TripAdvisor Excellence

April 20th, 2012 by Gael

In today’s world of spin and hyperbole it is hardly surprising that any claims made by a company are scrutinised with, at best, a pinch of salt or, at worst, a healthy dose of cynicism. We, too, frequently make claims about the quality and high standards of our self catering holiday accommodation. But we have the hard evidence to back up our positive assertions. For Gael Holiday Homes is pleased to note that we have retained our TripAdvisor Excellence Award for 2012!

Such success does not happen by accident. A huge thank you goes out to our handpicked band of property owners who consistently go above and beyond to ensure the expectations of visitors are exceeded. Their hard work, all year round, has maintained the high quality we have become renowned for. Well over 50 properties are listed on TripAdvisor, via the Gael Holiday Homes account, with all that have reviews to date being rated as either excellent or very good. Running in conjunction with Gael Holiday Homes’ own guest satisfaction programme, the published TripAdvisor reviews are sought mainly through invitation instigated by us off the back of our programme.

Every year TripAdvisor and Flipkey rate their leading self-catering rental management clients and it has been as direct result of the many wonderful reviews by guests that Gael Holiday Homes has been recognised for excellence. To qualify businesses must maintain an average overall holiday property rating of four or higher out of a possible five, as reviewed by travellers on TripAdvisor.

Commented Les Robinson of Gael Holiday Homes: “We are delighted – but maybe not entirely surprised – to retain this important excellence award. Thanks to the hard work of our property owners we can truly say our properties are at the top end of customer satisfaction. This accolade gives us the confidence to know that when we say our self catering accommodation is top quality that is what customers will receive each and every time they visit the Highlands.”

TripAdvisor is the leading travel review site on the internet and to receive consistently positive feedback is an achievement that is well worth shouting about. Gael Holiday Homes emulates TripAdvisor with its own on-site guest rated quality assurance programme, which closely follows the TripAdvisor review system. This, too, is proving influential in helping our property owners win repeat business.

Added Les Robinson: “We are delighted that guests are enjoying top quality self-catering accommodation in the Scottish Highlands and that our owners offer the best of accommodation combined with the best service levels. Without our clients ‘buying in’ to receive guest feedback and acting upon it, it would not be possible to offer such a high standard of accommodation. We are grateful for this support and would like to thank all of you who have taken the time to give your opinions and experiences. Without your help, and that of our property owners, we would not be such a strong competitor in the Scottish self-catering holiday home market place.”

Website visitors can therefore be assured that when we say top quality: we mean top quality.

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Highlands Golf

April 10th, 2012 by Gael

Royal Dornoch GolfCastle Stuart Golf Links just outside Inverness plays host again to the Scottish Open Golf Tournament in July 2012.

But while the Castle Stuart golf course will be entertaining the cream of professional golf players, not to mention many millions of TV viewers, it is just one of many challenging and rewarding 9 and 18 hole golf courses that dot the Highlands of Scotland.

After all, Scotland is the home of golf, and the Highlands have embraced the game as enthusiastically as anywhere else in the country. No two golf courses in the Highlands are alike; the one constant that runs through them is their diversity and awe-inspiring scenery.

From traditional old school links golf to mature inland courses, Highland golf courses offer the very best of natural beauty allied to tricky, deceptive fairways, rough that truly lives up to its designation and wind and weather that is both changeable and challenging.

For golf enthusiasts, the Highlands of Scotland are a nirvana of golfing highlights, with many bucket list courses ready and waiting to be ticked off. These include enchanting links courses designed by such golf course luminaries as Old Tom Morris and James Braid.

The sheer scope and variety of golf courses available in the Scottish Highlands is legendary, and there’s a course to suit every level of ability, from the novice right through to the scratch golfer, and, just as importantly, to suit every budget.

What the courses, which stretch from Caithness and Sutherland in the north to Oban in the south, have in common is the warm welcome they give to visitors. For the golf clubs here in the north of Scotland pride themselves in their Highland hospitality.

An estimated 150,000 golfers travel to the Highlands each year to savour the unparalleled pleasures of a round of golf on the home turf of the modern game. And there’s no shortage of outstanding courses to choose from. Scotland is said to have the most golf courses in the world per capita. The Highlands has at least 46 wonderfully testing courses; among them names that resonant around the world like Royal Dornoch, Brora, Nairn, Moray, Fort Augustus and Carrbridge.

Select just about any Gael Holiday Homes self catering accommodation and you are unlikely to be any more than half an hour from the nearest golf course. In many cases, considerably closer.

So here’s a quick guide that matches Gael Holiday Homes accommodation to their nearest golf courses:

Strathpeffer and Dingwall:  Strathpeffer Golf Club

Nairn:  Nairn Dunbar Golf Club, Nairn Golf Club, Castle Stuart Golf Club, Inverness Golf Club, Loch Ness Golf Club

Easter Ross: Moray Golf Club Old Course, Moray Golf Club New Course, Garmouth and Kingston Golf Club

Loch Ness and Glen Urquhart: Inverness Golf Club, Loch Ness Golf Club

Fort William and Oban: Fort William Golf Club, Spean Bridge Golf Club, Traigh Golf Course, Fort Augustus Golf Club

Isle of Skye and the West: Fort Augustus Golf Club, Isle of Skye Golf Club, Kyle Golf Course, Gairloch Golf Club

Speyside: Boat of Garten Golf Club, Carrbridge Golf Club, Spey Valley Golf Course, Grantown-on-Spey Golf Club

Dornoch and Sutherland: Royal Dornoch Golf Club, Bonar Bridge and Ardgay Golf Club, Brora Golf Club

Aviemore and the Cairngorms: Spey Valley Golf Course, Boat of Garten Golf Club, Carrbridge Golf Club

Inverness: Castle Stuart Golf Club, Inverness Golf Club, Loch Ness Golf Club

The Black Isle: Fortrose and Rosemarkie Golf Club

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Sea Eagles in the Highlands

March 12th, 2012 by Gael

Sea Eagle in the Scottish HighlandsWith a massive wing span of eight feet, the white tailed sea eagle is a majestic sight as it soars the skies of the Scottish Highlands.

Driven to extinction in 1918, the species, the largest bird of prey in Britain, was gradually reintroduced to Scotland from 1975 onwards with white tailed sea eagles imported from Norway.

The first full scale reintroduction took place in Rum, a small island off Skye. Further releases have taken place across the Highlands. Today, it is thought there are at least 80 to 90 individual birds living in 26 territories. Such has been the success of the programme that the resident population is now self sustaining, with only Scottish bred birds maintaining the white tailed sea eagle numbers in Scotland.

Another eagle species you may be lucky enough to spot is the Golden Eagle. This is Britain’s only other resident eagle and is a Scottish icon in its own right. Golden Eagle numbers are buoyant and because of their differing diets there is very little competition between the two species over diet or territory.

A prime location for white tailed sea eagle spotting is Skye. With patience and a bit of luck you may see this stunning bird of prey, the fourth largest in the world, at Kylerhea Forest on the south end of Skye. A specially constructed wildlife hide overlooks Kylerhea Narrows, the sea channel that separates Skye from mainland Scotland.

The Otter Haven hide is open from 9.30 am to 5 pm all year round. During the summer months there is a warden on duty in the hide who will help visitors spot the birds and answer any questions they may have about the local wildlife which can be seen there. As well as sea eagles, you are also likely to spot otters, seals, dolphins and a host of sea birds and birdlife.

The Kylerhea Forest is easy to access from anywhere on Skye, lying to the south east of Broadford. From Broadford head towards the Skye Bridge. About six miles outside Broadford you take a right turn off the main road and head east to Kylerhea along a stunning single track road.

From the Scottish mainland, you can either head to Skye and cross the bridge. Or, if you fancy the romance of “Going over the sea to Skye”, go instead to Glenelg and take the short car ferry crossing. This is operated daily Easter to mid October by Skye Ferry, a community owned company, that runs the Glenachulish, the last manually operated turntable ferry in Scotland. The ferry runs every 20 minutes or so between 10 am and 6 pm.

Also recommended for white-tailed sea eagle watching in Skye are hill walks in the Rubh an Dunain, Beinn Tianavaig and Macleod’s Maidens area. That said, you are as likely to see a sea eagle on any secluded coastal location in Skye. It is all about being in the right place at the right time. Some people have even seen these wonderfully graceful birds from the car parks at Broadford Bay or the Aros Centre.

Gael Holiday Homes has specially selected self catering cottage and holiday accommodation on the West Coast. But also appropriate for white tailed sea eagle watching would be our holiday homes in Fort William or Aviemore and the Cairngorms.

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Music Festivals in the Highlands

February 28th, 2012 by Gael

Belladrum tartan festival in the Scottish highlandsRock fans of all ages are making their way north to Inverness for a summer musical feast that is the envy of the UK.

Some of the biggest names in music are appearing at RockNess in June and at the Belladrum Tartan Heart Festival in August. Among the acts appearing at RockNess this year are Mumford and Sons, deadmau5, Biffy Clyro, Ed Sheeran and Justice.

The lineup for the Belladrum Tartan Heart Festival has still to be confirmed but will undoubtedly include the cream of up and coming bands if previous years are anything to go by. Last year, for instance, saw the headline spot being shared one night by Texas and Deacon Blue, and Kassidy topping the bill the following night.  Also appearing in 2011 were, amongst others, Guillemots, Roddy Woomble, Rachel Sermanni, Newton Faulkner, Emile Sande, and Echo & The Bunnymen. And 2012 is poised to be just as star studded as last year.

But, unless you are of a certain age, the prospect of spending a weekend in a muddy field with thousands of strangers and sharing toilets you’ll wish to avoid at all costs is not one that appeals.

However, it is possible to go to the festival and still feel like a human being at the end of it. For in the same way camping has been transformed by ‘glamping’ so too has festival going. For instead of 24/7 noise and grime, what you do is buy festival tickets and each night repair to your well appointed self catering cottage for a well earned shower or bath. And, more importantly, a meal that doesn’t consist of burgers.

Gael Holiday Homes, fortunately, has a wonderful range of holiday accommodation that is well within striking distance of both RockNess and the Belladrum Tartan Heart Festival.

RockNess Festival in the Scottish HighlandsFor RockNess, held on the shores of the famous Loch Ness, look at our self catering holiday accommodation in Inverness and the Loch Ness and Glen Urquhart areas.

For Belladrum Tartan Heart Festival, which is held on Belladrum Estate, west of Inverness, you may wish to consider a self catering cottage, holiday house or apartment in either Inverness or the Black Isle.

We have a fantastic range of accommodation on offer in all of these areas. From one bedroom apartments up to three bedroomed holiday homes that can sleep six or more in comfort and style. What you will find on the Inverness, Black Isle and Loch Ness and Glen Urquhart accommodation pages is the ability to find exactly the type of self catering holiday accommodation you are looking for…no matter whether that’s a modern bungalow, a traditional stone-built fisherman’s cottage or even a tastefully converted byre. Whatever your idea of perfect is you’re almost guaranteed to find the property you are going to fall in love with.

The festival sites, meanwhile, are well sign-posted and have on site parking. Public transport is good and well organised to serve the festivals if you wish to leave your car behind.

For more information and the latest news on the festivals go here for RockNess details and here for details of Belladrum Tartan Heart Festival

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Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival

February 21st, 2012 by Gael

A wee dram of whiskyTickets are now on sale for what is debatably the largest celebration of Scotland’s national drink anywhere in the world – the Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival.

The event, now in its twelfth year, is set to be the biggest and best yet and attracts whisky fans from across the globe. Whether you are a whisky connoisseur or simply a fan of the Uisge Beatha (Water of Life), then there’s nowhere better to be heading this May. But don’t hang around, tickets for the festival are being snapped up as the must have festival ticket this summer. As whisky events go, the Speyside Whisky Festival is the highlight of the year, acknowledged widely as one of the most important whisky festivals in the world.

And with Gael Holiday Homes in the mix, your dream trip to the Highlands couldn’t be in better hands. We have a great selection of holiday accommodation in the Speyside and neighbouring areas. All are ideally situated to make the most of the festival and its wide ranging programme of day and evening events that offer something for everything, from couples to families and groups.

Within Speyside itself we have three handpicked luxurious properties with that all important wow factor. Sleeping between four and six, these self catering properties will make your stay extra special and are guaranteed to be the kind of accommodation you will be more than happy to tell friends about in detail when you get back home. If you aren’t prepared to recommend these holiday homes at the end of your visit we will be very surprised indeed.

First up is The Old Byre in Ballindalloch near Aberlour. A self catering holiday cottage converted tastefully to an A-rate standard from what was once an old farm cow shed, The Old Byre is set in its own enchanting grounds.

The holiday cottage owner, who lives close by, is a qualified mountain bike instructor and can offer guided rides or tuition around the myriad mountain bike trails or just suggest Scottish Highland rides that will suit your style of riding.

If, however, you fancy the modern glamour of a Scandinavian log cabin the Ben Rinnes View will be right up your street. Near to Ballindalloch in the heart of Whisky Trail country, there are seven working whisky distilleries on its doorsteps, along with an incredible array of wildlife ranging from pine marten to deer and birds of prey such as the Golden Eagle.

Also extremely well placed for the five day Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival 2012 is the Mains of Kirdells. This is a luxurious three bedroomed traditional stone-built Highland farm house that can sleep up to six. Set in its own peaceful grounds the Mains of Kirdells offers old world charm with the best of modern living. With beautiful 360 degree views, this is a stunning holiday home that blends large social space with cosy nooks for a quiet read or contemplating one’s navel.

Slap bang on the Whisky Trail and the Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival scene, the Mains is close to the village of Aberlour, home of Walkers Shortbread, which seems a quite apt accompaniment to the amber nectar that the River Spey has been so closely linked to for hundreds of years.

Running from Thursday, May 3 to Monday, May 7, the Spirt of Speyside Whisky Festival 2012 features a well stocked programme of events from whisky master-classes to guided walks, tours and tastings to ceilidhs, music and dance, poetry sessions and family events. For serious whisky fans there’s a whisky school offering the opportunity to learn more about the fascinating process of whisky distilling.

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Dark skies in the Highlands

January 10th, 2012 by Gael

Imagine being able to see a full 360 degree view of the night sky. Imagine it being so dark you can pick out the constellations and see the wispy trail of the Milky Way stretch out before your eyes.

Well, imagine no more. Come to the Highlands and see for yourself. For the Highlands are dark sky country, a rural, wilderness area with a serious lack of light pollution. The result is night time skies that are inky black, not suffused with an orange glow from myriad street lights.

Get out of the main urban areas and street lights are relatively few and far between, with the result that it’s all too easy to get a crick in the neck trying to take in all the stars. Unlike in built up areas, where you are left with a small patch of sky between buildings, in the Highlands you can see the night skies from horizon to horizon.

According to Dark Sky Scotland, a partnership body led by the Royal Observatory Edinburgh Visitor Centre, Scotland has some of the largest areas of dark sky in Europe. And the Highlands are by far the largest. So much so, in fact, that in March 2009, Glen Nevis, near Fort William, became one of the world’s first two Dark Sky Discovery Sites. The status, awarded by Dark Sky Scotland, has now been extended to ten other locations.

Dark Sky Discovery Sites are places that:

  • are away from the worst of any local light pollution
  • provide good sightlines of the sky
  • and have good public access, including firm ground for wheelchairs.

These sites can be found at Cabrach in Moray and in Skye and Lochalsh at Trumpan, Stein Jetty, Knockbreck, Kinloch Forest, Kylerhea, Camas na Sgianadin, Clan Donald Steadings, Clan Donald back lawn, Clan Donald front lawn and Glen Nevis.

In reality, though, pretty much everywhere in the Highlands as can be seen from the Dark Sky Scotland map enjoys starry nights, free from urban sprawl and its inevitable dull glow of street lights.
The sites selected by Dark Sky Scotland, all handily located for Gael Holiday Home properties, have their top “Milky Way” rating. These are sites where the Milky Way is visible to the naked eye and are much darker sites found only in more rural areas.
So what is the big difference between your back garden and the Highlands of Scotland?
On a clear night, most people will be lucky if they can see a hundred stars with the naked eye. Come to the Scottish Highlands and you can easily multiply the number of visible stars by a factor of ten!
Head to the northern most reaches of the Highlands and, if you are lucky, you may even get the opportunity to witness the celestial wonder that is the Aurora Borealis. Also known as The Northern Lights, the Aurora Borealis is an iconic natural light show caused by the collision of charged particles directed by the Earth’s magnetic field.

You don’t need to be Sir Patrick Moore to appreciate the night sky in its full glory in the Highlands. To the layperson, seeing a ‘high resolution’ night time sky is a bucket list activity. To the astronomer, it may even be a good reason to up sticks and head north to live. In the meantime, check out the Highland Astronomical Society website and plan to get here before the long summer days kick in.

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The Highlands in Winter

January 4th, 2012 by Gael

The Scottish Highlands, it is often said, are an outdoor playground. Perfect for self catering holidays, the biggest secret is that they are ideal for holidays at any time of year – even in winter.

For the jaded palate of today’s urban dwellers in need to fresh air, open space and dramatic skies unspoilt by the built environment, the Highlands of Scotland are the much needed antidote to stress, pollution and overcrowding. If you are tired of commuting, traffic jams and all the other ills of modern urban living, then set your sights on holidays in the Scottish Highlands. Your lungs – and spirits – will thank you. Trust me on this.

As someone who regularly plays host to people from ‘down south’, and that’s very much a catch all phrase in reality, the one thing that strikes them most is the gentle pace of life. Even mañana has too many connotations of urgency about it.

The laid back environment we are so good at creating clearly makes holidaying here a rare pleasure, a chance to completely unwind, recharge the batteries and enjoy the moment in all its 360 degree splendour. In fact, on more than one occasion I’ve been told, “The Highlands are the one place I feel I can completely relax.”

And who’s to disagree? The Scottish Highlands are a huge wilderness itching to be explored. They are a heather-clad wonder of mountains, glens, wide open spaces and deserted beaches. So why put it off and miss this unique, iconic region? For, if anything, the Highlands are at their most dramatic in winter.

While we do boast some of the most outstanding scenery anywhere in the UK, there are tons of things to do and see.

Winter is here and that means snow. Skiing, snowboarding and hillwalking are just some of the fantastic range of activities the Highlands has to offer. Action and adventure await your inner adrenaline junkie. You can be assured of that.

There are five major ski resorts in the Highlands. They are world famous and attract visitors from across the UK and all over the globe wishing to experience the extraordinary variety of challenges and fun that can be had out on the slopes.

There is also a rich heritage and culture here that is sharply distinctive having been shaped by the twin influences of the Scots Gaelic language and the Old Norse of the Viking era. Even today these cultural factors still resonate in the place names, the music, story telling, the arts and the ceilidhs that take place across the region.

There is a regular programme of events the length and breadth of the Highlands at this time of year, thanks, in part, to the long winter nights. Celebrating a culture that is unique and special, the one thing you will be guaranteed of wherever you go is a warm welcome.

Locals and visitors enjoy a varied calendar of events during the winter, and you may even get the chance to sample a wee dram of whisky in its native home or have a go at some traditional Scottish dancing.

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And the winner is

November 7th, 2011 by Gael

Following a recent trip to Inverness, staying at Apartment 404 By the Bridge in Inverness, Mr Lachlan Simpson is now planning another unexpected visit back to the Scottish Highlands. Mr Simpson, from Paisley, had been giving his feedback on a Gael Holiday Homes guest satisfaction survey following his stay, and was automatically entered into our prize draw. Said a surprised Mr Simpson: “I think this is the first competition I’ve ever won.  I wasn’t even aware I was even entering a prize draw, I just thought I was filling in the customer satisfaction survey.”

Winning a £250 evoucher for a future Gael Holiday Homes accommodation booking Mr Simpson remarked “The apartment was excellent, well located, and excellent for entertainment and restaurants. We were quite fortunate when we were staying in July that the Highland Games were on, so we took that in on the Saturday and it all worked in very nicely for us.”

Concluded Mr Simpson: “If the rest of Gael Holiday Homes properties live up to the standard of the one we were in – and I’ve no doubt they are – then no-one should have anything to worry about.”

Les Robinson from Gael Holiday Homes said “we are delighted with the response to our guest satisfaction survey over the last year. This gave us the information we needed to add guest comments and accommodation ratings to our website and feed suggestions and recommendations back to accommodation owners represented on our website. We will certainly continue with the programme and prize draw for next year and are very grateful to all those you responded”….read the full story on our website.

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Short breaks in Inverness

August 25th, 2011 by Gael

Eden Court Theatre InvernessDespite the current economic situation city breaks in Inverness are as popular as ever with bookings so far this year at an all time high. With guests coming from as far afield as China, Japan and Australia we are delighted to see Inverness and the Highlands in the top league for ‘places you must visit’.

Our By the Bridge  luxury city centre holiday apartments with views across the River Ness and Inverness Castle are a great place to stay for a few days or longer. New to our Gael Holiday Homes website are a couple of 1 bedroom apartment gems; King Street Apartment and The Old Court Apartment – both minutes away from the centre of town and both with free parking and free Wi-Fi internet access so you can keep up to date with your email or what’s happening on Facebook.

Also new for the Autumn and available to book from August onwards are Braevellie Apartments – 2 great fully refurbished apartments offering the best of quality. Located in the Crown area of Inverness the apartments offer modern facilities with contemporary styling set within a traditional characterful property.

For guests looking for something a little more out of town we have holiday cottages and self catering holiday homes in the city and on the outskirts.  Inverness has a wide variety of clubs, bars, cafes and restaurants to ensure you don’t have to cook if you don’t want to.

With prices from £55 per night why not come and stay in Inverness and see why everyone rates Inverness and the Highlands as one of the best places you can visit.

There aren’t many places left in the UK where you can enjoy traditional values and genuine hospitality in a modern, clean and safe cosmopolitan setting. Inverness has it all – book your break now.

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Black Isle Wildlife Park – escaped Wallaby returned

June 13th, 2011 by Gael

A wallaby has been returned to a park in the Highlands after it escaped and was captured two days later.
The three-year-old called Joey sparked calls to the police from concerned motorists who saw the animal on roads close to the Black Isle Wildlife Park.
Park staff managed to catch the wallaby in a net and he was checked by a vet over the weekend.
He was treated for a cut to his nose inflicted during a run-in with a flock of sheep after jumping into a field.

Thanks to Richard Renwick for the picture.

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