A five-star country house hotel in the Highlands has turned its back on the globally-recognised Michelin Guide.
The owners of Boath House, which lies off the A96 at Auldearn, near Nairn, believe the expectations from Michelin were now ‘at odds’ with the way they run the small, family-run business.
Husband and wife team Don and Wendy Matheson said customers wanted a ‘more informal and relaxed’ experience at the hotel.
The move comes a week after famous French chef Sebastian Bras asked for his three-star eatery, Le Suquet, to be dropped from the guide in order to ‘start a new chapter’.
Mr and Mrs Matheson said they too wanted to ‘re-evaluate’ their relationship with the Michelin Guide, deciding to ‘move in a new direction’.
The Georgian mansion boasts four AA rosettes and the one Michelin star, but the family is overhauling the brand and experience to reflect what they believe clientele is looking for.
The decision comes ahead the 2018 Michelin Guide being announced next week.
Mrs Matheson said: “Whilst we are extremely proud of the Michelin star we gained 10 years ago, and it undoubtedly enhanced our reputation, our restaurant has consistently made a loss.
“We believe that the expectations from Michelin are at odds with achievable profit margins and put an enormous stress on a small family run business like ours.
“The feedback we are hearing time and time again from our customers is that they want an experience that is more informal and relaxed.”
The owners will open a cafe in the historic walled garden next year, with the aim to be casual and rustic. It will complement the dining room in the main house which has recently changed to offer more approachable and less expensive options.
Mrs Matheson added: “The aim is to provide a warm, comfortable touch of contemporary luxury combined with homely charm.
“We are confident that this is where the accommodation and dining market is going and that we will have a more sustainable product.”
Rebecca Burr, editor of the Michelin Guide, said: “It’s obviously up to individual restaurants how they want to run their businesses, and there is absolutely no formula for winning or retaining a Michelin star.
“There has certainly been a trend towards more informal dining over the past 10 years or so, and in fact Michelin has been at the absolute forefront of recognising and celebrating that.”
What is the Michelin Guide?
The Michelin Guide was first created in 1900 by brothers and tyre manufacturers Edouard and Andre Michelin in a bid to boost demand for cars.
It initially provided information to motorists, such as maps, car mechanic listings, hotels and petrol stations throughout France.
It later introduced guides for other countries, including the British Isles in 1911.
The brothers recognised the restaurant section of the guide was particularly popular and introduced awarding stars in 1926. They recruited a team of anonymous inspectors to review the restaurants.
The guide was changed in colour from blue to red in 1931 and has remained the same ever since, becoming known as the Michelin Red Guide.
It is the oldest hotel and restaurant reference guide in Europe.
The first guide to Britain since 1931 was published in 1974 and 25 stars were awarded.
