Great News - the swimming pool is open again - it was closed for over a year following a fire (in the sauna) but it has now all been restored and is working again.
Gruinyards is a stunning two bedroom penthouse apartment in a historic Monastery with probably the best views of Loch Ness from anywhere. It is elegantly furnished and will give you a truly memorable holiday.
The apartment at Gruinyards sleeps four, or six with the sofa-bed. Or use the double Aerobed in the huge master bedroom to make it a family room.
There is access to all the facilities of The Highland Club, which is the name for the whole Abbey complex. There are extensive gardens on the edge of Loch Ness while the facilities include a swimming pool and spa in a former chapel, tennis, badminton, croquet, snooker and table tennis, all of which are free for residents. Archery, kayaking and fishing can also be arranged in the grounds.
With high sloping ceilings, Gruinyards manages to feel both spacious and cosy. It combines old and new, having magnificent stone mullioned windows but stylish contemporary furnishings. There are great views on three sides and it gets the sun all day long making it a fantastic place to relax whatever the weather.
The apartment has free Wifi, widescreen TV, films & DVDs, detailed maps & guides and a range of games and books.
We should mention that the Gruinyards is on the third(UK)/fourth(US) floor of the old Monastery building, and is reached by 75 steps (there is no lift) but this is why it has such good views. It also means there is no one above you and it is wonderfully peaceful there, like a nest above the rest of the world.
The apartment itself has a large open plan living-dining room with high sloping ceilings and a huge stone window that gives stunning views right along Loch Ness. There are also views over the hills to the east and the abbey cloisters to the south. The living room has a fully equipped kitchen area and an oak dining table that can be extended to seat 8. There is a large TV and a wide range of DVDs, as well as a selection of board games, maps and guide books. There is unlimited free Wifi internet provided in the apartment and an iPod dock for music.
There are two bedrooms: a very spacious principal bedroom which also has high ceilings and views on two sides. It is beautifully bright and airy and boasts a magnificent en-suite with a roll-top bath overlooking heather clad Borlum Hill.
There is also a very comfortable and cosy twin bedroom, a second bathroom and a double sofa bed in the living room. However we also have an inflatable double Aerobed (it has an electric pump and adjustable firmness which makes it extremely comfortable) available in the principal bedroom so that this can be used as a very convenient family room.
As a guest at the apartment you can also make use of all the facilities of the Highland Club. As well as being able to wander around the amazing Gothic abbey and cloisters, there is tennis, badminton, bowling, croquet, a barbecue area and fishing in Loch Ness all available in the lovely lochside gardens. Then there is the residents' lounge and games room with a full sized snooker table, table football and table tennis available. And now you can enjoy the beautiful new swimming pool, steam room and sauna in the magnificent setting of the old abbey church with its stone arches and columns. There is also a well equipped gym with weights and a wide range of rowing, cycling and other exercise equipment.
In addition activities including archery, air-rifle shooting and, tomahawk throwing, fishing lessons and canoeing can all be provided in the grounds or very nearby. More adventurous activities, such as white-water rafting, canyoning, abseiling and clay-pigeon shooting are all available locally, and of course there are daily boat trips and cruises offered just outside the abbey grounds.
Gruinyards is ideally located, not only for Nessie spotting and exploring around Loch Ness, but also for climbing Ben Nevis, stunning walks in the Glen Affric and Glen Nevis nature reserves, dramatic waterfalls, the romantic ruins of Castle Urquhart or cycling the Caledonian Canal. Inverness and Fort William are both less than an hour’s drive away while Skye is just over an hour away. At Fort William during the summer you can take the 'Hogwarts Express', a steam train ride that passes over the famous Glenfinnan viaduct. There is also skiing at the nearby Nevis Range ski centre, while the cable car up Aonach Mor runs throughout the year. Also very highly recommended is the remarkable historic fort and working army base at Fort George. However much of the time you will probably just want to relax in the apartment looking at the view and taking in the wonderful surroundings.
SHORT BREAKS
We are happy to take short break bookings (less than a week) throughout the year. The online booking option is only available for stays of 4 nights or longer but we can take 2 or 3 night bookings as well.
If you would like to stay for less than four nights PLEASE contact us direct to get a price for these stay lengths. As a guide, 2 nights will work out at about 65% of the weekly rate and 3 nights 75%. However we would urge you to consider staying longer, not only because it is better value, but also because once you arrive I can promise you won't want to leave!