A 5* Luxury Stay at Ness Walk, Inverness

It’s crazy to think that our 8 Day Scotland Roadtrip over six months ago now and we’ve pretty much been in lockdown ever since. I still have a few other Scotland related posts to share but I wanted to wait until things picked up. With lockdown restrictions easing, I’m going to be sharing a few more travel posts, especially ones relating to UK staycations. Our Scottish Roadtrip was one of the best trips we’ve been on, it truly magical. We visited Glasgow, Loch Lomond, Ben Nevis, Isle of Skye, Loch Ness, Inverness, Cairngorms NP & Edinburgh. When in Inverness we stayed at the Ness Walk Hotel which is a 5* luxury hotel sitting on the banks of the River Ness; a short walk to the city centre.

We had actually spent the day at Loch Ness before staying at Ness Walk and it’s not far at all. On arrival at the hotel, we had to be buzzed into the grounds as it is gated. We were then greeted by a member of staff who helped with our luggage and showed us to reception. Checking in was all done in the lounge with a glass of complimentary champagne. From the minute we arrived, the service was spot on.

After sipping on our champagne, we were shown to our room. A member of staff just showed us to the door as they couldn’t do a full room tour due to Covid. During our stay, we were in a Cedar Room which is a ground floor superior room with a little private seating area to enjoy the garden views. Sadly it was raining during our stay so we didn’t get a chance to sit out on the terrace.

The room was gorgeous, very spacious for all of our luggage (we all know I can’t pack light!). The deluxe king size bed was one of the comfiest beds I’ve slept on. It felt like heaven to lie on after our hiking adventures. I’ve got to say, the bathroom certainly got my seal of approval. I’m sure I’ve mentioned in previous posts that the bathroom is usually the most important part of a hotel room. I love a good spacious bath and a rainfall shower which this bathroom had both! Fully equipped with toiletries from Aaran Scotland which I love that brand. The Room also had a big TV which had Sky meaning Stefan and I was fighting over whether to watch movies on Sky Movies or football on Sky Sports. I’m sure you can imagine which one I was rooting for.

That evening, we were booked to dine at the Torrish restaurant which is actually named the salmon fly commonly used when fishing in the Loch Ness. Since we’ve stayed at Ness Walk they have now opened an outdoor heated bistro for drinks and dining. It actually looks amazing from what I have seen and you’ve got excellent views over the River Ness. As far as I’m aware the Torrish restaurant is back open inside but with rules always changing, I’d always check in advance. As I said we were booked in that evening for a fine dining experience where we had three courses with lots of local influences.

We both ordered Gin and Tonics which both hailed from the local area. I ordered the Rock Rose Gin which their distillery is up by John O’Groats in Dunnet Bay. We had actually hoped to get up there and visit the distillery but alas we didn’t have time. I think I do need to order a bottle online as I was a big fan. Stefan went for the Loch Ness Gin which was distilled just down the road! If you didn’t know already, Stefan and I are quite big gin lovers so it was great to try two which are distilled in Scotland.

Scottish produce was key throughout the menu and for our starters, Stefan went for the Hebridean Salmon and I got the Glencoe Scottish Mussels. It’s not actually something I would usually order. I’m not a huge seafood eater but I’m so glad I picked this dish as it was utterly delicious and served in a creamy sauce with complimented it perfectly.

Moving on to the mains, which for me was the star of the show. Stefan got a fillet of Scottish Pork served with vegetebles, he throrouhglly enjoyed the dish. I went for the Speyside Beef Fillet served with the most amazing giant chips. I think you can tell from the photos that the chips were just incredible, Stefan spent half the meal eyeing them up trying to steal them from me. They were just the right combination of soft and fluffy on the inside and crispy on the outside. Obviously, I have to mention the Fillet of Beef which I had cooked medium and served with peppercorn sauce. It honestly was one of the best bits of beef I’ve had. I think it’s great that all the produce is locally sourced around Scotland and we had visited many of the places the food had come from including Speyside.

Finally, we also ordered desserts. I couldn’t resist getting the Dark Chocolate and Blackcurrant Torte which was served with sorbet. The presentation of this dish was spectacular and it tasted amazing. Stefan got a selection of Scottish Cheeses which was served with a selection of biscuits, chutney and grapes. The cheeses included Isle of Mull Cheddar, Strathdon Blue and Clava Brie. I couldn’t fault any of the food I had at the Torrish. I was just in a slight food coma leaving the restaurant.

After a wonderful night sleep in that huge deluxe king size bed, we headed back to the Torrish Restaurant for Breakfast. I’m not sure whether they usually did have a buffet for the more continental items at breakfast but when were there we had a choice of things like fruit and cereal before choosing a cooked item. Stefan and I both went with a fruit salad followed by a Traditional Scottish Breakfast. You’ll notice one of the main differences in English and Scottish breakfasts is the addition of a Potato Cake also known as a tattie scone which is their version of a hash brown. Sometimes Haggis is also served with breakfast but personally, it’s not for me. I also had a lovely hot chocolate with my breakfast to start the day.

We had a lovely stay at Ness Walk. The food really was what made the stay exceptional but the service and rooms were both great. Even though Inverness is 100’s of miles away, we would really love to go back on day as we really did enjoy the stay that much. It would also be great to visit their outdoor dining bistro. I’ve got to say a massive thank you to the team at Ness Walk for having us. As I mentioned, we were exploring both Loch Ness and Cairngorms NP whilst staying at Ness Walk and it’s a great location if you’re on a similar trip to ours and exploring different areas in the highlands. Don’t forget you can read about the rest of our Scottish Roadtrip here.

**If you are planning a trip, please check and respect local restrictions before travelling or booking. Rules can vary between England/Wales/Scotland and may change after publication.

Have you visited Inverness? Do you have a Scottish Highlands trip planned for the future?

XOXO

*My stay at Ness Walk was complimentary in exchange for an honest review. All words are my own.