For those who read 'Craic from the Clansman' you all know the hotel here is an excellent base for touring. Over the years we have built up a great relationship with both other accommodation providers, restaurants and pubs throughout Scotland. Many of these people have both stayed and dined with us and as they recommend the Loch Ness Clansman Hotel to their guests who are heading in our direction we in turn like to recommend their establishments to our guests both potential and existing.
Recently we had a good friend of ours - Mr Javen Walker and family staying for a couple of days - apart from Javen being the catering manager at the HOUSE OF BRUAR, his wife runs the excellent OLD SMIDDY RESTAURANT in Pitlochry - so on your way up north or down south a stop at either Bruar or the Smiddy or both is worth a vist.

On the Isle of Skye we like to recommend both the Broadford Hotel and the Bosville in Portree with its multi award winning restaurant. These are owned by Mr Donald MacLeod - a good friend of us here at the Clansman.
In Fort William we have our own bar, coffee-shop and restaurant at NEVIS SPORT where Shona and her capable staff will give you a warm highland welcome in the OUTDOOR CAPITAL of the UK.

Whilst in Fort William a trip up Aonach Mor in the gondola to see the magnificent views is a must. In the restaurant at the top another good friend of Cobbs is the catering manager - Peter, who will also give you a very warm welcome.

Throughout Scotland the various Edinburgh Woolen Mill sites are a great visitor experience for both eating and shopping. Mike Gilbert, head of catering stayed with us last week together with his family. Mike has assured us that all guests of the Loch Ness Clansman will be made most welcome at all his establishments.

In Aberdeen our coffee shop in Sterling Warehouse is always busy and gives first class food and service. Jo, our manager and staff look forward to seeing you.

Not to forget our vibrant young manager Sean in Cafe Bleu in Aviemore, a super stop where you can sit and watch the Ospreys at Loch Garten on the big screen whilst enjoying a good coffee and home made cakes.

There are many places we recommend and if you can't get a room ata the Clansman we are more than happy to point you in the direction of some of the excellent guest houses and B&B';s in the surrounding area - all friends of ours.
To name but a few, TRAMPS, GLEN ROWAN, FERNESS COTTAGE, GLENKIRK, GREENLEA, WOODLANDS and BRIDGEND - all in Drumnadrochit. KIMCRAIGAN B&B at Lochend and our good friend Anne and Colin at Abriachan.

So its the old adage - it's not 'what you know' but 'who you know' and here at the Clansman - Willie knows everybody'

Before you decide where you're going to stay these days most people look at trip advisor http://www.tripadvisor.com/ and I must say that thanks to all our wonderful guests and their comments we favour extremely well on this consumer site.

Out of all the Inverness / Loch Ness hotels listed we are the ninth most popular and 73% of our guests would recommend us to someone else and in the top 10 there is only one other 3 star hotel above us.
Our thanks to all our guests both one night stays and all those people on short breaks and longer stays for all their very positive comments on our staff, service, food and general feel good factor of their stay here at the Loch Ness Clansman Hotel.
We are very proud of these comments - so everybody out there - please look at them as well as all the previous Blogs at 'Craic at the Clansman' - you will get a real feel of what to expect.

We are what we are and we try to please everybody all of the time. Sometimes things do go wrong as in all walks of life but Rory and his team here are delighted to hear your comments, know what you want and what you're looking for and we try to resolve all problems as best we can.
Fortunately we score fairly high - and that we're pleased about but there is always room for improvement. The following are some recent comments from Tripadvisor:

'Dining - Yum!I was so impressed by the food that I thought I'd write about it first. We ate in the hotel restaurant both nights of our stay. It's on the front of the hotel so has stunning views over the Loch - Nessie Spotting is a fine past time after dinner with a glass of wine!'

'This was a 'passing by' booking, as it was a lovely spot overlooking the Loch. The receptionist was very helpful and gave me a small discount off the Loch View room we had. The room was very clean, well appointed, great shower and the best view out of the window I've seen for ages!'

'My wife, three year old son and myself have just returned from a weeks break touring around the Highlands of Scotland. I'm writing this as we were so impressed with the Loch Ness Clansman Hotel that we extended our stay another night with them. The staff were just fantastic and were wonderful with my son. We dined at the hotel both nights and I have to say the quality was as good as I've experienced anywhere in the world - thank you and well done to all at the hotel.'

Please look at the site and if you have stayed with us, please add your impressions - we take all comments on board.

Talking about 'on board' you'll never guess who's wonderful yacht berthed in the Clansman harbour last week - the one and only Dame Ellen MacArthur on her way to Inverness to open the magnificent new marina.

WIN A WEEKEND BREAK FOR 2
Going back to trip advisor, any suggestions that are forwarded to the website by email - we will look at and the best suggestion we will give the winner a weekend break for 2 at dates of their choice subject to availability. Your contribution is important to us and you are the best market research we can get. We will also throw in a cruise on Loch Ness and a visit to Urquhart Castle - so get thinking and you to could be sailing Loch Ness just like Dame Ellen

For those of you reading this who are interested in both nature and wildlife, there is no better place in the UK than the Highlands of Scotland. Here at the Loch Ness Clansman Hotel, you are in an ideal spot to explore the area and see all our indigenous creatures in their natural habitat and possible - non indigenous for example big cats have been sighted in the area.

Over and above bird watching animal spotting and insect identification we have both the Kingcraig Wildlife Park, the Black Isle Wildlife Park and Rare Breeds down at Fort Augustus. These are visitor attractions that cater for the nature lover who wishes to see various species in a controlled environment.
From the Clansman the chances of seeing osprey, buzzards, roe deer and foxes is not uncommon. Round the the hotel we have two wonderful pine-marten - a very rare species which was almost extinct forty years ago. With there russet coat and cream waistcoat they are most beautiful, inquisitive animals.
An early morning walk up the Abriachan forest trail beside the hotel may give you an insight into these very shy creatures.

We are only a few miles from the RSPB site at Corrimony - this is definitely worth a visit. A trip to Chanonry Point on the Black Isle, you'll hopefully catch a glimpse of the bottle-nosed dolphins in the Moray Firth. Two of our guests last week - Mr & Mrs Higgins had a great afternoon watching the dolphins playing with fish opposite the magnificent Fort George where by the way we have one of our excellent coffee-shops - another great day out.
The Highland Wildlife Park just south of Aviemore is another great experience for all you city dwellers - tigers, bison, wolves and just added recently - two humped camels.
A great chance for children to see animals living naturally rather than in television or in books.

Many nesting buzzards have a habitat behind the hotel - now known as the 'tourist eagle' they are magnificent birds with large wind span and incredible predatory actions. You also might be able to see the red-kite with its forked tail which were introduced to the Black Isle a number of years ago but often seen over Loch Ness at the eastern end.

Close to the hotel in Drumnadrochit is an SSI known as 'the cover'. A large area of woodland at the mouth of Glenurquhart and a tremendous wildlife habitat. Glen Affric is close by and also is an amazing habitat.

So if you were a fan of the 'Really, Really Wild Show' - then this is the holiday for you - a few days at the Loch Ness Clansman Hotel gives you the chance to explore all these habitats - not to mention the amazing habitat that is on our doorstep - Loch Ness - and who knows what's in there...

(photo courtesy of Gary Anthony SPP)

Well that's it folks - our great Scottish hope Andy Murray out of Wimbledon in a thrilling semi-final - there's always next year!
The next big thing on the Scottish sporting calendar is the Open Golf Championship at Turnberry - so all eyes will be focused on Scotland.
Scotland is the home of golf and here in the Highlands we have both well known courses and some hidden gems. The Loch Ness Clansman Hotel is a great central base to test your skills on these courses - Royal Dornoch, Nairn, Dalfaber, Boat of Garten, Tain and the new Castle Stuart course to name but a few. Really closes at hand are Ft Augustus and the course at Aigas. These nine hole'rs are great courses to teach youngsters wishing to take up the game. Even closer is the Torvean golf course in Inverness - 9 miles from the front door of the hotel and showing our commitment to the Royal and Ancient game, Cobb's have sponsored the 9th hole at this well know course where we can obtain special rates for all our guests.
Just over the hill is the 18 hole at Muir of Ord course - combine a round there with a days shopping in the village of Beauly and a visit to Glen Ord Distillery. If you time this right Thursday evening, you'll find the pipe band play in Beauly square - all that in one day! Golf - whisky - bag-pipes - shopping for tweed and tartan at the world famous Campbell's of Beauly - a truly Scottish experience topped off with dinning and sleeping next to the Loch Ness Monster!

It sounds impossible but what a gift for someone special - THE COMPLETE AUTHENTIC SCOTTISH PACKAGE.
We can organise all of this from the Loch Ness Clansman Hotel - just email us your 'wish list' and we can tailor make the package to suit. info@lochnessview.com

Rory is in Marbella - a weeks R&R and studying the Spanish tourism business. His main comment so far is 'it is very, very, very expensive!!'. Your pound doesn't go very far in Europe today so all the more reason to holiday in the Highlands - check us out - really good value for money on accommodation, food and drink. Your pound will go further here at Loch Ness and always remember Loch Ness is 'more than a monster' and that elusive hole in one could be easier to get than a sighting of Nessie herself.