The 26 bedroom Ben Mhor Hotel in Grantown on Speyside is family run so you’ll find a warm and friendly welcome waiting for you and you’ll feel at home from the minute you arrive. With Anglers, walkers, golfers, climbers and holidaymakers from all over the world visiting the Ben Mhor Hotel for over 100 years.
Email Ben Mhor Hotel enquiries & reservations: bookscotland@madbookings.com
Other places to stay in Grantown
on Spey
The
hotel has recently been refurbished and consistently achieves a 3 star
rating from Visit Scotland. No 55 Bistro in the hotel is popular with
residents and with locals and visitors to Speyside.
Local suppliers are used to ensure the best fresh dishes are always on the menu. The Jacobean Lounge Bar is a village pub with live music at the weekends throughout the year.
Guests looking for somewhere quieter for a relaxing drink can lounge back in a comfy sofa in the residents only lounge bar. There’s also a large car park at the rear of the hotel.
The large function suite is one of the biggest in the area and is a popular venue for conferences, meetings and weddings. Special packages and discounts are available at quieter times and group rates are offered for larger parties. Call or click on the Special packages and offers page.
The Ben Mhor sits proudly as a landmark on Grantown High Street. The area of Speyside is famed for some of the best salmon and trout fishing in the world. Keen and novice anglers can test their skills on The Spey, The Avon and The Findhorn. The Ben Mhor can assist with booking permits for beats and has special fishing holiday deals for small and larger parties.
Bedrooms
With 26 modern and comfortable bedrooms, the Ben Mhor promises every guest
a good night's sleep. Some rooms have been recently upgraded to superior
with a full refurbishment to compliment the already high levels of comfort
in every room.
80% of bedrooms are non-smoking and benefits from very comfortable beds, TV, direct dial phone and a hairdryer. Tea and coffee making facilities are also included.
Hotel staff are noted for their friendly and approachable attitude, and are always on hand to provide all guests with everything from early morning calls, to newspapers, irons and ironing boards, and dry cleaning services.
Check in is from 2pm, while check out on your day of departure is 11am
At the Ben Mhor Hotel, breakfasts are also worth waiting for, with a wide choice of cold buffet items and a hot plated Scottish breakfast served fresh to your table.
Dining No. 55 Bistro
Discover Fine Scottish food in a relaxed atmosphere..
No. 55 Bistro at the Ben Mhor offers relaxed dining in a Bistro atmosphere
with locally sourced Scottish dishes. Speyside specialities including
Venison and Salmon are always available. With many guests coming back
regularly to try our famous “Venison Casserole”.
The Bistro is popular with hotel guests and visitors to Grantown, who find the service efficient and friendly and the prices very competitive.
Jacobean Real Ale Lounge Bar
Famed for it’s regular entertainment, both planned and impromptu.
Live music every weekend from April to October, and every Wednesday all
year round. A traditional highland bar where you can enjoy real cask ales
from the Cairngorm Brewery, try some Stag or Sheepshaggers ale, followed
by a malt from a choice of over 40.
Perhaps you are looking for somewhere a bit quieter, well you can relax with a coffee or something stronger in the private residents lounge, fully refurbished in 2007.
Business Meetings at the Ben Mhor
Whatever your meeting and conference requirements are we can help, with
rooms to suit 6 to 180. Flexible packages and pricing and ample free car
parking on site. There’s also free WIFI throughout the conference
and Lounge areas.
Location
Grantown on Spey is the capital of Speyside, located in the heart of the
Highlands, 30 miles from Inverness and 12 miles from Aviemore. Grantown
is the starting point for the Speyside Malt Whisky Trail and a landmark
stop off point on the Speyside Way walking route.
The Ben Mhor Hotel is located on Grantown High Street in the centre of town. There is a large hotel car park at the rear of the hotel, the hotel car park is accessed form Grant Road which runs parallel to the High Street at the rear of the hotel.
Travelling to Grantown On Spey
By Car
From the South take the A9 from Perth, exiting after Aviemore on to the
A95, then follow signposts on A95 for about 12 miles to Grantown on Spey.
As you enter Grantown on Spey continue on to the High Street, the Ben
Mhor is on your left hand side just after the first set of traffic lights,
there is short stay parking for offloading luggage at the front door of
the hotel.
By Air
The nearest Airport is Inverness which is 30 miles to the North.
By Rail
The nearest station is Aviemore on the main line from the South to Inverness.
From Aviemore buses run regularly or a taxi will cost around £20.
Entertainment at the Ben Mhor Hotel 2010
Rod Stewart Tribute Show - 30th April 2010
Live weekend music throughout the season
Every Thursday night (excluding January) – Alfie sings live plus
Karaoke
The Jacobean Lounge is well known for its live music nights. Theres lots
of new acts for 2010, these pages will be updated regularly with details
of who’s playing and when.
Acts for 2010
Alfie – singer, guitarist
Dave Levon – singer, guitarist, blue’s rock and lots more
Tipsy Laird – Scottish band
John Morrison – Scottish and Irish folk singer
Off the Wall – soft rock band
Michael Darren – singer, guitarist
Take Two – pub duo
The Simple Touch – 5 piece celtic rock band
River Rock – 2 man band
Vixen – female pop, 60’s to 00’s
Snap Dragon – classic Rock covers
Music nights start around 9.30pm and music ends midnight or 12.30am. We do appreciate that some hotel guests may be light sleepers. Although every effort is made to minimise the filtration of noise from our lounge bar some guests who are light sleepers or early risers may prefer a room to the rear of the hotel at the weekend, please just mention this to us at the time of booking or on arrival. There is also the option of relaxing in an evening in the quiet private residents bar.
Plenty to do in the area in and around Grantown on Spey
Speyside has many fabulous golf courses, Grantown on Spey Golf Club is
5 minutes from the Ben Mhor, other popular courses are at Boat of Garten,
Kingussie and Newtonmore. The new Spey Valley course at Aviemore is also
now fully open and claims to be one of the finest championship courses
in Britain. The Ben Mhor has special tee time booking arrangements and
discounts at Grantown Golf Club. There’s also special hotel packages
for small and larger groups of golfers.
The Speyside Way is one of the top 5 most popular walking routes in Britain stretching form Buckie in the North through the heart of Speyside to Aviemore, Grantown on Spey and the Ben Mhor is a popular stop off point on route. The Cairngorm Mountain range and Cromdale Hills are on the doorstep for walkers and climbers.
Speyside’s most famous export is Malt Whisky, millions of visitors to Speyside have followed the whisky trail sampling and seeing the making of many well known malt whiskies including: Glenfiddich, Glen Grant, Glenlivet, Dallas Dhu and Cardhu. You don’t have to travel though if it’s a taster you would like there’s over 50 malts behind the bar in the Jacobean Lounge.
Winter activities including ski-ing can be found at the Lecht and Cairngorm Mountain resort. Grantown is a great base for winter ski-ing being equally close to both ski centres.
The Strathspey Steam Railway a fantastic experience for the whole
family
Whether you remember the days of steam from yesteryear, or your era is
"Thomas the Tank", or you simply want a relaxing day in the
Highlands , come and enjoy a train journey with a difference in spectacular
Strathspey.
The round trip from Aviemore through Boat of Garten to Broomhill takes
approximately 1½ hours, or you can shorten your trip by going part
of the way. Whilst you travel through the spectacular scenery of Strathspey
sit back and relax - teas, coffees, snacks and a full bar service are
available on many trains (except on Saturdays).
The Strathspey Railway is run almost entirely by volunteers and their
spirit of adventure means that you can experience the magic of a steam
railway today.
Distilleries in the Scottish Highlands
The Spey valley is the home of the annual Spring 'Spirit of Speyside'
Whisky festival and the Malt Whisky trail. Some of the finest whiskies
in the world are proudly and lovingly produced in this 'neck 'o the woods'.
Once tasted, this amber liquid becomes a pleasure to be repeated and the
tasting of different single malts and blends a must. Below are a selection
of the distilleries in the valley which beg to be visited. For more info
visit www.maltwhiskytrail.com
Aberlour
Due to the increasing interest in and appreciation of malt whisky, a greater
range of whisky is being produced by this distillery using the soft water
rising from the granite of Ben Rinnes. The village of Aberlour lies in
the heart of Speyside malt-distilling and Aberlour distillery can certainly
be traced back to 1826 and was rebuilt in 1879 and 1898 leading to expansion
in 1945 when it was purchased by Campbell Distillers. It is presently
owned by Pernod Ricard.
Glenfiddich
The Glen of the river Fiddich gives its name to this biggest-selling single
malt whisky in the world. The distillery lies on the river Fiddich (meaning
that the river runs through the valley of the deer), in Dufftown. This
small but world famous distillery was founded in 1886-87 and is still
owned by the original family. It is a limited company with its own bottling
line on site, producing mature malts some of great value and age. A new
product from this distillery is Glenfiddich Malt Whisky Liquer. This certainly
has to be tasted. www.glenfiddich.com
Balvenie
Next door to Glenfiddich and founded by the same company in 1892 - added
Kininvie in 1990 and remains a family firm.The Balvenie whiskies are sweeter
and richer following the Speyside heather-honey style and the barley is
supplied from the family farm.
Cardhu
Cardhu, on a hillside near the Spey, was rebuilt by one of several women
prominent in the whisky industry in 1872. Elizabeth Cumming's family were
involved with the Johnnie Walker blends which contain Cardhu malt whisky.
Recently, however, a single malt Cardhu has been produced and in 1998
a Rare Malts edition.
Glenfarclas
Glenfarclas - One of the best known, respected and fiercely independent
distilleries of Speyside. Although not widely known their whiskies are
much sought after by the connoisseurs. The distillery, privately family
owned by J. and G. Grant, (no connection with any other whisky Grants),
is situated about a mile from the river Spey, below heather-covered hills,
beneath Ben Rinnes. Using thesame soft water as Aberlour.
Glenlivet
Glenlivet - The distillery is situated on the River Livet which flows
into the Spey, deep in the mountains. A prime site as regards water and
climate conditions, as the very cold water off the mountains is ideal
for the condensers. The malt whiskies produced are of a rare and elegant
quality from the most famous whisky producing area in the world. A product
greatly influenced by history and politics and the facts regarding domestic
and illicit distillation.
Macallan
Macallan - Became part of the Highland Distillers group in 1996 which
group inherited a distillery of very high standards. The malt whiskies
distilled in recent years come to maturity shortly and are awaited eagerly.
Meanwhile the variety of whiskies produced by this company are consistently of a high standard. However, the short supply of special barley has proved somewhat of a problem and other strains of grain have had to be included, with their loyalty to Jerez sherry still firmly intact. In fact these whiskies of quality have been made on the Macallan Speyside site near Craigellachie since late 1700.
Glenrothes
Glenrothes - The highly esteemed merchants Berry Brothers and Rudd have,
over the recent years, chosen this whisky as their house malt. It has
long been used as an integral ingredient of Berry's Cutty Sark, named
after the fast tea clipper Cutty Sark, a connection through Berry's tea,
grocery and wine selling days. It is also widely favoured by blenders.
Knockando
Knockando - An unusual name for a very elegant whisky with strong influence
in the J&B blends. A love-sick Italian persuing an opera singer to
Britain in 1749 resulted in a job of liquer making and a progression to
selling Scotch whisky. A very fruitful experience even though the romance
was a failure!! Brooks of J&B later became a partner in the firm.
Glenfarclas
Glenfarclas - One of the best known, respected and fiercely independent
distilleries of Speyside. Although not widely known their whiskies are
much sought after by the connoisseurs. The distillery, privately family
owned by J. and G. Grant, (no connection with any other whisky Grants),
is situated about a mile from the river Spey, below heather-covered hills,
beneath Ben Rinnes. Using thesame soft water as Aberlour.
Strathisla
Strathisla - Last in our list but not the least - this is the oldest distillery
in the north of Scotland which has been producing whisky since 1786. Dominican
monks used the same water, in the13th century, in their beer brewing.
The whisky, which has a dry, fruity, oaky taste, is a main contributor
to Chivas Regal blend. www.chivas.com
Want to know more - then take the Whisky Trail. Below we have listed some
useful website links specialising in this great Scottish industry.
Fishing in the Highlands of Scotland
Local 'Gillies' will gladly guide you along the Spey to the best spots
and fishing is allowed with the purchase of day tickets and local tackle
hire. One of the largest rivers in Scotland, from its source Loch Spey,
it flows 97 miles to Moray Firth, emptying between Banff and Elgin. The
total catchment area is 1,154 sq miles.
The Spey is an alpine river, with melting snow supplementing flow well into spring. The waters are low in nutrients, and have remained fairly free from pollution. The main river is also relatively free from obstructions. Historically, one of the great salmon rivers, net fishing ceased at the end of the 1993 season, and there is now no commercial netting for salmon within the Spey district.
Leisure Activities
Craggan Outdoor Centre
Based on the Glenbeg Estate set in the beautiful surroundings of Grantown-on-Spey
in the heart of Speyside, Craggan Outdoors offer a wide range of activities,
pursuits and adventure breaks catering for groups of all ages and different
levels of ability. Our fully qualified instructors will guide you through
a range of exciting activities from Quad Treks to Canoeing and Kayaking,
Archery to High Ropes courses, gorge walks to climbing and mountaineering.
Revack Highland Estate and Adventure Park
1 mile outside Grantown-on-Spey, this is one of the best-kept secrets
of the Highlands. Beautiful estate set in 350 acres perfect for walking,
wildlife spotting, shopping, eating and relaxing. Garden centre and great
adventure play area. Free admission.
Strathspey Steam Railway
Perfect for sunny or rainy days. Old fashioned steam trains and carriages
run through stunning scenery between Aviemore and Boat of Garten to Broomhill,
3 miles from Grantown. In the summer, there is a bus link every Wednesday
which connects Broomhill to The Square in Grantown.
For information on this bus, contact Jaci Douglas on 01479 873728. The Railway also runs Special Trains such as Santa and Mince Pie Specials as well as trains on festival days in Grantown such as Strathspey in May or Motor Mania Days. For information on the Strathspey Steam Railway.
Landmark Forest Theme Park, Carrbridge
A host of attractions at this woodland themed fun park for kids and adults
alike from water slides to the giant Ants World play area, Treetop Woodland
Walks, climbing wall, high ropes courses and other activities.
Base Camp Laggan Wolftrax
Mountain biking facilities with 9 miles of mountain bike tracks to suit
all ages (apart from the very young). Open 9-6pm.
Highland Folk Museum at Newtonmore and Kingussie
Located at two towns, 2 miles apart, this Museum aims to include preserving
and recording aspects of Highland life from the 1700s onwards, as well
as interpreting the people's lives through interactive living history
and activities. Kingussie, opened in 1944, is the spiritual home of the
Highland Folk Museum.
Here visitors may see parts of the core collections as well as the 'Blackhouse', Britain's oldest re-created building. Newtonmore, opened in 1995, is a mile long living history site that includes re-constructed buildings, a 1700s 'Township', a 1940 working farm, live interpretation and a range of visitor facilities.
Highland Wildlife Park at Kincraig
See wolves, bison, lynx, otters, badgers and other Scottish wildlife in
the natural habitat. See the red deer rut in the autumn with a herd of
over 60 red deer. Experience Scottish wildlife past and present in the
spectacular setting of the Highland Wildlife Park. See the amazing variety
of animals found in present day Scotland, then step back in time and meet
the animals that our ancestors must have known, hundreds, even thousands
of years ago.
Drive around the Main Reserve in your own car and then investigate the walk-round area by foot. Gift shop, coffee shop, children's quiz trail, play area.
Working Sheepdog Demos at Kincraig
See working dogs as a team manoeuvring sheep and ducks through various
obstacles. Feed the collie pups and orphan lambs.
Loch Insh Watersports at Kincraig
A huge variety of watersports and tuition including kayaking, sailing,
windsurfing and fishing as well as try-a-sport, boat trips, children's
adventure play areas and 3km Lochside/Forest Interpretation Trail. Dry
ski slope for skiing or snowboarding.
Alvie Stables at Kincraig
Superb riding through beautiful countryside on well mannered horses or
ponies. 1 day or half day treks available as well as 20 minute mini treks
for smaller children.
Rothiemurchus Visitor Centre, near Aviemore
On the beautiful estate of Rothiemurchus there is so much to see and do
from walking the miles of well kept trails to fishing, pony trekking and
mountain biking. Then stop for a coffee or lunch at Einich Restaurant
and browse for local products and crafts in their gift shop.
Loch Morlich Watersports, near Aviemore
Loch Morlich is a wonderful spot for water sports, mountain biking, fishing
or just enjoying the view.
Cairngorm Reindeer Centre at Glenmore near Aviemore
Guided tours to see Britain's only herd of reindeer found free ranging
in Cairngorms National Park. Up to 130 of them are spread over 30 miles
between the centre and Glenlivet. Open daily all year round 10am to 5pm.
Cairngorm Mountain
Ride the funicular railway all the way to the top to view the sights.
The Ptarmigan restaurant has its own play area and facilities for babies.
The Lecht Activity Centre in Strathdon
Outdoor fun whatever the weather with skiing, hill-side karting, tubing,
quad bikes, chair-lift rides.
Golf Courses
There are 7 courses on the doorstep and special deals are in place for
daily, weekly or two-weekly passes. Staff at 'The Cairn' will be happy
to book tee times and make any other arrangements as required, prior to
your visit.
Email Ben Mhor Hotel enquiries & reservations: bookscotland@madbookings.com
