I stayed at the Acarsaid for 4 nights in January 2012 whilst hosting a residential workshop and the hotel couldn’t have done more to make our stay enjoyable. Being accommodated in the lodge with it’s own bedrooms, meeting rooms and lounge was ideal and felt like we were staying in a country house retreat with all the facilities of a hotel.

The warm welcome by owners Clare and Stephen put everyone at ease straightaway and by the time we walked into dinner on our first evening, the group were already relaxed and getting to know each other. With four of the group having special diets (inc. gluten-free, meat-free and dairy-free) I wasn’t sure how well we’d fare but I needn’t have worried. The food was outstanding and with attentive service to match. What a treat!

When you have dietary requirements, choice on the menu can often be limited and repetitive but not here. Delicious starters included Scottish smoked salmon and vegan courgette fritters, followed by a soup course – my favourite was parsnip, pear and chestnut. Then a thoughtful selection of main courses cooked to perfection and enough to satisfy the fussiest vegans, fish eaters and meat eaters alike! Finally an array of gorgeous desserts, even a Scottish dairy free and fat free ice cream I hadn’t even heard of!

Breakfast was equally enjoyable with juices, fruit, cereals, yogurts and cooked dishes to suit everyone, even vegan sausages, all freshly made to order. I didn’t even have to ask for soya milk or dairy free margarine. At the Acarsaid, they think of everything!

All the public rooms are beautifully furnished and inviting especially the fully glazed front lounge where it is so cosy it can be hard to drag yourself away. The bedrooms are simply furnished and sparklingly clean with everything you need for a good night’s rest including an extremely comfortable bed!

Whenever I’m travelling in the UK or abroad, I much prefer to stay in boutique hotels where you are more likely to be treated as an individual (rather than just a room number.) And the Acarsaid is a gem of a hotel which does exactly that!

We booked a two night stay with meals from Friday 3rd Feb.After reading previous reviews we asked for a room in the main building with a shower. On arrival we were greeted warmly and was given room 11 on the groung floor. When entering the room it looked nice with a teddy on the bed which gave a good touch and the bathroom was nice and clean with a good powerful shower.The food was very good with a 4 course menu for dinner which was very good especially the sweets. The owners and staff are very friendly and look after you very well making sure everything is ok.
Downside
The radiator in the room is near the window and is half covered by a drawer unit which restricts the heat, Friday night the room was so cold we ended going to bed early to get a heat we reported this the next day to the manager who said he will turn up the heating a notch the next day.The problem on the Saturday was that the heating was on a timer and goes off during the day and as it was heavy rain and sleet we stayed in the room in the afternoon. We had to sit with a blanket over us to keep warm and drink plenty of hot drinks. It did get a lot warmer at night as the heating must have been turned up.
The other problem with this room is it is only a few yards from the sitting area which has a fire but the downside is you can hear the rest of the guests talking and laughing. It also has toilets on each side of the bedroom which can be very noisy. If you want an early night which is nice and quiet this part of the hotel is not for you.
Would I go back I would say yes but in the summer and I would book a room upstairswhich should be less noisy

From the moment we arrived at this hotel, the service was first class. The room was extremely clean and spacious, the food exceptional (both dinner and breakfast). We have stayed in many hotels in Scotland and found the calibre of food available on the set menu as beyond anything we have ever experienced before! The house white wine was brilliantly priced and was also of superb quality, an excellent chenin blanc from South Africa! The owners are very attentive and make you feel like the only people staying there. I can't wait until our next visit, hopefully it will be sooner rather than later......

stayed for two nights at this fantastic, freindly family run hotel. the staff were all fantastic and really made us feel at home and the food was amazing. i would reccomend this hotel to anyone who is looking for a home away from home, well done