Port Charlotte Hotel

Welcoming hotel with exceptional collection of local malts, cheery bar, lots of seafood, lovely views and comfortable bedrooms

Port Charlotte was built originally as a distillery village (its own Lochindaal distillery closed in 1929, though the island still has another eight), and pride of place in the rounded central bar at this friendly hotel goes to an exceptional collection of about 140 Islay and rare Islay malts. If you decide you want one the friendly staff will give you a menu to help you choose; also Black Sheep and local Islay Angus Og and Saligo, and good wines by the glass. Light and airy with big windows, the bar is fairly pubby, with a good log and peat fire, well padded wall seats, the usual chairs on bare boards, attractive charcoal prints. The comfortable and relaxed back lounge has a case of books about the area, and there is a good restaurant. The roomy conservatory, with well upholstered seats around its tables, opens on to a garden with more seats. With lovely views over Loch Indaal (a sea inlet) and across to the mountains of Jura and just a short stroll from a sandy beach, this is is a prime spot in the most beautiful of Islay's carefully planned Georgian villages.

The island has good local lamb and beef, so even the straightforward dishes are full of flavour. There is often local seafood, too – maybe scallops, oysters, langoustine, sea bass on minted pea mash with caper sauce and a seafood platter - and game in season. Other dishes might include lunchtime sandwiches and salads, as well as red thai curry, cous cous and stir fried vegetables, chilli and mushroom stroganoff.