CASTLEBAY HOTEL, BARRA
Reviews -old and new

"Under the guidance of fellow passengers who have been here before, a walk of a few minutes up from the pier brings us to a comfortable new hotel, within which we soon forgot any little discomfort experienced during the past hour or two. Standing at the hotel door, at an elevation, guessed roughly, of a hundred feet above the level of the sea, our impression was that we had seldom, if ever, looked out upon a fairer prospect of the same character." Written in 1882 by a traveler from Oban on the steamer, "Dunara Castle"

Castlebay Hotel in the 1930s when it was already owned by the previous owner's grand father, Allan MacLeod.	Castlebay harbour from near the hotel in the early 1900s with the Herring fleet and Kisimul Castle in the background.

In 1904 David MacBrayne had the steamer "Plover" built specially for the route to Barra and South Uist. Apparently it was not much superior to the previous vessel "Cygnet" according to one AA McGregor who thought that a much sturdier vessel was needed. Notwithstanding this the "Plover" saw off a U-boat in July 1918 with its gun, and reached Barra safely. Nowadays the service is run by the new Calmac ferry, "Clansman", and there is no threat from U-boats, although the occasional whale may be observed en-route.

MS "Plover" leaving Castlebay about 1920, as seen from the Castlebay Hotel	Kisimul Castle in the 1920s before renovation

Extract from "Scotland the Best's" Unique Pubs: "Castlebay Bar, Barra adjacent to the Castlebay Hotel may have an unpromising exterior, but inside is the nearest thing you`ll get to a real Irish bar in exile outside of New York. In Glasgow this place would be legendary. Eclectic clientele from as far away as.................Vatersay. The magical island's "Main Town" is Castlebay with 3 hotels (best is Castlebay)".

Castlebay and Kisimul Castle today with the Calmac ferry "Lord of the Isles"	The Virgin and Child on Heaval above Castlebay

Graham Simpson of the "Sun" newspaper: "We stayed at the Castlebay Hotel, which overlooks the bay and Kisimul Castle. Our two-night package included breakfast and three-course evening meal and the food was fantastic .An array of fresh seafood, including cockles collected that day, and piles of proper chips like granddad used to make, left me in gastronomic dreamland".

Castlebay Hotel, Castlebay, Isle of Barra HS9 5XD

Tel 01871 810223 Fax 01871 810455

This site was created by Charles Tait email charles.tait@zetnet.co.uk