Refurb at Riverbank

Hot on the heels of giving Oak Tree Lodge a complete overhaul, we're now well on with giving Holly Tree and Cherry Tree Cottages at Riverbank Holiday Cottages the same treatment.

Both cottages are due for a bit of a decorate, but we struggle to do things in small measures, and so it's turned into a little more than that. The aim is to bring the cottages bang up to date with a fresh new look which, combined with the exclusive riverside location on the fringes of Glencoe village, will make them the perfect holiday retreat.

Holly Tree Lounge - cupboard removed to make things much more spacious

Cherry Tree - Harled walls covered over and a complete top to bottom overhaul

New floor coverings, new bedding and curtains, completely new bathrooms, and some new furniture are common themes. In addition, we're making the lounge in Holly Tree Cottage much bigger by removing a cupboard in the corridor and modifying the entry door into the kitchen / dining area. The result will be a much more spacious living dining space. The patio door is also being replaced, allowing for ease of access to the lovely riverbank area.

Cherry Tree - New wet walling for the showers

We're also getting to grips with the gardens and improving the access to the river side. It's an absoloutely stunning spot, hidden from the rest of the world. A great place to sit by the river with a beer from the fridge and watch the ducks float by.

Cherry Tree - Ready for the sink

Holly Tree Bathroom - but no bath!

Holly Tree bathroom - completely stripped

Holly Tree bathroom - even the floor is replaced

Holly Tree lounge - the remains of the cupboard about to go

Holly Tree Lounge - a hint of the sense of space with the new configuration

How many toilets?

Cherry Tree Lounge - mind the carpet!

All being well we'll be finished in about a fortnight and ready to roll for the rest of the season. Watch this space or sign up to our eNews and/or follow Clachaig on Facebook.

Better still, visit our Clachaig Holidays web site and book your self catering holiday in Glencoe for summer 2017.

A new look at Clachaig Chalets and Lodges

It's time for the big reveal as our refurbishment of Oak Tree Lodge draws to a close. The popular family lodge has had a top to bottom makeover, and is now ready for letting again for the 2017 season.

Located in the grounds of Clachaig Inn, Oak Tree Lodge has always been an extremely popular choice with our guests. With some privacy from the inn, it is still just a short walk away, offering the best of both worlds; a stunning location in the heart of the glen, and yet just yards away from a pint and the real fire of the Boots Bar.

Master bedroom with en suite facilities at Oak Tree Lodge

The lodge sleeps up to 5 guests in 3 bedrooms; one double with en suite shower and toilet facilities, one twin bedded room, and a single bedroom.

Owned and managed by the Daynes family for more than 3 decades, details of Oak Tree Lodge can be found at Clachaig Holidays. Real time availability and booking can be made through the web site.

Lounge / Dining in Oak Tree Lodge

Finishing touches include some antler lighting, and some hints of plaid in the cushions and curtains, offering a subtle reminder of the setting in perhaps Scotland's most scenic Highland glen.

Sit back, relax and enjoy the view of Aonach Dubh and the magnificent glen

 The refurbishment included redecorating throughout, giving a calm contemporary feel to the living accommodation. The main bathroom was completely replaced with new bath, shower, wc and sink complete with vanity unit, plus new lighting, ventilation and heated ladder towel rail. Even the floor and window blind have been renewed! The en suite shower room in the master bedroom has seen a similar makeover.  

New everything in the bathroom at Oak Tree Lodge

A complete makeover for the en suite shower room

  

 In addition, we've also been making a few changes to Rowan Tree Lodge. New limed oak flooring complements the rustic look in the lounge while new hanging and boot storage arrangements at the entrance will come in handy when returning from a bracing walk in the fresh mountain air.

Master Bedroom - Rowan Tree Lodge

 Some updated lighting and art in the bedrooms and a few finishing touches in the bathroom and en suite also contribute to a cosy, fresh feel.

Lounge / Dining - Rowan Tree Lodge

But it's not all over yet. We've still got a few ideas for improving things further, and will also be embarking on a similarly extensive review of things down at Riverbank Holiday Cottages in Glencoe village very shortly.

It's like painting the Forth Road Bridge

It's all change at Oak Tree Lodge this week. The carpets are out, the bath is out, even the toilets are out. And before you think that must leave plenty of room inside, think again. Last we looked it was hard to get in through the door for all the plumbers, joiners, electricians, decorators and carpet fitters who were all hard at work. Yes, it's time for a refurbishment at Oak Tree Lodge.

Everything out - ready for a fortnight of chaos

Keeping on top of things at Clachaig is a bit like painting the Fort Road Bridge. Just when you think you're finished, and everything is looking spick and span, it's time to start all over again.

 

Oak Tree Lodge has served us well. It looked slightly smaller and less well loved back in 1984 when we arrived at Clachaig. By 1988 it was in line for a bit of extending and alteration, although that could probably be better described as a near complete rebuild and a start again.

Preparing for a rebuild circa 1988

It then became a family home for a number of years, and quite possibly a family home with one of the most spectacular views in the country. As we became more established at Clachaig and the enormity of developing the business a little more became slightly less daunting, we were able to move out of the tiny flat in the hotel and take up residence in more salubrious surroundings.

Oak Tree Lodge Lounge (as was)

From 1998 things had changed again and Clachaig Holidays as a self catering business in it's own right came to the fore for the first time.  Oak Tree Lodge came into being as a lovely 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom, 4 star self catering holiday lodge. The rest, as they say, is history. 

The West Face of Aonach Dubh

The lodge is undergoing a complete makeover, and will be available for letting again as of next week. We'll be back with some photographs in due course. In the meantime, we'll be moving on with some new flooring and some less invasive works at Rowan Tree Lodge before moving on to another major overhaul at Riverbank Holiday Cottages in Glencoe village. Remember, it's like painting the Forth Road Bridge...!

For booking enquiries, please see Clachaig Holidays, with real time availability and ease of online booking for all our 4 star self catering chalets and cottages in Glencoe and Ballachulish.

Half Way

Approaching half way through now. Moments of brilliance visible amongst the chaos. But you have to look carefully.

Organised chaos

Looks vaguely familiar

You can't buy timber like this from Jewsons

 

Ok, so perhaps it's not a ball pit.

Cosy Corner

The Ossian Lounge is settling in well. Still a few finishing touches to add but apart from a few blank spaces on the walls you'd be hard pushed to spot what they are. The hardest part of your day is definitely going to be getting off the sofas once you've had the Whole Hog Breakfast, the morning papers and a fresh coffee. 

The Ossian Lounge @ Clachaig.

The room is now available throughout the day and evening, as a place to dine away from the hustle and bustle of the bars, or just somewhere to escape with a good book and a coffee in a comfy seat.

The Ossian Lounge can also accommodate small andinformal meetings. Table and seating arrangements can be set out to suit, and the 46" flat screen can easily be hooked up to a laptop with a HDMI cable for a presentation. We're hosting a local meeting on Thursday and will be giving it a first outing. And whilst the term 'meeting' can sound very corporate, remember this is Clachaig, so perhaps think along the lines of planning the next day on the hill, watching some avalanche awareness footage, as much as you do ink blotters, mineral water and PowerPoint.

OMG

Windows into the new family day room will allow grown ups to keep an
eye on the kids while they enjoy the new soft play area.

A new minimalist look for the servery.

New sheeting ready for the wood chip wallpaper which will add a homely charm to the atmosphere.

It's all his fault.

A flying start

 Ready...,

 Steady...,

 Go!

The Ossian Lounge

Introducing the all new Ossian Lounge.

A sigh of relief today as we reach a milestone with our refurbishement. All the guys (to whom we will collectively refer to as 'the builders') have worked their socks off to get the old breakfast room finished this morning, allowing us plenty of time to get set up for use at tomorrow's breakfast. We even arranged a little power cut last night to ensure that they had an early night and we're fresh for the final push.

There's still a few finishing touches to add, and these will slowy come together over the next week or two. But, we're 98% finished and we're fairly chuffed with the result. Hope you like it too.

Meanwhile, the poor old Boots Bar (don't change it too much we hear you collectively shout) is looking a little forlorn. With the last couple of nights ahead, the fonts have disappeared, the log racks are empty, and a few other bits and pieces are also out of place in readiness for a flying start at 8am on Monday morning.

Watch this space.

Getting Closer

Since taking these pics at lunchtime the room has changed again, with a full team of joiners, electricians, decorators and floorers all hard at it and fighting for space. It's beginning to look pretty damn good!

And we're beginning to think in more detail about closing down the Boots Bar on Sunday. Yikes! If anyone fancies some Clachaig memorabilia, most notably some slightly 2nd hand benches and tables, or perhaps some framed photos featuring Himalayan scenes, then now's the time to put your hand up!

Day 4

A couple of pics from day 4. The changes might appear subtle, but there's a huge amount of change when looking at the detail.

 The stonework is coming along nicely - properly pointed this time.

The real fun at the moment is trying to bring together all the various elements. Wallpaper, paint, furniture, light fittings, carpet... all of which we think are in hand, but which are actually more slippery to pin down than a very slippery eel.

Which colour? 1, 2 or 3?

Day 2

Busy, busy. Progress looking good on the ground even if in the office we're having a few nightmares over out of stock light fittings and carpets that weren't supposed to need replacing - but do!

 New plasterboard ceilings starting to go onto the framework. Electrician's first fix for the new lighting.

 New lime mortar in the original stone wall now well under way.

Day 1

Day 1. Yikes! No messing about!