Any trip to Scotland is a treat, and it’s all the better knowing that you’ll be ensconced in a beautiful new riverside hotel. At the beginning of July 2019, Ness Walk, a Kingsmills Hotel, started to welcome its first guests. Paul Godbold and his wife Natasha gratefully accepted an invitation to experience it.
If you’ve never been to Inverness, let me tell you that you are missing out. This is a city blessed with so much, that it makes other UK cities seem rather bland. It has picture-perfect scenery, gorgeous architecture, incredible history and friendly, welcoming people.
You must be thinking that sounds perfect, and is there anything else that could be added to make it more appealing? Well, there is! How about a brand new riverfront, five-star hotel by the name of Ness Walk?
The newly opened Ness Walk Hotel is located adjacent to the River Ness. It’s literally only a few minutes from the town centre, and benefits from some stunning natural beauty which I will come on to later.
The Ness Walk Hotel
The drive to Inverness was stress-free, and as we pulled up to the entrance, we could hear some bagpipes playing and a newly married couple taking their photographs. Natasha took the opportunity to remind me of our own rather boring wedding. We both agreed that this is an ideal location for any celebration.
You enter the Ness Walk Hotel via large electric gates, which lead into the private parking area next to the main entrance. You’ve heard the old adage, “First impressions count”, and Ness Walk hits the mark in this case. As soon as we parked, the hotel’s concierge collected our cases, taking them straight to our room from the car. As we entered the reception area, the awaiting team gave us a warm greeting. The staff looked very impressive in their smart uniforms, smiling broadly. Other high-end hotels would do well to take note of this.
Natasha and I were led into the lounge area for a welcome drink. I opted for a glass of chilled champagne, and Natasha went for fruit juice. Thoroughly refreshed, we were now eager to see our room. Walking past the restaurant and bar, we could clearly see that considerable thought had been put into the décor and furnishings. Although the drive up had been long (about six hours), Natasha and I were feeling buoyed and very excited.
Accommodation
Ness Walk has 47 rooms, three of which have been designed to be wheelchair accessible. Our base was one of the luxury Cedar rooms next to the courtyard, a lovely flower-filled area looking out over the river. Through the patio doors were a couple of rattan chairs and a table where we could enjoy the bright sunshine and breathe in the refreshing Scottish air.
Inside the Cedar King room was a king-sized bed stacked with pillows. There was also a desk with a minibar, an Illy Coffee Machine, a couple of armchairs and a big TV armed with a SKY system and what seemed like every conceivable channel.
The bathroom had twin sinks, a separate bath and a shower cubicle with high-quality toiletries, towels, robes and slippers. The toilet was housed in a separate room. With the digital air-conditioning, Wi-Fi, and some nice moreish biscuits and confectionery, it was almost impossible to tear ourselves away from our room to begin exploring the local area.
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