Major refurbishment of a rural hotel in Sutherland has created new jobs and resulted in its busiest year yet.
The work at Kylesku Hotel involved creating new rooms and extending the dining space to make the most of spectacular loch and mountain views.
Employee numbers at the hotel, on the shores of Loch Glencoul and Loch Glendhuit, have increased from 11 to 18, making it a major employer in rural West Sutherland.
Earlier this year the former coaching inn, which dates back to 1680, received the Thistle Award for Most Hospitable Hotel in Scotland.
The hotel was taken over in 2009 by Tanja Lister and Sonia Virechauveix, who received a Scottish Hoteliers of the Year award in 2014.
Last year the owners secured a £200,000 contribution from development agency Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) towards their plans to develop the hotel and extend its season.
Ms Lister said they would have been unable to realise their growth ambitions without the organisation’s backing.
She said: “Since the refurbishment and extension that HIE’s support has allowed us to undertake, we have seen a 60% increase in trade and are regularly seeing visitors coming from all corners of the world to visit us.
“With the success of tourism initiatives such as the North Coast 500, we are seeing a definite increase in trade which is giving us more and more confidence to open all-year round.”
Claire Farquhar, HIE account manager in Caithness and Sutherland, said the hotel’s success was good for the local area.
“Our assistance is about helping businesses like this to realise their growth ambitions whilst enabling key sectors, such as tourism, to develop an increasingly robust and innovative offering,” said Ms Farquhar.
“This in turn helps make our area a more attractive place to visit, live and work.”
She added: “We are pleased to hear the extension and refurbishment has been such a success for Kylesku Hotel.
“In creating jobs and extending their season, Tanja and Sonia are making a significant economic impact in rural Sutherland.
“Their initiative and achievement provides real proof that there is potential to create a viable, all-year round tourism destination in our stunning north Highlands.”
