Hotels in Argyll
8 handpicked places to stay
Photo © Peter Wood, CC BY-SA 2.0
Argyll's hotels range from grand country houses set in their own grounds to harbourside guest houses with views straight out to the islands. Oban has the largest concentration, with seafront properties along the Esplanade and Corran Esplanade offering some of the best sea views in Scotland, alongside a handful of characterful town-centre inns close to the harbour and railway station. A short drive out of town, hotels around Loch Feochan and Loch Melfort trade proximity to the shops for peace, gardens and uninterrupted loch or coastal outlooks.
Inland and to the south, Inveraray's historic coaching inns sit within walking distance of the castle and Loch Fyne shore, making them a natural stop for visitors splitting a trip between Loch Lomond and Oban, or exploring Mid Argyll's prehistoric sites at Kilmartin. Wherever you stay, expect Scottish hospitality built around local produce: dining rooms serving West Coast seafood, whisky bars stocked with drams from the region's distilleries, and log fires that come into their own on cooler evenings.
Below are eight properties we would recommend, spanning country house luxury, well-run mid-range hotels and characterful guest houses, all currently trading and each offering a genuine sense of place rather than a generic Highland stay.
Isle of Eriska
Hotel · Private island near Ledaig, north of Oban
Scotland's only five-star hotel on its own private island, reached by a bridge and set in 300 acres of woodland, coastline and golf course.
Loch Melfort Hotel
Hotel · Arduaine, on the coast south of Oban
A country house hotel set in 17 acres of gardens and beach on the Argyll coast, with sea-view rooms and a fine dining restaurant.
Knipoch Hotel
Hotel · Loch Feochan, six miles south of Oban
A boutique country house hotel on Loch Feochan near Oban, refurbished under the Sonas Collection with a destination restaurant and outdoor hot tub.
The George Hotel
Inn · Main Street, Inveraray, on Loch Fyne
A family-run coaching inn on Inveraray's Main Street since 1776, with open fires, a 400-strong whisky bar and rooms just off Loch Fyne.
Falls of Lora Hotel
Hotel · Connel, five miles north of Oban
An owner-run hotel overlooking Loch Etive at Connel, with a 100-whisky bar, a bistro serving local produce and free parking for 40 cars.
The Manor House
Guest House · Gallanach Road, Oban seafront
A Georgian house built in 1780 for the 5th Duke of Argyll, now an owner-run guest house overlooking Oban Bay with period-style rooms.
MacKay's Guest House
B&B · Corran Esplanade, Oban seafront
An adults-only 4-star guest house on Oban's seafront, 50 metres from the shore, with en suite rooms and breakfast served in-room.
Kilchrenan House
Guest House · Corran Esplanade, Oban seafront
A Victorian seafront guest house on Oban's Esplanade with 16 individually decorated rooms, many with sea views over the bay.
Affiliate link — we may earn a small commission at no cost to you