Read Sam's review
of the spa at Cameron House
If you have ever wondered what it would be like to stay in a luxury version of
Hogwarts, Harry Potter’s gothic-inspired boarding school, then booking a
room at Cameron House is the closest one will get to such a magical
experience.
The hotel, a former baronial manor house, is on the southwest bank of Loch
Lomond, with views of the majestic mountains as backdrop to its 18th Century
architecture. The location and hotel exterior are grand, but the reception
and service is down-to-earth. It is impossible not to feel relaxed in its
cosy atmosphere.
Cameron House has recently undergone a £25m refurbishment. Its interior
designer Gavin Liddle has pulled off a masterstroke in creating what first
appears to be a traditional décor, with tartan and antler-accessorised
mirrors and chandlers, but with enough quirky detail and a contemporary
paint palette to take away any hint of twee or stuffy.
Possibly, it’s the constant flicker of candlelight that invites comparisons
with Hogwarts but, unlike the fictional school, there are no dormitories.
The hotel’s sleeping accommodation comprises 96 rooms, including five luxury
suites, in the original house and the new extension. The room we stayed in
had comfortable beds and plasma screen TV. In the gorgeous bathroom a range
of L’Occitane products are at your disposal and a rainforest shower.
The hotel has a lagoon-shape swimming pool, children's pool with flume, steam
room, sauna and jacuzzi. There is also a squash court and a well-equipped
gymnasium. However, if you want to truly indulge your body and calm your
mind then it’s a five-minute trip in one of the hotel’s courtesy cars to the spa
on the Cameron estate. Guests pay extra to use the facility, but it is well
worth treating yourself to a spot of pampering as the spa boasts an outdoor
infinity pool that overlooks breath-taking countryside as one of its many
treats.
You can also indulge your body in a feast of good food. The hotel has three
restaurants, the Marina that serves Mediterranean style food, the Claret Jug
that offers simple but hearty, good quality meals made with local produce
where possible and fine dining at Lomonds.
At the Claret Jug, I had a skewer of various meats and chunks of salmon,
served with a side of homemade fries. It was delicious, as was my
companion’s steak. And the crème brulee desert was heaven in a dish. At
Lomonds, the menu was heavy with Scottish produce, including Orkney crab and
exceptional Scottish beef.
The hotel also offers an afternoon tea to rival Claridge’s. A selection of
mouth watering patisseries and tasty sandwiches, washed down with English
breakfast tea for a competitive £19 per person. Fellow guests appeared to be
equally impressed; we overheard quite a few superlatives. I would say that
Cameron House is best enjoyed from a quiet corner in the Whisky Bar, with a
Baileys in one hand and Vogue magazine in the other.
Comments on the TripAdvisor
website are overall positive; it gets an average score of 3.5 out of 5,
although there are mentions of disruption during the hotel’s refurbishment,
which has now ended. Previous guests left comments agreeing with my
experience of the service, the word "excellent" is used a lot, and
giving it the thumbs up for location and its revamped décor. As one reviewer
put it “What a pleasurable experience. The staff are wonderful and cannot do
enough for you.”
Bottom line: Room prices start from £169 and include breakfast. Dinner
at the Claret Jug for two, with wine and coffee is around £90. Dinner for
two at Lomonds with wine is around £150.
Need to know: Cameron House, Loch Lomond, Dunbartonshire, G83 8QZ; Tel:
01389 755565; www.devere.co.uk/deluxe/Cameron-House
Access all areas: Cameron House has full disabled access with lifts to
all floors.
Best thing: Sitting in the Scott’s Bar, sipping tea and looking out
over the stunning view of Loch Lomond.
Worst thing: Having to check out and go home.
Food: 10 out of 10
Service: 10 out of 10
Room: 9 out of 10
Value: 8 out of 10
