You’d have to drive three hours from Glasgow to reach Eriska, a 121-year-old mansion turned hotel and spa that occupies its own 300-acre island on Scotland’s western shore. If you have access to a private jet, though, Eriska’s considerable pleasures are more accessible. You can simply fly into Connel Airfield near Oban, then drive four miles past some of the country’s finest scenery. That will take you to Eriska–a food-lover’s haven, a sports buff’s paradise and a great destination for anyone who simply wants to escape the noise, crowds and cares of the “real” world.
As Eriska’s staff whisks your baggage away, you’ll begin to notice the atmosphere that helps to make this place special. The mansion’s portico replicates century-old country houses with its racks of Wellington boots, walking sticks and giant umbrellas. Logs burn in the main hall’s fireplace almost every day. Three sitting rooms, a library-bar and a dining room on the ground floor feature tall windows that overlook verdant lawns and trees. Upstairs, the rooms are grand, yet cozy, with overstuffed chairs.
