Where we stayed in the Scottish Highlands – Woodlands Glencoe
I knew I wanted the whole highlands experience and was sure I didn’t want some fancy hotel. However, I’m partial to luxury lodgings and this time was going to be no different. My Instagram explore page is becoming the best place to find new things. Once I started saving content from the highlands especially Glencoe, my explore page turned into a shopping mall of accommodation located in Glencoe, Scottish highlands. Then there it was, the perfect location where we stayed in the Scottish Highlands, Woodlands Glencoe.
Disclaimer – We were kindly offered a generous discount on our booking; however, there is no obligation to write about it and as always, I promise that all opinions are truthful and mine.
Woodlands Glencoe
Woodlands Glencoe is located in Ballachullish and the first thing I did was email them to get a feel of what we could do around the location. You see, Glencoe is a massive expanse of land and I wanted us to be close to lochs, restaurants and some of the specific locations i wanted to visit etc. The customer service was fantastic – I received an email with about 10 restaurant recommendations (complete with their personal ratings). Communication was great and every question I asked was answered immediately.
It was quite easy to find after our 4-hour drive from Edinburgh. There’ll be more of these 4 hours in the subsequent post. We had been left instructions so we parked the car and walked straight to our Riverbed no 5. Maybe I’m now a glamper? Because can someone please explain to me why I’m finding these cabins so sexy and perfect for our romantic getaways?
The River Beds are definitely geared towards couples. They are quite intimate and I wouldn’t imagine sharing it with someone you weren’t kissing lol. Actually, I’d share it with my sister or best friend tbh but it is definitely a more “couple stay” room. I also think it’s perfect for solo travellers.
Woodlands Glencoe: Cabin in the Scottish Highlands
Our cabin was compact and cute. It had everything – a microwave, fridge, toaster etc. It was quite comfortable and even though it was for rest, we still felt like we were exploring the highlands just sitting on our little patio.
The bathroom was quite small; definitely not one for any intimate hanky panky lol. The shower space was just enough for one person to stand but I guess when you’re in the woods, that’s all you need. Our double bed was very comfortable. I initially worried it might be short for Mr E (for reference, he’s 6″2) but that was quashed as soon as we saw the bed. It was a really big double so perfect for even taller people.
Breakfast was brought to our door every morning around 8.30am and this was a part of our booking. It was a continental selection of breads, cheese, yoghurt, orange juice and fresh milk. All the food was kept in an insulated basket to stay warm and fresh. There was a Nespresso machine in the room and some tea bags so breakfast was quite a spread.
Woodlands Glencoe - Outside
The patio sat over a river bed; hence the name of the lodge – “River Beds” which ran through the property. The sound of water once you opened the door with the backdrop of the highlands was quite calming and beautiful. Our mornings were just the prettiest sight and thankfully, we were blessed with blue skies the entire time we were there.
For more romance (because there can never be too much romance right?), there is a jacuzzi for each cabin. It stayed hot throughout and was a lovely spot to wind down every evening. Too bad the midges were out to draw blood in the evenings. Oh my goodness, those midges were bloody vicious throughout the highlands LMAO! As soon as they started appearing, Mr E and I knew it was time to go inside.
For where we stayed in the Scottish highlands, Woodlands Glencoe was very safe. Although, I suppose all of the highlands is safe. It’s a very welcoming community and everyone actually has a smile on their face. We always joke that because we are Londoners, people being smiley is always quite strange but very exciting lol. It was so relaxed that we took walks at night in our bathrobes around the property. One night, it was to catch the disappearing sunset. Another night, it was to nose around the other end of the property. Basically, it was a really cool location, which served as the perfect base for our Highlands experience.
Woodlands Glencoe – Proximity to sites
Woodlands Glencoe was close to so many restaurants. It was also a few minutes from everywhere we visited in Glencoe and 25 minutes to Fort William. Mr E and I thought it was designed to make you feel comfortable enough; but encourage you to go out and explore. Which is what you should do if you’re in the Scottish highlands.
There is a golf course on the other side of the River Beds, which seemed to be very popular. Each morning, we noticed there were golfers on the course and this is where Mr E decided he might take up golfing. As if football isn’t enough, now I have to deal with him playing golf too? Hopefully he forgets all about it once we get home. However, if golf is your thing, Woodlands Glencoe is definitely a great choice.
In concluding…..
For where we stayed in the Scottish highlands, Woodlands Glencoe was the perfect choice for us. It was an intimate, home away from home to rest our heads after a day of wandering and driving. There was a chill culture where you only saw the staff when you needed them. Even breakfast was left on our patio for whenever we felt like getting up. I liked how you were sort of left alone, from self check in to self check out and everything in between, it was lovely.
So were there any cons to staying at Woodlands, Glencoe? I would say that checking out felt a little rushed, as we had to check out at 10am. That was the earliest check out I’ve experienced on all my travels. Check in at Woodlands Glencoe is from 4pm so if the next guests don’t arrive until about 6 hours later, I suppose a later check out would have felt more appropriate. It was our fault for not double-checking our welcome email as it clearly stated 10am as checkout time. Thankfully, we were kindly offered an extra 30 minutes, which was a lovely gesture for our lazy selves.
Would I recommend Woodlands Glencoe? 100% yes.
Would I stay there again? 100% yes.
So there you have it, a great option for your Glencoe accommodation if you ever find yourself in the Scottish Highlands. Find out more via Woodland Glencoe‘s website.
Next up on my Scottish Highlands series, I’ll go into everything we saw and did in Glencoe.
Bisous, ‘Bugo x
