Another Place adds The Machrie to its hotel collection

Another Place, the collection of active oriented lifestyle hotels, has today (21 November) announced its first hotel in Scotland.

The Machrie is located on the Isle of Islay, “the Queen of the Hebrides”, and consists of 47 bedrooms and lodges, along with a championship links golf course built along the beach at Laggan Bay.

The planned acquisition follows the success of a month-long pop-up in August 2023. This collaboration crystallised the opportunity of The Machrie’s location and property for the Another Place brand, which focuses on introducing guests to “memorable experiences in wild settings”.

Ben Harper, Another Place CEO, said: “At our first hotel, Another Place, The Lake, on the shore of Ullswater in Cumbria, this includes everything from full moon and waterfall swims to sunset kayaks, dawn red deer hikes, lakeside yoga and firepit cocktails. 

“With a permanent home on Islay, we look forward to showing guests links golf, fat biking along empty beaches, and walking 200 ft sea cliffs while looking out for golden eagles, dolphins and minke whales.”

The Machrie’s links course has a history of being played by many golfing greats, while also opening up the sport to new players. The Another Place team is now looking forward to taking this heritage into a new era, enabling experienced golfers and novices to make the most of the course.

Harper continued: “The Machrie is the perfect fit for Another Place, providing a stunning island setting for active yet relaxing breaks, from wildlife boat trips to whisky tasting, sea loch oyster shacks to surf spots. The island really struck a chord the moment we stepped ashore for the first time. 

“We’re excited to share that feeling with our growing Another Place community, while also bringing lifestyle hospitality to the golf market and expanding The Machrie’s offer to include a range of other outdoor experiences.”

In addition, the hotel has also acquired a pub located on a hill behind the property, the Brackenrigg Inn.

With a bar, rooms, meadows and views across Ullswater, this country pub will be refurbished to reopen in February 2024. The Brackenrigg will build on the property’s local heritage to create a gathering place, where guests, locals and walkers will enjoy the region’s food and drink and beer from its own microbrewery. 

Harper concluded: “The Brackenrigg gives us the opportunity to evolve what we have created on Ullswater, adding another dimension to the experience at Another Place and creating deeper connections with the community we’re part of. We’re also creating new team accommodation, helping to future-proof the business and further building on the culture we’ve developed during our B Corp journey.”