Lochside Luxury On The Bonnie Banks Of Loch Lomond

Alan Tait
Jun 1
11 min read

Updated: Jun 2

Beautiful Scotland is renowned for its freshwater lochs around the country, which incredibly there are over 31,000. These range in size from small lochans to the larger ones such as Loch Ness which is arguably the best known of them all, being home to Nessie the famous mythical sea creature monster! My recent trip took me to the banks of another loch, known for it’s beauty and surrounding hills. It is of course stunning Loch Lomond. Nestled in the heart of Scotland’s first National Park, it is also the largest freshwater lake in the UK by surface area. Loch Lomond draws visitors from around the world, attracted by the sweeping landscapes, myriad activities, and rich history.

Funnily enough girlfriend Elaine was back in the country from her base in Germany for the date I had pencilled in for my visit. She always seems to “coincidentally” be around when I experience all these wonderful venues on my travels 😊! We were booked in to stay at Cameron House Hotel which literally sits just metres from the edge of the loch. The hotel itself is an iconic venue in Scotland and is steeped in rich history dating back to the 15th century. It was initially a home that was renovated into a grand baronial mansion in 1823 by the Smollett family, who were shipbuilders and artists. The property was also a popular tourist attraction and bear park in the 1970s, before being converted into a hotel in 1990. The hotel is total luxury and many figures from the rich and famous have enjoyed staying there over the years. And then you get Elaine and I !

Tragedy hit in 2017 however, when a devastating fire ravaged through the hotel and made headlines world over. Given the extent of the damage, the hotel then closed for 4 years before reopening again in September 2021. Since then though, the hotel has never been busier and wonderful to see it truly flourishing again.

We were booked in for one night dinner, bed and breakfast and then a round of golf at The Carrick the following morning. The Carrick is part of “The Cameron Club Golf and Spa” which is also owned by Cameron House. It’s a completely different stand alone resort which is just a short 6-7 minute drive north of the hotel. Opened in 2007, The Carrick hosted the Ladies European Tour a few months later when Swede and ex Solheim Cup player Sophie Gustafson won The Devere Ladies Scottish Open in a star studded field. The Carrick has a special place in my heart personally as I was Director of Golf there pre-opening, before moving on to pastures new in 2008. It was wonderful, and a great experience for me to be part of those opening and exciting months.

Driving in to Cameron House, you are immediately overwhelmed by the sheer beauty of the grounds and the views onto the loch and nearby hills. All of a sudden you are in a different world, and it’s difficult to remember you are actually only a 30 minute drive from the centre of Glasgow, Scotland’s biggest city. A warm welcome awaits at the steps of the hotel leading to reception with concierge clad in tartan eager to take your bags, assist and make you feel at home. If you are really lucky, there may even be someone playing the bagpipes to make your welcome truly Scottish!

To say you are spoiled for choice for accommodation offerings, would certainly be an understatement. Cameron House has a total of 208 bedrooms and suites. In addition to these luxury rooms, the resort also offers 115 lodges, cottages, and apartments, catering to a variety of preferences and of course budget. We were booked into a beautiful double room which was loch facing with a balcony. Absolutely perfect as it was a stunning evening and weather was beautiful for early May in Scotland, and Elaine and I enjoyed a relaxing drink on the balcony before heading to dinner. The attention to detail around the hotel is outstanding and they think of everything. For guests enjoying a winter break, you have your own little tub of rock salt on the balcony to help avoid any nasty wee slips! Now there’s a bit of customer care for you!

The hotel’s facilities and offerings are fabulous and there really is something for everyone. As we had a bit of time before dinner, we decided to explore around the resort. The hotel has everything you would expect from a world class luxury venue. Golf, leisure & spa, water sports, off road driving champagne cruises, falconry, archery, clay pigeon shooting, pony trekking, bike rides and a fun treasure hunt around the grounds for the kids. As we walked around, we came across the hotel’s own cinema where you can even purchase popcorn, ice cream and drinks. The cinema features up to date movies, as well as some old favourites and classics. Brilliant!

A short 7-8 minute walk from the hotel is the marina which is definitely worth a visit, where many beautiful yachts and boats are on view. At the marina you have La Vista ( also known as “the view” ). A beautiful restaurant which offers Italian dishes as well as seafood and enticing smaller plates. Pizza is a popular choice on the menu with it’s own open stone oven! Next door in the deli, you have a great choice of freshly made sandwiches, sharing platters, breads, cakes, pastries, meats, cheeses and ice cream. There’s also an artisan offering “to go”, with antipasta, sundaes, pasta, beers and wine to choose from.

On your walk back from the marina to the hotel you’ll see some of the hotel’s fabulous lodges on offer, as well as the resort’s “Wee Demon” 9 hole golf course. A great fun course with hire clubs available.

On our way to dinner we went for a pre meal refreshment in The Great Scots Bar. Undoubtedly one of the nicest bars I’ve ever experienced with a beautiful outdoor terrace overlooking the loch. There’s over 250 whiskies to savour by the dram or the bottle, or choose a flight which gives you a selection of four. The wood tones in the bar are accented by portraits of many famous Scots, many of whom have been a guest at Cameron House at some point over the years ( I couldn’t find mine, must be in a drawer somewhere 😉 )!!

Of all the food and beverage offerings, our choice was the Cameron Grill for dinner. A beautifully designed and sophisticated restaurant. With its plush booths, and a tasteful blend of traditional and modern elements, it really is a truly sumptuous experience for foodies. Extensive and seasonal menus with the very best in local produce for meat, seafood and decadent desserts. Our dinner was honestly amazing. Elaine is a far travelled girl, and like me has been fortunate enough to have dined in many places all over the globe. Her words after were, “genuinely quite possibly the best meal I’ve ever had”. Quite a testimony from someone who loves her food! When I do these site visit blogs I always like to sample both seafood and meat. So it was scallops for starters and lamb chops for the main. Both delicious. Elaine loves her seafood and it was an oyster starter followed by baked cod. She still talks about the oysters now! The service and ambience in the restaurant was superb and although I was stuffed full, I was already looking forward to returning to the Cameron Grill in the morning for breakfast!

Before retiring for the evening, we decided to have “one for the road” ( might have ended up 2 or 3, but who’s counting ), in the hotel’s very own pub called The Tavern. The pub is great with a real vibrant atmosphere with live sports on the big screens, pool table and a very well stocked bar. It also has a much more relaxed food menu offering burgers, salads, shareables and options for the kids too. The quiz night every Thursday and live music on a Friday are very popular choices. On leaving the bar I was approached by a delightful chap by the name of Tony, who recognised me from my time working at The Carrick back in the day. Turns out Tony was there at the same time and he’s working in the hotel now after all these years, as one of the resort’s many duty managers. Clearly someone who loves his job which shone through as we chatted. Time for bed and get ready for breakfast and golf in the morning!

We woke to the most beautiful of mornings. Sun was shining through the balcony door windows and there wasn’t the slightest of a ripple on the loch. We had an early start as The Carrick had a corporate golf day on which was a shotgun start at 1000, so we had to be off the course before then. I’m an early bird anyway ( Elaine not so much ), and we headed off to The Carrick just before 0700 and work up an appetite before heading back for that Cameron Grill breakfast!

As mentioned earlier, The Carrick is 3 miles from the hotel and only takes a few minutes to get there. However depending on traffic, getting out onto the main road leaving Cameron House can be a challenge. It’s a really busy road ( the A82 ), with business commuters going to and from Glasgow and also tourists with camper vans and caravans etc. So I’d always leave a wee bit earlier ahead of your tee time.

It’s a beautiful drive into The Carrick and as you pass by the 3rd green you may often be met with families of geese or ducks as the pond at the 3rd hole is always a popular “hang out”, place for our wee feathered friends. We would always normally walk, but given our tight schedule we took a buggy ( “also gets us to breakfast quicker as well”, I was thinking )!

The golf course sits in a stunning setting right on the loch. However, given how low the land lies the course has struggled over the years with drainage. The owners recognised this and invested heavily in recent times and huge improvements have been made throughout. The weather in the lead up to our visit had been good, but I was so impressed with how dry it was underfoot. The fairways were excellent and the greens running very true and firm. If anything, the course could possibly have done with a wee downpour or two!

I have a couple of favourite holes at The Carrick and the first one comes as early as the 4th. A strong right to left dog leg par 4, sweeping around the water. You can bail slightly right with the tee shot to avoid the water, but it then makes your second shot that little bit longer. The water also runs the whole distance of the hole, so if your second shot is slightly left or short I’m afraid it’s splashdown! We managed a par and a bogey between us, but I’m not saying who got what!

The golf course is thoroughly unique in that you play the first 8 holes in the lowlands, and as you cross a path to the 9th tee you are now in the highlands of Scotland. Two different nines, in two different regions. Also just before the 9th tee is The Carrick “Bee Garden”. Cameron House as a resort are very proud of their sustainability commitment and rigorously apply this philosophy, from picking up litter, to recycling, to saving energy. The Bee Garden contains bee-friendly plants that flower between March and September when you’ll see lots of bees, insects, and butterflies. In early 2024 the resort was awarded two accolades at the Greengage awards, winning platinum in both “Hotel Accommodation” and “Sustainability Champion of the Year”, and should definitely be applauded for their efforts.

Number 10 green is one of the highest spots on the course. Take a moment to stop and just look around. It’s probably the best view from the golf course and I wonder just how many photographs have been taken from this spot! Oh, and I got my birdie 😉!

The 14th hole is undoubtedly the signature hole and the most talked about! I guarantee it will be the one hole that sticks in your memory of The Carrick. An absolutely beautiful par 3 which plays around 180 yards from the yellow tees. The yardage however does play shorter as you are teeing from a very high tee with the green about 100 feet below you. The backdrop of the hole is just incredible and you’ll be overawed with the view of loch and the mountains. The region is also very famous for its Munros and many are visible on a clear day. Munros are mountains in Scotland that are 3,000 feet or higher in altitude, named after Sir Hugh Munro who catalogued them. There are 282 Munros with the highest being Ben Nevis at 4,411 feet. “Munro bagging”, or climbing these peaks is a very popular activity in Scotland. Anyway, back to the golf and delighted to report that Elaine and I halved this iconic hole in birdie 2’s!!

Before we knew it we were on the 18th just before 1000. The clubhouse at The Cameron Club is fantastic. Great restaurant / bar area and well stocked pro shop with attentive and welcoming staff throughout. I was hoping to tell you and show you the amazing spa with their rooftop hot tubs, but unfortunately the spa was undergoing an extensive refurb and couldn’t get access to it. From previous visits however, I can assure you the spa is just wonderful luxury and has received many awards over the years. I love the gimmick of a “19th hole” at The Carrick. There’s a driving range mat that sits next to the clubhouse which you can hit back to the 18th green about 100 yards over a pond ( providing of course no one is playing the actual hole ), and it’s a great way to settle any bets for any matches which have gone to the wire!

Stunning lodges are also available at the Cameron Club for accommodation, as is the big house next to the 16th green with in built apartments. Again the accommodation offerings are nothing but pure luxury and hugely popular with groups and families. Right, time for breakfast!

And it didn’t disappoint! Breakfast in the Cameron Grill is just a treat and has everything for everyone. Fresh fruit, meats, cheeses, croissants, different breads, loads of different juices and of course everything that a Scottish Breakfast contains! The restaurant was very busy, but plenty staff on and service was great despite the numbers. It was the full works for both Elaine and I and the offering was fab. The only disappointment now was we were needing to check out in the next 30 mins, and could really have done with a lie down 😊!!

On the way to reception for check out, we popped into the hotel’s lovely wee shop. There’s an array of products available including spa beauty creams soaps etc, as well as jewellery, cashmere clothing and traditional Scottish treats and drinks for your journey home.

Our stay I have to say, was just about as perfect as you can get. Wonderful hotel, stunning setting and views, the food, the service, the golf, the ambience. The list could go on and on. Just wonderful. I genuinely felt a wee bit sad as we departed the resort and would have loved to have stayed a little longer. It’s about the most chilled and relaxed I’ve felt in a very long time, but all good things come to an end as they say! The Cameron House experience can be expensive depending on the time of year, however I’m a great believer in “you get what you pay for”. You are paying for total 5 star luxury, and in my humble opinion is worth every penny! Go on folks, be good to yourself and give you and your loved ones an amazing treat!

My sadness in leaving the hotel didn’t last long. 48 hours later we were back on the bonnie banks at the stunning Boturich Castle which is just across the loch from Cameron House, to celebrate my beautiful neice’s marriage to her now husband Ruairidh. An amazing wedding surrounded by close friends and family, and again the sun shone for the whole day. Very apt for an amazing and beautiful couple. I felt like the proudest uncle on the planet!