Kinloch Lodge, a historic hotel on Scotland's Isle of Skye, has been sold to the Wickman family, marking the first change of ownership in over 300 years. The property was previously owned by the renowned cookery writer Lady Claire Macdonald and her husband, Lord Godfrey.
Originally built as a farmhouse in 1676, Kinloch Lodge was later converted into a hotel. Lady Claire Macdonald and her clan chief husband ran the establishment until their daughter Isabelle took over in 2010. The hotel, situated on the shores of Loch na Dal, has been operating as a hotel since 1972. It had become a shooting lodge in the early 18th century.
The new owners, Wickman Hotels, who already own two other hotels on Skye, plan to invest £1.6 million in a phased program to ensure the hotel's future. Their stated aim is to enhance the existing guest experience rather than make drastic alterations.
Lady Claire Macdonald, who was reportedly considered a potential replacement for Mary Berry on 'The Great British Bake Off' in 2017, expressed her satisfaction with the sale. She stated that she and her husband had established Kinloch as a globally recognized hotel that felt like a family home for guests worldwide. She highlighted the Wickman family's shared value of "family hospitality" as a key factor in her decision.
Edward Wickman, managing director of Wickman Hotels, acknowledged the legacy of the Macdonald family and expressed a commitment to upholding it. "Kinloch is not an hotel to be reinvented, it is an hotel to be looked after," he said, emphasizing their respect for the property's history.