Ellister Lodge - luxury Islay self-catering - with Visit Scotland 4**** Grading

Comfortable pet-friendly accommodation for a family group - offering a well-equipped kitchen and an excellent community room with panoramic sliding doors allowing staggering sea views. Sound system was also excellent - "Alexa, play Radio Paradise Main Mix" had our two-year old dancing with joy. Lots of board games and other diversions for the rainy days - not that we had any at all! Utility room, barbeque, wood-shed and bike shed all available and utilised. We enjoyed an al-fresco evening meal on the decking while watching the deer in nearby fields and the ships on the distant seas. Our youngest party member loved feeding the chickens in the morning. Plenty of parking for three vehicles and a lovely dog walk up to the Echo Point (sign-posted) and the two seats at the 'summit' offering another spectacular view. Good communication with host throughout the adventure.

Spotlessly clean and comfortable Stunning views

Interior of property was very good and clean. Exterior not so welcoming. Yard planters full of weed and grass. Couldn't access decking - and overall view - obscured due to ingress of brambles and willowherb.Good dog-friendly walk up Echo Hill. Engaging amount of wildlife. Quiet and moderately remote. Overall 'Good'

Everything about Ellister Lodge works: from the moment you walk in the door it flows, providing the perfect balance of sociable and private space. All the rooms are spacious, much, much more than functional and well-equipped with everything you could possibly need for a holiday on an island that offers so much in terms of wildlife, walking, moorland, seascape, amazing light, and - of course - fantastic representation of the whisky industry. Not to mention amazing and variable weather, although we were very lucky, but even if we hadn't been so fortunate, Ellister Lodge provides ample space, comfort and resources for amusements for those of all ages. The three showers are fantastic too - talk about a deluge to wash away mud, rainwater and anything else gathered in the great outdoors! During our week's stay we - properly - visited eight distilleries, the wonderful Woolen Mill, the Nature Reserve and virtually the entire coastal area of the island. We ate spendidly in an assortment of hostelries, restaurants and distilleries (some of us also venturing to the Oyster Shed), and we had some very jolly suppers at home. We can honestly say that from start to finish it was a blast. The sighting of golden eagles on two separate days was the cream on top. Wonderful!