Ardbeg has officially opened its first boutique hotel, Ardbeg House, following the conversion of the former Islay Hotel in Port Ellen. The 12-bedroom property, located around three miles from the distillery, began welcoming guests this week.
Hotel Scotland first reported on Ardbeg’s move into hospitality in 2022, when the Glenmorangie Company acquired the long-established Islay Hotel with plans to create a whisky-focused offering under the Ardbeg brand. At the time, the company confirmed it would retain the location’s existing footprint while reworking the interior in collaboration with design firm Russell Sage Studio.
The final development includes individually themed rooms that reference Ardbeg releases and Islay folklore, with fixtures made by more than 20 Scottish and island-based makers. Design details include a copper Ardbeg “A” created from an old still, a chandelier modelled on sea mythology, and whisky hidden in rooms as part of a guest experience. The Monster Room references the Ardbeg Alligator release from 2011, while the Fèis Room includes musical references drawn from the island’s annual festival.
The hotel also brings back the Islay Bar, once a fixture of the original building, which now stocks a broad range of Islay whiskies and the site-exclusive Ardbeg House Reserve. Each evening at 18:15, a reference to the distillery’s founding year, guests are offered a dram of Ardbeg Badger Juice, a small-batch blend created by master blender Gillian Macdonald.
The restaurant serves locally sourced produce, including scallops and venison, with a custom-built smoker installed in the courtyard. A weekly communal table offers whisky pairings under the name Shortie’s Table, referencing the brand’s mascot.
Ardbeg President and CEO Caspar MacRae commented, “With Ardbeg House we are very excited to immerse our guests in the spirit of Islay and the universe of Ardbeg. Whether our guests are smoky malt lovers or just discovering our exceptional whisky, we guarantee they will leave the island as lifelong fans of Ardbeg and Islay.”
Related Stories: