere truly peaceful.

    There's also remarkable geology at the heart of the NW Highlands Geopark, archaeology (Neolithic cairns, Palaeolithic caves), world-class fishing, wildlife watching (eagles, otters, seals, whales), and some of Scotland's finest coastal scenery. Serious hillwalkers have Foinaven and Arkle on the doorstep and Assynt hills such as Quinaig, Suilven and Star Pollaidh within easy reach, .

    But honestly? Most of our guests come precisely because it's "empty." They come to experience true remoteness and remember what quiet sounds like. If that appeals, you'll love it here. If it sounds dreadful, there are busier destinations that might suit better.

  • Sometimes - and it's magical when you do. Our far-north, low-light-pollution location makes aurora sightings possible in the darker months. Autumn and early spring offer the best chance during our season. Check local aurora forecasts for updates, and we can advise on the best local viewing locations.

    Note that many photographs on social media of UK Northern Lights are created by long camera exposures and may not be visible to the naked eye. Some of the best displays occur at 1-3 am.