New kingshouse prices

[rgf101]

It's a private business which has chosen to re-develop within the planning rules and set the prices it wants to set for food and accommodation. If folk don't like it, they are perfectly free to eat elsewhere.

Broadly agree, but the Kingshouse is also an essential bit of infrastructure on the West Highland Way, which is a major draw to the area. I can't remember specifically what the guy said, but I was talking to an accommodation owner in Kinlochleven who said the period the Kingshouse was closed impacted on their business, as there were just fewer people coming over the hill. There's a broader interest here, and perfect freedom to plod the thirty minutes back up the hill to the Ski Centre won't feel much like freedom.

I don't personally have a problem with the prices. I think they're highish, but it's a monopoly position and they've just had a massive construction job done. What I'm more dubious about is the value for money. It wouldn't be the first Highland hotel to offer Edinburgh prices and Stoneybridge service.

Hopefully Caberfeidh will return to order the fish and chips soon.

[nick70]

I don't understand what folk are seething about here tbh.

It's a private business which has chosen to re-develop within the planning rules and set the prices it wants to set for food and accommodation. If folk don't like it, they are perfectly free to eat elsewhere.

As Caberfeidh states the prices aren't all that different to those in the Clachaig or what you'd expect to pay in a similar type of place elsewhere. Folk have been against this place ever since the plans for redevelopment became public months and months ago, and a lot of the comments (not so much on here but certainly on social media) rather smack of folk looking for any excuse to criticise it.

The Highlands aren't some sort of museum where businesses must remain completely unchanged for decades lest those of us passing through get upset at the temerity of a private business seeking to improve it's profitability.

I agree also. I wouldnt necessarily say £13 is overly steep these days. I suppose it depends on quality of food and size of serving.

I am doing WHW again next month and plan to have a day from Inverornan to Kinlochleven so I daresay I will pop in for a nosey and maybe even order a spot of lunch, then provide more definitive feedback.

[Caberfeidh]

Well, I went back for a meal, as I was passing on my way from Skye to Glasgopolis. It was a horrible day of snow, sleet, wind and hail. On my way through Kintail, just before Cluanie I found a fish van which had skited off the road and was nose-down in the moor. Lucky for the driver I had a spade and rope (for trussing and burying murder victims, obviously), he managed to escape. He later overtook me and I figured if I passed him crashed again I would just honk and drive past...
Anyhoo, I pulled into Kingshouse in a hailstorm and ordered a drink of apple juice - I forgot to ask about beer prices as I was driving - and the Kingshouse Venison Pie with mashed potatoes and cabbage. It only took four minutes for the drink to arrive as I relaxed on a nice seat by the window, and sixteen minutes more for the meal. Nice shortcrust pie lid on a wee ceramic pot thingy filled with a nice amount of venison in thick gravy with carrot chunks. Choice of mustard was English or French, no mention of Scottish! In the Kingshouse, in Glen Coe/Rannoch Moor! I pointed out that the management should be informed of this terrible shortfall ( I have had the same conversation in the Cluanie Inn in Kintail, where a continental waitress earnestly informed me that there was no such thing as Scottish mustard). I turned my coat and settled for hot English. Politics aside; condiments are important. There were a few people in but it was not busy and there were enough staff. Despite the cold outside it was warm inside, though I noticed the log fire in the nice big natural stone fireplace was not lit. The bill was a mere £12.90 for the meal and drink, which I thought reasonable for the venue, comfortable surroundings and quality of food - it was very nice venison pie. And the waitress smiled sweetly. I also could get a mobile signal. The only spanner in the ointment was two loud women who just had to announce that "We are Mountain Rescue". I fended them off with indifference. No mountains needed rescued that day.

Nice to be in out of the sleet, hail and wind.

A break in the clouds shows the Buchaille towering in winter glory

[audreywaugh]

Not just the Kingshouse that have upped there prices, had a look at the new Cluanie Inn website, rooms available from July onwards, a whopping £204-240 for a room for the night?? Now owned by Mars Hospitality group based in Mumbai. Not even a bunkhouse to stay

[al78]

Not just the Kingshouse that have upped there prices, had a look at the new Cluanie Inn website, rooms available from July onwards, a whopping £204-240 for a room for the night?? Now owned by Mars Hospitality group based in Mumbai. Not even a bunkhouse to stay

Glad to have found that out. I was looking at Cluanie for a possible overnight stay if I wanted to do the south Glen Sheil ridge and the seven sisters. I'll now put it on the list to avoid, at least for accommodation.

[Coop]

Not just the Kingshouse that have upped there prices, had a look at the new Cluanie Inn website, rooms available from July onwards, a whopping £204-240 for a room for the night?? Now owned by Mars Hospitality group based in Mumbai. Not even a bunkhouse to stay

Glad to have found that out. I was looking at Cluanie for a possible overnight stay if I wanted to do the south Glen Sheil ridge and the seven sisters. I'll now put it on the list to avoid, at least for accommodation.

I'd recommend Ratagan YH for a place to stay in Kintail

Caberfeigh- cheers for the updates. Prices seem reasonable enough to me for a meal/ drink.

As for the accomodation charges.. to me that's a bit ott but they have to recoup their build costs and wages I suppose

[al78]

Not just the Kingshouse that have upped there prices, had a look at the new Cluanie Inn website, rooms available from July onwards, a whopping £204-240 for a room for the night?? Now owned by Mars Hospitality group based in Mumbai. Not even a bunkhouse to stay

Glad to have found that out. I was looking at Cluanie for a possible overnight stay if I wanted to do the south Glen Sheil ridge and the seven sisters. I'll now put it on the list to avoid, at least for accommodation.

I'd recommend Ratagan YH for a place to stay in Kintail

Thanks for the suggestion.

I'm coming round to the idea that cheap accomodation outside of youth hostels, camping, bothies and bunkhouses is a thing of the past. I've recently booked three nights at the hotel in Kinlochewe, that was about £100/night B&B for two nights, plus a night in their bunkhouse for a lot less. They might do well for trade this year because the other place (Taransay) is not taking bookings because the owner has ongoing health issues.

[audreywaugh]

Or the Saddle Mountain hostel at Invergarry, just half an hours drive from Glen Shiel. Not sure the Kintail Lodge still has the Trekkers accommodation, I know the wee Bunkhouse is gone

[jupe1407]

Or the Saddle Mountain hostel at Invergarry, just half an hours drive from Glen Shiel. Not sure the Kintail Lodge still has the Trekkers accommodation, I know the wee Bunkhouse is gone

The Trekker's Lodge is shut for renovations. I emailed them a couple of weeks back looking for accommodation in a few weeks time. I hope they will reinstate some bunkhouse type accommodation there. Myself and a few friends had a fabulous few days there in 2014, climbing nearly everything in Glen Shiel.

[audreywaugh]

Oh thats good to know about Trekkers Lodge! Glad they haven't done away with it, that will explain why we couldn't book it for May. Agree the wee bunkhouse was special, had a few memorable weekends there.

[jondawes]

Looks like the bunkhouse is now SEVENTY QUID PER PERSON PER NIGHT. That's off the charts folks. I stayed there when it was first opened and yes it's nice, but 70 is just too high for a bunkhouse. Should've called it something else.

Also a shame that the bunkhouse at Bridge of Orchy hotel is gone. Stayed there in March 2006 and it was just what we needed.

Oh well! Good ole neoliberal capitalist global economics can't be beaten...yet.

[jupe1407]

Looks like the bunkhouse is now SEVENTY QUID PER PERSON PER NIGHT. That's off the charts folks. I stayed there when it was first opened and yes it's nice, but 70 is just too high for a bunkhouse. Should've called it something else.

Also a shame that the bunkhouse at Bridge of Orchy hotel is gone. Stayed there in March 2006 and it was just what we needed.

Oh well! Good ole neoliberal capitalist global economics can't be beaten...yet.

Where did you see that?

[Caberfeidh]

Looks like the bunkhouse is now SEVENTY QUID PER PERSON PER NIGHT. That's off the charts folks. I stayed there when it was first opened and yes it's nice, but 70 is just too high for a bunkhouse. Should've called it something else.

Also a shame that the bunkhouse at Bridge of Orchy hotel is gone. Stayed there in March 2006 and it was just what we needed.

Oh well! Good ole neoliberal capitalist global economics can't be beaten...yet.

Where did you see that?

Screenshot 2019-03-24 at 07.57.30.png

Must have been a twin room. Talking of which, I stayed at Glen Nevis Yoof Hostel recently; it has been renovated and is very posh and clean and nice and warm inside. Twin room £50 per night, minus 15% for being still too cold for the masses. Also I ate at the Old Inn at Carbost, Skye - fish and chips was slightly more expensive there than at the Kingshouse.

[Old Stag]

A pie in a ceramic bowl with a pastry lid is not a pie, it is a stew! A pie has pastry all round it. They pull this trick in other places too.

[Caberfeidh]

A pie in a ceramic bowl with a pastry lid is not a pie, it is a stew! A pie has pastry all round it. They pull this trick in other places too.

It looked like a pie. It also tasted like a pie, despite not having Scottish wholegrain mustard to go with it. You can try to complain to them if you like, but someone might just call you a pedantic git. If we find someone lying in the car park or floating face-down in one of the new scenic ponds, with a ceramic pie-dish jammed on their head, we'll know it's you...

Oh and they are opening the hikers' way Inn next door too, huzzah! https://www.kingshousehotel.co.uk/eat/