Reviews

Be sure to check out our reviews on Tripadvisor and also on Google

A heartfelt thank you to our guests for taking the time to leave their hugely appreciated reviews which have culminated in Highlander House being awarded the coveted Travellers' Choice Award for 2024,

...and Best of the Best Award (top one percent worldwide) 2025...recognising Highlander House as being in the Top 25 establishments (B&Bs and Inns category) in the UK!

Tripadvisor's Top 25 in the UK 2025

star rating  Lovely Holiday  - We have just spent 3 fabulous days at Highlander House.
Gus and Sherry really go that extra mile to provide a warm welcome - with home made treats and... read more

avatar thumb Denise B
May 22, 2025

star rating  A high quality hotel with excellent breakfasts.  - The location of the Highlander is perfect overlooking the bay. Gus was a welcoming host and gave us lots of good advice about Bute. The rooms have been refurbished to... read more

avatar thumb Derek C
May 20, 2025

star rating  Fine place to stay.  - Very comfortable place to stay, good room,generous breakfast with excellent choice and very helpful host. Would recommend position also, easy to park, can walk to the town and very convenient... read more

avatar thumb Martin R
May 20, 2025

Some kind words from our guests:

Chris & Deborah August 2024
Janet & Iain August 2024
Markus Vogel April 2024
Dorothee Boogen April 2024

Highlander House is in a fantastic position and very conveniently located  for exploring the island of Bute. Gus made us extremely welcome and gave us many good tips as to which attractions to visit.

The allocated room had an splendid view of the bay. The room was well appointed and clean with great attention to detail. The bed was extremely comfortable and big!

Breakfasts were delightful with plenty of choice and good presentation.

Visitors are guaranteed a pleasant experience. We would not hesitate to return when visiting Scotland again."

Ann & David, April 2024
Paul Smith (Mackenzie Construction) October 2023
Marion & Katie, Sept 2023
Alan & Sallymay, Sept 2023

Simply the best B&B we have ever stayed in! On arrival we were warmly welcomed by host Gus, who showed us to the fantastic Glenfinnan room, with great views over the bay. Like the whole house, the room is tastefully decorated & very comfortable, with a lovely modern en suite. We really appreciated the mini fridge in the room stocked with water & fresh milk & we enjoyed Gus’s home made rose. Sherry’s home baked treats were a delight to come back to each day & the breakfasts were superb, with a good choice & perfectly cooked. We especially enjoyed the locally smoked trout and salmon. We will definitely be returning to HH!

Tips for other travellers: We enjoyed a great meal at the Colintraive Hotel & catching the short ferry crossing there & back was magical. The Kingarth Hotel & the Caledonian Bistro were also very good. Visiting Mount Stuart House is a must! It’s well worth the walk to St Blane’s Chapel & also just driving around the area to see the wonderful views & picturesque bays.

Nigel & Julie Wickham - June 2023 (review left on FreetoBook.com)
Scott & Kay - July 2023

Highlander House is perfection; immaculate comfortable rooms, stunning views, amazing hosts, beautiful breakfasts and irresistible home baking. 

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 It's in the perfect location for the ferry, for long walks, for the sunsets, for spotting wildlife. Can't wait to revisit."

Moira and Vincent Quinn June 2023 (posted on Facebook)
Gus was very welcoming and offered us a tea/coffee on arrival. The full Scottish breakfast was the best we ever had. I would highly recommend this bed and breakfast room to others. Felt more like a plush hotel."
Sarah Barnes June 2023 (review left on FreetoBook.com)

Absolutely faultless. We've found a little gem here. If you're lucky enough to visit the Isle of Bute, a stay with Gus and Sherrie is a must. The little touches that are added before and during your stay make Highlander very special. They made the start of our holiday perfect. Thank you."

Paul Arnold June 2023 (review left on FreetoBook.com)

Couldn’t have been happier with accommodation. Everything was perfection - beautiful house, particularly comfortable bed, delicious, additional locally sourced items such as salmon and trout on breakfast menu and added treats from Gus and Sherry - all add up to making guests stay in Rothesay a most enjoyable experience! "

Angus and Alison June 2023 (review left on FreetoBook.com)

We had such a happy week with Gus and Sherry – the warmest of welcomes, comfortable room with everything we could wish for in it including sea view and amazing sunsets, little treat cookies waiting for us on our return and wonderful breakfasts which set us up for the whole day! Gus and Sherry are the most delightful hosts and we couldn’t have found anywhere more perfect to stay on the island. We will be back!"

Joanna and Richard Bowman June 2023 (review posted to website)

Stayed at Highlander house last year and once again June 23. This guest house is superb and has to be your first choice when visiting the Isle of Bute. The hosts Gus and Sherry are welcoming and excellent. Nothing could be improved. I can't recommend enough. Crisp linen table cloths in the elegant dining room with excellent breakfasts. Great location and wonderful views across Rothsey Bay from the front of house.
Tips for other travellers
Ensure you book to ensure your stay when visiting Isle of Bute. A lovely island with real silence on the Arran side of the island. Ensure you visit Mount Stuart House during your visit.

Rob & Val Loughrey - June 2023 (review left on FreetoBook.com)

Spent two lovely days at Highlander House and would highly recommend it. Gus and his wife Sherry are the perfect hosts and so enjoyed the little extras which they provided. They went above and beyond to make our stay perfection

Tips for other travellers

Lots of lovely walks shops restaurants bars the island is a delight

Rose & Alex Finlayson June 2023 (review left on FreetoBook.com)

We really loved Highlander House and Gus and Sherry were the perfect hosts. The accommodation was superb as was breakfast. Every comfort was provided in our room including a mini fridge containinng fresh milk every day which was much appreciated. Treats of tray bakes appeared daily in our room, delicious. The view from our room overlooking the bay was beautiful with the most amazing sunsets. Gus was a constant provider of information to help us enjoy our holiday, recommending places to eat , we visited them all during our five night stay. Thank you Gus and Sherry for making our stay on Bute so memorable.

Tips for other travellers

Stay at Highlander House, you will not be disappointed.

Paul & Janet Kelly May 2023 (review left on FreetoBook.com)

Gus could not have been more helpful. The room was very well equipped with some unexpected extras!

Tips for other travellers

Book early to get the sea and sunset view

Kevin & Liz Cox May 2023 (review left on FreetoBook.com)

Accommodation and service by Gus above and beyond 5* status.

Tips for other travellers

Mount Stuart house and gardens are outstanding. The Discovery Centre a must for newcomers to the Island. Panoramic Rothesay golf course and picturesque Lock Fad well worth a visit.

Jenny & Simon Harris May 2023 (review left on FreetoBook.com)
Sarah & Mark May 2023

Beautiful guest house I thoroughly enjoyed my stay, thank you!

Fiona McCormick April 2023

Can't thank Gus and Sherry enough for their wonderful hospitality again, they put 110% into everything they do. Amazing wee break with amazing people. Our stay was absolutely perfect Thankyou so much, definitely see you again.

Tips for other travellers

No other place on Isle of Bute will compare to this little gem

Henry & Lynda April 2023 (review left on FreetoBook.com)

Beautifully and tastefully furnished to a very high standard. Great attention to detail with lots of “little extras”. Charming hosts and very informative. Super location. Breakfasts were delicious and very well presented. The best B & B we have ever encountered.
Tips for other travellers
Our only tip …… do not plan to have lunch out…..breakfast will sustain until dinner!

Denise & Ian Hughes April 2023 (review left on FreetoBook.com)

The Highlander is located just a few minutes' walk from Rothesay town centre so is ideally located. The rooms have been renovated to a very high standard. The breakfasts are fantastic and very high quality and the hosts are most hospitable. I would definitely return. For the standard offered it is excellent value.

Jerry Lanfear April 2023 (review left on FreetoBook.com)

Hi Gus & Sherry, we only stopped with you for 2 nights, but we would recommend this accommodation to anyone looking for a lovely place to stay.
Very welcoming, lovely food & the room & house is very comfortable.
Very well situated just off the town with great views.

Best wishes Angela & Chris Dec 2022

Iris & Iain Oct 2022

Hi Gus & Sherry
I just wanted to take the time to say thanks again for a memorable
stay on Rothesay. You have a beautiful home and your inventive
breakfasts will be remembered for a long time, it's definitely unusual
to get steak & hot tomatoes with poached eggs on toast ?
All the extras in the room are also appreciated and I'll be
recommending you to anyone visiting Rothesay.

Karen Bruce Sept 2022

Alan & Susan Petrie September 2022

Thank you, Gus and Sherry. You are wonderful hosts, your hotel is beautiful, attention to detail is second to none. Nothing was too much trouble you were attentive without out being intrusive. Everyday we came in we had homemade cakes left in our room made by Sherry. We were totally spoilt. I would definitely recommend your hotel. Thank you once again for a wonderful and comfortable stay.

Joan & Mike Bush Sept 2022

Campbell & Margaret Drummond August 2022

My husband and I spent three nights here. This is the best B&B we have been in. Gus and Sherry were so kind. If going to Rothesay this is the place to stay. Everything you require is supplied in your room.
Thank you both for making our stay so memorable.

Susan and John July 2022

Stayed in may 2022 when over to pay our farewells and to say the warmth, service and hospitality completely exceeded everything you could ask for, the rooms were inviting and relaxing tastefully done with High quality standards being met ten fold, the breakfasts were superb and yes I loved my scrambled eggs and now is a go to for me thanks guys for being the most generous of hosts and ensuring all our needs were met and then some we loved the wee surprises in our room daily and enjoyed our time there immensley looking forward to returning again the alexander family

The Alexander Family July 2022

Very warm welcome by Gus on arrival and shown to our well appointed rooms.
We really liked the extras in our rooms the wine and milk in fridge, coffee machine with various coffees and hot chocolate, biscuits and brownies. Also the bathroom being stocked with hand wash, shower gel, shampoo and hand cream.
Nice to see small personal touches in the rooms with picture taken by our hosts.
Hearty breakfasts excellently cooked and tailored to what we required.
Gus can not be anymore friendlier or accommodating.
We were here on a bowling trip and Gus showed real interest in my girls game.
Overall we could not rate the Highlander House high enough, gold stars in all areas.

Sheila, Jim, Kirsty and Emma July 2022

We are fortunate enough to be regular visitors to Rothesay and stayed in many places , but the hospitality received from Gus during our stay blew us away . The Highlander is just beautiful inside and out. Our room was lovely and set out with lot of personal touches, each room with a different theme. Nothing was a problem , breakfast was amazing and set us up for the day.
We will be back again soon and have recommended the Highlander to our friends and family. Thank you again Gus & Sherry for your warm hospitality
.
Colin & Mari Campbell July 2022

Angelene and David, thank you for the flowers and kind words (July 2022)

Angelene and David July 2022

From the minute we arrive we were met by Gus the owner with a very welcoming welcome, He showed us to our room which was very clean and well laid out and the little extra like the milk in a bottle fridge. The downstairs rooms were excellent and Gus even made us a cuppa and we had a nice little chat. The Breakfast were outstanding and very filling, set us for the day. Would I book again? Defo would. Thank You for 10 out of 10 stay.

Mr Les Pigg July 2022

Thank you, Jean and Mattie (July 2022)
Thank you, Lynda & Henry!! (June 2022)
The Alexander Family 23 May 2022

Un très bel endroit et des propriétaires aux petits soins pour vous et très cultivés. Merci pour la vache qui est sur ma pelouse.

Edouard de Barbentane, Chateau de Barbentane, Barbentane, France

"My wife and I were near the end of our counter clockwise coastal
driving tour of northern Scotland when we discovered the beautiful Isle of Bute, the lovely city of Rothesay and checked into our
accommodation (Highlander House B&B). Our hosts Sherry and Angus
were positively charming and made us feel very welcome.
The lodging is spectacular and commands a primo view of the sea. We particularly enjoyed strolling along the pathway toward the town
centre.
Sherry and Angus know a lot about Bute including its rich
history, beautiful flora and scenic vistas and were more than happy to help us plan our stay.

The rooms were very comfortable, the entire feel of Highlander House
was of relaxed luxury and we only wish we could have stayed longer.
We would have no hesitation in recommending this property and are
already planning to go back."

Ron and Barb Bollans (BC, Canada)

"What to say about Highlander house... just Sherry and Gus are amazing people with out of common kindness. A little welcome appetizer, very clean and comfortable rooms. A sofa in the living room with a little white wine ahead of a Rugby game with Gus, what better for a good time in Scotland. Looking forward to seeing you again. A great hello of Dordogne in France."

Olivier Mazeau, Perigueux, France

"Highlander House B&B is extremely well located. It’s only a brisk walk from both the main shopping area on the Isle of Bute and the local ferry. The views from Highlander House are spectacular, especially at sunset. The hosts being Angus and Sherry are most welcoming and go out of their way to ensure that you are both comfortable and relaxed in the newly renovated bed and breakfast. The bedroom and bathrooms are well designed and modern. The breakfast that is served is scrumptious to say the least. I would highly recommend that any traveller looking for an affordable amazing experience should book a few nights at the Highlander House B&B."

Lee Ellis, Durban, South Africa

"We truly enjoyed our stay at Highlander House B&B, a lovely restored heritage house. Angus and Sherry are wonderful hosts, so kind and caring. The meals were outstanding and our room comfortable and quiet. We felt so welcome and are looking forward to our next visit. They are across the street from the oceanfront walkway and convenient to the village centre. We highly recommend them!"

Nadine Lindstrom, Nanaimo, Canada