Luxurious Magazine’s senior reporter, Sabi Phagura, enlists the help of Stratajet to help her get to the Isle of Islay and enjoy the benefits of flying privately.
Until now, private jet travel has been more of a ‘private members’ club’, and trying to book one has involved a lengthy process via secret booking agents. Even then, prospective passengers are met with estimated costs.
Frustrated with this, Jonny Nicol founded the private jet booking app Stratajet, which allows you to find real-time prices for private aircraft without going through third parties.
I’ve never flown by private jet before, but it has been on my bucket list for a while, so you can imagine my delight at being invited to hop aboard the Learjet 75 to an isle off the west coast of Scotland.
Flying privately is swanky, but I’m afraid to say my initial experience was anything but. However, that had nothing to do with the jet. Nature decided to give us fog on the day, so the jet remained on the tarmac for several hours before it was safe for us to fly.
Despite being grounded, there are great perks to be enjoyed of flying privately.
There are no long check-lines so you can arrive at the airport minutes, not hours in advance; there are no liquid limits; you fly when you want because schedules are adjusted to meet the needs of the airline, and once at the other end, there is no time spent around the baggage carousel because bags can be thrown right into the car.
And that is exactly what we did when we finally arrived at the beautiful Isle of Islay after a super comfortable flight on the jet.
We may have been delayed, but Jonny, a former British Armed Forces serviceman and a licensed commercial pilot was able to climb the private jet faster as they are designed to do and got us to our destination just as the sun was shining.
Our journey was a mere hour and a half, but with our jet capable of over 2,040 nautical miles, it can take you to Moscow, Tenerife, anywhere in Europe or Cairo in one hop.
Islay, known affectionately as the Whisky Isle, is great for the visitor who has a taste of liquid gold, and a trip to one of the eight distilleries is a rewarding way to engage your palate and curiosity while learning about local traditions.
The working distilleries are open to the public across the West Highlands and the islands.
The mix of soft, clean, pure water and the availability of peat, particularly in the islands, has enabled producers to dry grain over a peat fire, giving it the distinctive smoky flavour associated with this region.
The Peat Cutter bar at Islay House – our abode for the night – stocks the full range of Islay Single Malt Whisky from all eight distilleries. It also stocks a range of Scotch Malt Whisky Society’s rare Single Cask single malts, which are exclusive to the bar and cannot be found in any other establishment on Islay.
So proud is the bar of its link to the whisky history, an oil canvas is displayed above the bar’s mantelpiece aptly named ‘Cutting Peat’ depicting men at work in the peat banks.
I’m not a fan of whisky, but the barman told me it was just because I hadn’t found the right one yet, so they offered me a selection to try. I can’t say I turned into a fan overnight, but I could be swayed.
It was food that got most of my attention as I took my place at the in-house Jib Door restaurant.
A jib door is a secret passage used by servants to slip in and out of the dining room unnoticed. And they certainly did move around discreetly as they served us one dish after another. I felt like I was in Downton Abbey, quite frankly.
The menu changes daily here to take advantage of the daily catch, and there is plenty of homegrown produce from the community garden that ends up on the table.
Executive Chef and the Michelin-starred Alex Floyd not only turned our dishes into masterful creations but made them taste great, too.
Islay is set in 28 acres of gardens and protected woodland overlooking Loch Indaal, and all the rooms take full advantage of the stunning sea views.
Each is equipped with all the mod cons you can expect from a hotel of this calibre yet without losing the tradition and history that has shaped the house over the course of its history.
The rooms reflect their unique character, and some are named after famous people who have stayed there. I was in the Thatcher room – the iron lady – and I can imagine it befitting her needs.
No one could fault the bathtub in the bedroom overlooking the loch, period features including the old fireplace and a huge bed that would be hard for anyone to peel themselves from.
There’s plenty to see and do on the Isle of Islay, including golfing, fishing, sailing, and a number of breathtaking walks both in the scenic Bridgend Woods surrounding the house as well as beyond. Staff at the house are more than happy to arrange activities for you.
Not wanting to be too far away from the house on this short visit, we were happy to take part in clay pigeon shooting within the grounds. Perhaps a less strong whisky the night before, and my aim would’ve been spot on.
As sad as it was to leave the House and the Isle, it was exciting to be back on board our jet – this time with no freak of nature weather hampering our plans. Stratajet’s solution to empty legs (flights which are scheduled to fly empty) is definitely working.
Our chartered jet, which costs around £800 per person, means comfortable flying, less hassle, time-saving and can be chartered by a whole new type of passenger.
Stratajet – Where and How?
Chartered flights booked through Stratajet can cost £800 per person, depending on the daily prices. To book a stay at Isle of Islay House, visit www.islayhouse.co.uk.
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