Hotel Facilities
The idiosyncratic nature of old Hebridean buildings means that all the hotel's rooms and public areas have a character of their own, but throughout we strive to make the Argyll a home from home. The corridors, lounges and rooms all have books to peruse, and our rooms have fair-trade teas, coffee and hot chocolate to hand. There are also Purdies Organic soaps, conditioner, and bath foam to go with lashings of hot water, and in the evenings when the nights are chilly there are fires in the lounge and Dining Room. Above all there is a friendly and welcoming atmosphere, where an attentive staff is there to look after you and help you enjoy your trip to Iona.
Rooms
Our bedrooms are priced differently according to their size and aspect, and fit into three main categories; Sea View, which are all double and twin rooms (6 in total); Garden View Doubles which are slightly smaller in size, and obviously do not have a sea view (3 in total); and then Garden View Singles, of which we have 6 in total, that are located in annex to the main building. All the bedrooms are en-suite, except for one Garden View Double (Room 8) which has an adjoining or "shared bathroom". We also have one Suite which has a living room with a wood burning stove, and a separate bedroom with a single and a double bed, as well as a large bathroom with power shower and recessed bath; it is the best room in the hotel with lots of interior woodwork and great views over the sound.
Our room cleaning and laundry is almost completely managed with environmentally friendly detergents, and though our standard bed linen comprises of feather duvet and pillows, we can easily provide hypo allergenic pillows, duvets, or sheets and blankets if needed. There are tea making facilities in all the bedrooms, together with various books and a hotel guide to the island.
It should be noted that we are not a "chain hotel" and we do not have televisions or phones in the bedrooms, and whilst we do not have trouser presses and irons either, we do have a helpful staff and a genuine willingness to make you feel at home. Our housekeeping and reception are there to ensure you are more than comfortable in your room and around the hotel: if you need a hair-drier, an alarm clock, or even spare beach towels for a bracing plunge into sea - just ask and we will happily oblige.
Children or Dogs?
We are often asked by various advertisers whether we take "children or dogs". Rightly or wrongly they seem to equate the two on the same level; and having seen some children at dinner one can readily understand the confusion. Nevertheless, in both cases Iona is an ideal location for a holiday, to which the Argyll's doors are more than open, and whilst good behaviour is always welcomed from canine and child alike, we do try to differentiate between the two in terms of service.
Dogs are allowed in rooms and in the Sun Lounge, but not sitting on the beds or in the Dinning Room ordering steaks. Children on the other hand are more than welcome in the Dinning room where, if needed we can organise early kids dinners. They are also welcome to take advantage of a travel cot or an extra portable bed in your bedroom. One restriction common to both "breeds" however is the size of the bedroom, and you'll need to check with our reservations to see what's appropriate in our available rooms. In terms of toddlers and babies, the Suite obviously offers the best solution for space and privacy (it has a 3ft granite wall separating it from the other rooms), but also our Sea View doubles are located close enough to the Dinning Room for baby monitors to work in the evenings.
As for toys and entertainment, the island affords the best playground of all with lots of open spaces and beaches to play upon. The proverbial bucket and spade always works wonders, and the various boat trips around the island and out to Staffa are also great outings for kids. Though the island is small, bikes are also a lot of fun on Iona, and if you can't bring your own, they can be rented from a shop called Finlay Ross. Having the right clothing is always necessity in the Hebrides, especially if the weather turns a little dreech and wet. There is also a communal television room, with a DVD player so bringing a few toys and DVD's to cover for wet afternoons is always good insurance.
Special Requirements
If you have any particular dietary needs or special requirements for your stay, it's best to check with our reservations when you are making your booking. We are always willing to help and can accommodate a variety of issues, especially in terms of restrictive diets and allergies. However, we are restricted by the nature of the building itself in terms of access and disabled facilities. None of our bedrooms are on the ground floor, and unfortunately we do not have room for a lift. Indeed, if you are looking for wheel chair friendly facilities, then we would recommend the St Columba Hotel as having the most appropriate facilities and accommodation on the island. That said, our single rooms have only six steps to traverse in order to access them, and our main rooms on the first floor are reached by a single flight of stairs. We also have a variety of bathroom styles, with either walk-in showers or baths, and so if you have a particular preference just tell us when you are making your booking.
Lounges
In terms of the public areas, we have 4 different lounges. Two sitting rooms in the front of the building which have couches , books and games; one has open fire and the other has a piano for those who are musically inclined. Either are the perfect respites after a days walking around the island. The Sun Lounge, which is adjacent to the Dinning room is also a great venue for views over the Sound of Iona to the island of Mull and Ben More. It is the perfect place to watch the comings and goings of the Ferry, and to enjoy the luxury of an afternoon tea of warm home made scones or fair-trade brownies. Finally we have a Television lounge at the rear of the building which also has a book case full of distractions as well as a computer with broadband internet access. This lounge can also be booked by small groups looking for a private meeting space.
Restaurant
The Argyll's Dining Room has a wonderful atmosphere, born of spectacular views across the Sound, together period furnishings and a menu that features all the best of local and seasonal produce. We can seat up to 40 or so people, and during the main season of May to August we are normally fully booked every evening. We will ask you at the time of your booking whether you would like to join us for dinner, and if so we will reserve an evening table for you. There are two other restaurants on the island, and if you would like to dine elsewhere - we simply ask that you let us know as soon as possible so that we can let non-residents take advantage of the space in the dinning room.
We are open to non-residents throughout the day, from breakfast through to dinner. Although it is highly recommended that you book a table for evening dinner, it is generally fine to just walk in for breakfasts, lunches, and afternoon teas. If you are coming with a group, it is best to call us in advance and let us know how we can help you. We can also be closed on particular days and lunch times due to private functions, and depending on the day and the number of customers we can also run out of menu items at particularly busy times. That said we are well versed in island provisioning and Hebridean ingenuity, and it is a rare thing indeed that anyone has left our doors hungry.
In terms of dietary needs, we always have vegetarian, vegan and gluten free options on our menus; and if you are staying with us we will have enquired at the time of your booking if there are any dietary requirements we can accommodate. If so we will look after you to the best of our ability and ensure that you have a varied and interesting choice. Our island location does mean we are reliant on our suppliers for some of the more exotic dietary alternatives, but generally speaking because we cook everything to order, with our own organic garden, we can confidently say that we are more than adaptable and take culinary pride in the challenges that special diets can provide.
Restaurant Service Times
Breakfast: 8am to 10am
Lunch: 12.30pm to 1.30pm
Afternoon Teas & Snacks: 1.30pm to 4pm
Dinner: 7pm to 8pm
Teas and coffees are served throughout the day, and the bar is open from 11am to 11pm for guests. We do not have a public bar license, and so non-residents must be
eating in the restaurant to be served alcohol.
Wine List
We are very proud of our wine list, and of course greatly enjoy the research that goes in to compiling it: indeed it can be the highlight of our winter's work ! It is a list like no other, and one that admittedly comes from a deep appreciation of French wines, and particularly of the single Chateau and bespoke producers. We focus on small family run vineyards, who tend to have limited bottle runs and focus more on the individuality and quality of their product rather than mass commercial appeal. That does not mean you have to be a complete wine buff to appreciate or enjoy our wines, in fact much the reverse; we stock many standard favourites such as Sancerre, Chablis and Pinot Noir - the difference being that the actual producer and vineyard will be one that you will probably not have tried.
