Hebridean Guesthouse
by Katie Laing
Once one of the more basic of Stornoway’s bed and breakfast establishments, The Hebridean Guesthouse on Bayhead is now one of the best in town – having finally won four stars from VisitScotland 18 years after owner Linda Johnson took it on.
Linda, originally from Lanarkshire, is currently breathing a big sigh of relief after years of steady improvements and then a complete renovation.
Linda and her then husband Tommy bought the Hebridean when it was a two-star guesthouse in 1992, although their connection with it went back to 1984 when Tommy was staying there while he worked for Lewis Offshore.
He returned to Arnish in the 1990s and he and Linda decided to settle on the island with their children Laura and David, who were then 11 and 7.
Linda was keen to find work that would fit in with having a family and a bed and breakfast “seemed ideal”, although she had no experience of running one.
The Hebridean Guesthouse had been on the market for a while. She recalled: “I told Tommy that I had gone to view it and that I liked it and his words were ‘well then, go and get it’. So that was it, basically.”
At first, all she could afford to do was replace bedding and paint walls. Some rooms were changed over the years, including the addition of a number of en-suites, but by 2008 the time had come for a comprehensive overhaul. That included a completely new central heating system – the old panel heaters were first replaced with a central heating system 10 years ago – and a damp proof course.
The guesthouse originally had 12 bedrooms but one was taken out to make better use of the space. The 11 bedrooms are now all en-suite and the whole building has been upgraded with changed layouts, new doors and facias and fresh paint, wallpaper and carpets. Extra soundproofing has been put in and even the roof has been extended to maximise the space and the quality of the rooms.
As well as the residents’ lounge and dining room there is another, smaller, dining room which doubles up as a conference room. Wi-fi is available throughout and the whole of the accommodation has been done in a comfortable and contemporary manner.
Linda’s own family accommodation is at the back of the house and the fact it was separate from the rest of the guesthouse was part of the appeal when she bought it. The family accommodation has had an overhaul too
She said: “When I bought the place it wasn’t somewhere that I would want to stay myself but I could see the potential. I was actually a bit ashamed of it. It was worn and scruffy but I just felt it was a challenge.
“I thought ‘there’s something about it that I like’ – not realising that it would take me 18 years to get there! But we could only afford to do a bit at a time.”
Now, the Hebridean is believed to be the biggest four-star guesthouse on the island. Accommodation-wise, Linda also has a couple of secrets up her sleeve. She has two serviced-accommodation flats on Bayhead that are also available to guests. They have been done to a similar standard and were, in fact, completely overhauled before the main guesthouse – a project which gave her the confidence to go ahead with the bigger-scale refurbishment.
There is also what Linda’s daughter dubbed “the love shack” in the garden behind the guesthouse. This appealing and inviting bothy has comfy seating, tables, heaters, a CD player and a bar (not licensed). It is ideal for guests who may want a smoke or a wee party.
The guesthouse has one family room, two doubles, three twins and five singles. The tariff is £50 for a single room, £80 for doubles and twin rooms and £95 for the family room including breakfast and VAT.
There were, of course, people who told Linda she was mad for taking the guesthouse on in the first place – and for having ambitions for it. She recalled: “One friend said to me ‘nobody stays there – they all stay at the County’. I thought : ‘well, if no one comes, the children will have a nice big house to play hide and seek in’.”
She also said: “I remember having a meeting with someone from the tourist board when the place had two stars and asking him ‘what do I have to do to get to three?’
“He suggested I shouldn’t bother and that it was better to be at the top of the two-star accommodation rather than get three stars and struggle to keep them. I knew what he was saying but I thought ‘forget that’ and we got our four stars last year with no intention of losing them.”
Linda said: “I would like to acknowledge the excellent workmanship from all involved in the renovation – including plumbers James Mackenzie Ltd, decorator Donald John Macleod, tiler and joiner Murdo Murray, Lewis Builders and Carpet World.”
Thanks are also due to Linda’s reliable and adaptable staff Maggie and Mary – and all the loyal guests who kept coming to stay even when the place was a building site, as it never completely closed.
Special thanks go to Highlands and Islands Enterprise and especially to Linda’s husband Kevin “for his continued support throughout”.
It’s been quite an achievement. So how proud is Linda of the end result?
“Out of ten?” she asked. “Twelve! I’m over the moon, absolutely delighted – and I’ve still got my sanity, I think. Hopefully it will just be maintenance from now on.
“I’m really proud of it and it’s so nice to hear the comments from the guests who have been coming over the years seeing the progress. I just love it, I really do love it.”
Contact
Hebriden Guesthouse, 61 Bayhead Street, Stornoway, Isle of Lewis HS1 2DZ
Tel: 01851 702268 Fax: 01851 701791
Email: hebgh@sol.co.uk
