Fantastic views - Beautifully bright and airy - Sleeps 4 to 6
Gruinyards is a stunning two bedroom penthouse apartment in a historic Monastery with probably the best views of Loch Ness from anywhere. It is elegantly furnished and will give you a truly memorable holiday.
The apartment at Gruinyards sleeps four, or six with the sofa-bed. Or use the double Aerobed in the huge master bedroom to make it a family room.
Flexible
We are very happy to take short-break bookings - even down to a single night - and you are welcome to start your stay on any day of the week. Unfortunately the VRBO pricing structure isn't set up for these short stays but just send an enquiry and I will get back with a decent price for any length of stay.
If you are not sure about dates we are very flexible about alterations to dates and stay length, which can be changed at any time, even while you are there, subject to availability and any additional cost.
In the event of a cancellation, although we do not offer to refund any money already paid, we are very happy to carry this forward to a new booking, subject to a 20% administration charge.
Facilities
There is access to all the facilities of The Highland Club, which is the name for the whole Abbey complex. There are extensive gardens on the edge of Loch Ness and the facilities include a swimming pool, sauna and steam room all in an old chapel. Tennis, badminton, croquet, snooker and table tennis are all available and free for guests. Archery, kayaking and fishing can also be arranged in the grounds though there would be a separate charge for these.
Above the trees
We should mention that the Gruinyards is on the third(UK) or fourth(US) floor of the old Monastery building, and is reached by 75 steps (there is no lift) but this is why it has such great views. It also means there is no one above you and is wonderfully peaceful up there, like a nest above the rest of the world.
Inside
With high sloping ceilings, Gruinyards manages to feel both spacious and cosy. It combines old and new, having magnificent stone mullioned windows but stylish contemporary furnishings. There are great views on three sides and it gets the sun all day long making it a fantastic place to relax whatever the weather.
Living room
There is a large open plan living room-dining room-kitchen that has high sloping ceilings and a huge stone window that gives stunning views right along Loch Ness. There are also views over the hills to the east and the Abbey cloisters to the south. The kitchen is fully equipped with all appliances and utensils and the oak dining table can be extended to seat 8.
Entertainment
There is a large TV with a wide range of DVDs and Gruinyards also has its own Netflix subscription for the use of guests - just press the button on the TV remote. There is unlimited free Wifi internet provided throughout the apartment and an iPod dock for music as well as a selection of board games, maps and guide books.
Bedrooms and bathrooms
There are two bedrooms: a very spacious principal bedroom which also has high ceilings and views on two sides. It is beautifully bright and airy and boasts a magnificent en-suite with a roll-top bath overlooking heather clad Borlum Hill.
The other is a very comfortable and cosy twin bedroom, with a second bathroom that includes a shower.
For sleeping 5 or 6 there is a choice between the double sofa bed in the living room or an inflatable double 'Aerobed' (it has an electric pump and adjustable firmness which makes it extremely comfortable) in the principal bedroom, which means this can be used as a very convenient family room.
Highland Club facilities
As a guest at the apartment you can also make use of all the facilities of the Highland Club. As well as being able to wander around the dramatic Gothic abbey and cloisters, there is tennis, badminton, bowling, croquet, a barbecue area and fishing in Loch Ness all available in the lovely lochside gardens.
Then there is the residents' lounge and games room with a full sized snooker table, table football and table tennis available.
But perhaps most important, there is a beautiful swimming pool with a steam room and sauna in the magnificent setting of the old Abbey church with its stone arches and columns.
There is also a well equipped gym with weights and a wide range of rowing, cycling and other exercise equipment.
Activities
In addition activities including archery, air-rifle shooting and, tomahawk throwing, fly-fishing lessons and canoeing can be arranged, either in the grounds or very nearby, though these would be subject to a separate charges.
More adventurous activities, such as white-water rafting, canyoning, abseiling and clay-pigeon shooting are all available locally, and of course there are daily boat trips and cruises offered just outside the abbey grounds.
Further afield
As well as a bit of Nessie spotting and exploring around Loch Ness, Gruinyards is also ideally located for climbing Ben Nevis, stunning walks in the Glen Affric and Glen Nevis nature reserves, dramatic waterfalls, the romantic ruins of Castle Urquhart or cycling the Caledonian Canal.
Inverness and Fort William are both less than an hour’s drive away while Skye is just over an hour away.
At Fort William, during the summer, you can take the 'Hogwarts Express', a steam train ride that passes over the famous Glenfinnan viaduct to the fishing port of Mallaig. It is an amazingly picturesque route, described as one of the great railway journeys of the world, and the same journey can be done at any time of the year on the regular train service - at a fraction of the cost but without the steam.
There is also skiing at the nearby Nevis Range ski centre, while the cable car up Aonach Mor runs throughout the year, giving fantistic views along the Great Glen.
Also very highly recommended is the remarkable historic fort and working army base at Fort George. However much of the time you will probably just want to relax in the apartment looking at the view and taking in the wonderful surroundings.
SHORT BREAKS
We are happy to take short break bookings (less than a week) throughout the year. The online booking option is only available for stays of 4 nights or longer but we can take 2 or 3 night bookings as well.
If you would like to stay for less than four nights PLEASE contact us direct to get a price for these stay lengths. As a guide, 2 nights will work out at about 65% of the weekly rate and 3 nights 75%. However we would urge you to consider staying longer, not only because it is better value, but also because once you arrive I can promise you won't want to leave!
