Stein Inn

About Stein Inn

The Stein Inn opened its doors in 1790 and is the oldest inn on the Isle of Skye. It stands on the waterfront in Stein, a small conservation village on the Waternish peninsula laid out by Thomas Telford as part of a British Fisheries Society settlement, and the row of white cottages along the shore has changed remarkably little since.

There are five bedrooms, all facing the sea and all refurbished in recent years, with en-suite bathrooms and views west across Loch Bay towards the Outer Hebrides. The bar is a proper one — flagstones, peat fire, a long whisky list and locals who use it year round — and the kitchen serves lunch and dinner daily. Shellfish comes from the loch directly opposite: lobster, brown crab, langoustines and mussels, alongside island meat, fresh fish and honest fish and chips.

Waternish is one of Skye's quieter peninsulas and makes a good base for the north-west. Dunvegan Castle is fifteen minutes away, Neist Point about forty, and the Coral Beaches a short drive plus a walk. Sunsets from the front of the inn are among the best on the island. It is small, popular and open through the winter, so book the rooms well ahead and the restaurant table when you arrive.