Ardbeg distiller to remodel Islay hotel

Scotch whisky distiller Ardbeg Islay is planning a luxurious transformation of the Islay hotel, which it purchased in 2022.

Ardbeg is operated by the Glenmorangie Company, a subsidiary of the LVMH group, which also owns the Belmond hotel brand.

The brand intends to create a whisky and hospitality experience at the hotel, located nearby its distillery in Port Ellen on the remote Scottish island.

The multi-million-pound enhancement will be designed to honour the spirit of Islay and share the stories in which its brand is steeped.

The team plans to run the hotel in its current guise until late summer 2024. After a short closure period, it aims to re-open in May 2025 under the name Ardbeg House.

Led by interior designer Russell Sage Studio, which has already helped to transform the distillery's visitor centre, proposed changes include a reimagined bar with courtyard, called the Islay Bar. Named after the hotel's former watering hole, it will be designed as a hub to bring local residents and visitors together.

Also on the horizon is a new-look restaurant on the ground floor, which will be open to non-residents, with a private dining room for special occasions.

Refreshed bedrooms and suites will each tell stories of Islay and Ardbeg, while a new space on the lower ground floor will feature an area for games and a whisky cave.

Furthermore, the refurbished Ardbeg House will serve an exclusive Ardbeg whisky, only available at the hotel and the Ardbeg distillery visitor centre.

CEO Caspar MacRae said: "We are dedicated to making our island a great place to live and visit. While the hotel will, of course, be a spiritual home for the most ardent Ardbeggians, we promise even those just getting to know the world's smokiest, peatiest Islay malt, will leave lifelong fans."

Image: Ardbeg House's new Islay bar design.