A hotel experience like no other: Ardbeg House
Whisky-centric and utterly weird and wonderful – after visiting earlier this year, Melita Kiely shares what to expect from a stay at Ardbeg House on Islay.
Ardbeg House was inarguably one of the most anticipated hotel openings of 2025 – and for good reason. Those who have ventured to Islay will know there is something seriously magical about the Scottish island. And for Ardbeggians who have yet to make the journey, there’s now an added reason to schedule a visit.
Founded in 1815, Ardbeg prides itself on being the ultimate Islay malt whisky. The distillery’s distinctive smoky, yet slightly sweet, complex whiskies have garnered a global reputation – a cult following, if you will – of some of the world’s most loyal and curious whisky lovers.
Ardbeg House is the next chapter in the distillery’s story. It is delightfully unique, with none of its 12 bedrooms the same. Each piece of furniture and décor was carefully crafted or selected by renowned designer Russell Sage, of Russell Sage Studios, to depict each room’s individual theme.
The House rooms comprise Smoke, Founders, Fèis, Creation and Illicit, while the Superior rooms include Wee Beastie, Legend, and Wild. The Premium rooms are Monster, Rebel, Untamed, and Invention, which offer an abundance of space. Eagle-eyed guests will be able to find miniature Ardbeg drams hidden in each room – yours for the drinking if you can uncover their hidden locations.
“Ardbeg is quirky, it’s fun, and I think Ardbeg House is both of those things. For me, this was an opportunity to do something really extraordinary,” says Sage. “We’ve worked with so many people on the island; it’s an opportunity for the island to celebrate itself, and for the people who are coming to Islay to hopefully fall in love with Ardbeg and whisky.”
There is so much to explore throughout the hotel. Time should be taken to meander the hallways and staircases, which boast the same flair as the Ardbeg House bedrooms. Continue this exploration into the Signature Restaurant for lunch or dinner. Enjoy hand-dived scallops collected by one of the distillery’s still men, meat from the Islay Estates farm, and some of the tastiest vegetarian dishes imaginable with ingredients grown on the island’s Nerabus Farm. Every table boasts a unique design – but the dining experience around the log-fire burner is a particularly cosy and special experience.
For more intimate celebrations, a private dining room is available to hire. Meanwhile, outdoors, the Untamed Courtyard houses a handcrafted smoker and grill, designed to give guests the chance to savour dishes that mirror Ardbeg’s smoky character.
Badger o’clock
The Islay Bar boasts a vast assortment of Ardbeg expressions, alongside whiskies from neighbouring Islay distilleries and beyond, topped off with a choice of craft beers and cocktails. Plus, at 6.15pm every night, guests are invited to the bar for ‘Badger hour’ (an anagrammatic nod to Ardbeg) to sample Ardbeg Badger Juice, created by master blender Gillian Macdonald. The carefully chosen whisky is only available at the Islay Bar, and will always be an ‘unrepeatable’ secret batch, priced at £5 (US$6.75) per 25ml.
Ellie Goss, director of hospitality and external affairs at Ardbeg owner The Glenmorangie Company, adds: “When we saw the Islay Hotel was for sale in the heart of our community, we had to grab the opportunity. We’ve been making whisky here for 200 years and we intend to be here for another 200 years. We want to create an experience here, both for the local community, fans and tourists around the world, to come and celebrate all that is brilliant about Ardbeg, Islay, her people, the place and the whiskies.”
For further details and to book a stay, visit www.ardbeg.com/visitus/ardbeghouse.
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