I knew that Shakespeare’s singular Scottish play, Macbeth, was set in Scotland, of course, but I had no idea that the murder that inspired it supposedly happened in the dining room of the Knipoch Hotel, a cosy little bolthole just three miles outside Oban, writes Eilidh Tuckett.
No, this isn’t a Highland edition of Cluedo, and I suppose that is a slightly disingenuous claim, given that the hotel has only been running as one since the early 1980s.
The Sonas Collection, founded on Skye by hotel maverick Anne Gracie-Gunn, acquired the property last year. It’s now the group’s fourth and largest hotel, and its first on the mainland, reopening under Sonas’s ownership in March 2024 after a £1 million refurbishment.
I understand why there was something about Knipoch that captured Anne. The hotel itself is a soft fern green, and the surrounding landscape is a spoil of lush forestry and open water, the moody Loch Feochan, which flows out to the Firth of Lorn and eventually the North Sea. Sunlight dapples on stubby hills that pepper the lochside, birds sing. It’s all decidedly charming – the stuff of American tourist dreams.
Knipoch House has 26 bedrooms in total, and you can choose between loch or hillside views, both of which are gorgeous.
My room overlooks the loch, and the windows frame the view like a Caddell painting. The bed looks gorgeously, invitingly soft – it might be 3.10pm, but it’s a Friday and I’m on holiday, so I test it out.
The duvet comes up to meet me as I sink into the mattress, ensconcing me in its down-feather embrace. I take a big, luxurious exhale, letting thoughts of work, deadlines and responsibilities fade into the background. I’m so ready to languish in 24 uninterrupted hours with my mum, who I brought along and is already busying herself looking for a label on the duvet so she can buy one for herself.
After unpacking and giggling at the splendour of it all (we’re two working women, but together we act like kids) we take a much-needed walk along the banks of the Feochan, uncoiling our bodies after the long train journey from Glasgow.
We do a good bit of exploring and photo-taking, but we don’t stay away from Knipoch for long. The hot tub beckons. At £10 for half an hour, we make full use of it, tucked away at the back of the hotel, breathing in lungfuls of forest-fresh air that are only slightly interrupted by the chlorine smell of the water, but at least we know it’s clean.
By 6:30pm, we’d worked up an appetite for dinner, which was just as well because we were booked into 1635, a three-hour long tasting extravaganza concocted by resident chef Liam Philbin (£99 pp.)
It takes place in the Stone Room, allegedly the site of the Thane of Cawdor’s murder. Thankfully, no such bloody deed occurred while we were dining, unless you count the sliver of perfectly cooked lamb that arrived at my table.
Sorry, vegetarians, there are myriad options for you, too. Liam’s menu shines a spotlight on Scottish produce, and his creative flair is clear. Between dishes, he pops out to chat about the inspiration behind them. It is an obvious labour of love.
After a few glasses of champagne, we were disappointed to find that the live music promised in the sitting room was finished, my only criticism of an otherwise glorious weekend.
Still, we enjoyed a perfect cup of tea and each other’s company by the fireside, talking of our plans for the following day, because Knipoch makes a perfect base for exploring the local area.
A walk up to McCaig’s tower in Oban was on the cards, as was a visit to Hinba coffee shop. Feeling snoozy and very full, we retreated upstairs to our luxurious beds, ready for a good night’s sleep.
The best way to describe the Knipoch experience is like taking a deep breath of crisp, cleansing Highland air. It’s restorative. And with rooms starting from just £129 a night, I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend it.
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