Islay House: An Island Escape with 27 Bedrooms and a Captivating Spiral Staircase on the ‘Queen of the Hebrides’

Islay House on the Isle of Islay has the potential to turn into a magnificent personal residence.

Once, or perhaps even now, a well-known home goods company created a great tagline. ‘Make a house a home,’ they said, suggesting that purchasing home improvement materials and throw pillows contributes to this feeling. I’ve always appreciated this advertising—it captures the joy in personalizing a new house, complete with the assembly of furniture and the inevitable squabbles.

But what about turning a hotel into your home? I haven’t seen any clever slogans about that, even though I come across hotels on the market quite often. If such a marketing campaign existed, it would probably interest the future buyers of Islay House, which is currently listed by Knight Frank for over £3 million. You’d need an abundance of flat-pack furniture for this place.

The entrance hall, which features the amazing spiral staircase.

Planning to turn Islay House into your personal home would mean no concerns about running out of room. With a whopping 32,000 square feet, it includes up to 27 bedrooms. Furthermore, there are 28 acres of gardens and property featuring additional structures like a boathouse and a gamekeeper’s cottage.

The aforementioned impressive spiral staircase.

Fortunately, the home, which holds a Category A listing, has been recently updated over three years by the current owners. Everything is in top shape—from the electrical wiring and plumbing to the new central heating system, boiler, fire sprinkler system (a personal desire of mine), and some renewed roofing—all spread across three levels.

The bar area, which is worth keeping no matter if the property remains a hotel or becomes a private residence.

The true allure of Islay House is its location. Situated on the Isle of Islay, it sits facing the southwest, offering a picturesque view of the gardens leading to the coast and the Rhinns Mountains. Hugh Campbell, the Laird of Cawdor, chose this location back in 1677 to build Islay House because it was ‘the optimum spot on the island’—a sentiment that’s hard to dispute today.

One of the many paths bordered by bluebells in the 28 acres of gardens and land.

Despite its Hebridean location, the property benefits from nearby conveniences. Bridgend is just a half-mile walk, offering a shop, hotel, and petrol station. Bowmore, the primary village on the island, is three miles away and has everything else you might need. Additionally, the local whisky is reputed to be exceptional, which is rather to be expected given the presence of nine top-tier distilleries in the area.

Islay House is up for sale through Knight Frank for offers above £3 million. For additional details and photographs, click here