As you turn inland off the Broadford to Mallaig coast road on the Isle of Skye, just before Isle Oronsay, a drive takes you up to Duisdale House. The three storey manse, built in 1865, stands solidly in splendid isolation.

It overlooks the Sound of Sleat and in the distance, looking east across the sea, are the mountains of the Highlands on the mainland, wonderfully brooding under a grey sky.

Surrounded by 35 acres of lawn and beds of red fuchsia and blue hydrangea with a backdrop of mature woodland, the setting could not be more Scottish Western Isles, with the whiff of the sea and the sweet, chirping twitter of house martins nesting under the eaves.

If you’re anticipating stags’ heads, tartans, heather prints and dirks once you step inside, you’ll be in for a big surprise. In the three years that Anne Gracie and Ken Gunn have owned the hotel they have completely refurbished the 16 rooms, lounge, bar and restaurant.

Kilmichael Country House Hotel, Isle of Arran

This hotel encapsulates the boutique ethos - characterful, small, stylish, superior food, and genteel service, says Ginny McGrath

BACKGROUND

• Duisdale House Hotel, Isle of Skye

• Kinloch Lodge, Sleat, Isle of Skye

• Auchrannie Country House Hotel, Isle of Arran

• Balfour Castle, Orkney

• Baltasound Hotel, Unst, Shetland Islands

Related Internet Links

• More reviews of Scottish island hotels

If you like strong and bold wall paper, black leather high backed chairs and chrome and glass tables, quirky cutlery with knives happily at rest at their place settings but standing on their cutting edge, vast but very creaky four poster beds - then Duisdale is the place for you. If contemporary chic is not your style, choose Duisdale’s sister hotel, Toravaig House, nearby.

David on reception could not have been more welcoming and showed us to Room 1, which could have been a boutique hotel room in Chelsea complete with flat screen TV, but looking out to sea.

The Research Assistant clucked appreciatively at the toweling bathrobes, “lovely” Gilchrist and Soames smellies, “generous” towel rack, “gleaming” chrome sink, bath and shower – a veritable modern artwork of a bathroom. Of course, because we were in Scotland after all, the hot water was “piping” too.

Over all the RA pronounced the room was “nicely laid out, simple and uncluttered”. Two chairs in the window alcove allowed us to enjoy the magnificent view eastward. Two niggles: the table in the alcove was “wonky” (I feared for my G&T) and there was no lamp stand to read by.

The Gracie’s offer various weekend and midweek deals one of which is the Romantic Escape, which includes chilled champagne and candlelit table with a fresh seafood dinner (the creaky four poster might inhibit activity somewhat). But the icing, if you decide to take your loved one over the sea to Skye, is a boat trip to Loch Coruisk in the shadow of the mighty Cuillins.

With Ken at the helm of the Solus na Mara; you are in safe hands, as the skipper is a retired Merchant Navy captain and master mariner. There is a large monkey puzzle tree in the grounds. “If that tree is dancing,” Ken said, “we don’t go out but if it’s gently waving we do.” For yachties, the hotel has five moorings just offshore in the bay and facilities ashore.

The small bar has a sailing theme, not surprising because of the owner’s former life, and it’s called the Chart Room. Pre-dinner drink for me was draft Black Cuillin brewed on the isle and a Chardonnay for the RA.

Graham, 26 years old, is the chef, and has a passion for fresh and local food and constant experimenting. His teasing and tangy canapés were a delight: Parmesan gougers with langoustine and smoked salmon mouse, basil and grapefruit mojito, red onion and goats cheese oatcakes.

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