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The Machrie
Photo: Becky Williamson / Geograph (CC BY-SA 2.0)

The Machrie

Modern luxury hotel on a working golf linksPort Ellen
Why stay here

Golf on your doorstep by day, a firepit and the whole Atlantic sky by night — The Machrie doesn't try to be anywhere else.

The golf is what put The Machrie on the map. The Machrie Golf Links is a genuine championship course, laid out across the dunes in 1891 and still ranked among Scotland's most characterful links — open to any visiting golfer, not just hotel guests, with the clubhouse and 18 Restaurant & Bar right on hand afterwards.

Golf isn't the only draw, though. The Machrie leans into its wild setting rather than fighting it — wildlife boat trips, wild swimming, and beachcombing are all on the doorstep, with a seven-seater Land Rover Discovery on loan for exploring further afield. Back at the hotel it balances remote and indulgent well: a firepit out on the decking for evenings, a screening room for quieter nights in, a library stocked with board games, and rooms ranging from doubles to two-bedroom family lodges.


Eating & drinking

18 Restaurant & Bar looks out over the links to the Atlantic, serving seasonal Scottish dishes sourced locally where possible — Loch Gruinart oysters and Ardtalla venison feature by name. AA 4-star Silver rated, with an AA Rosette for culinary excellence. Breakfast 7–10am, lunch 12–2.30pm, dinner 6–9pm, with log fires inside and a terrace over the 18th green for evening drinks.

Recognition
Scottish Golf Awards 2026 — Best Premium Hotel
Since 1891

"This place was made for gowf," said Willie Campbell, the course's original designer, after two days on Islay — the links have drawn golfers to this stretch of dunes ever since.

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Inside the inn