Ardbeg House has won The Times and The Sunday Times Best Places to Stay 2026 in two separate categories: best place to stay in the UK and best place to stay in Scotland. The announcement came on 3 April 2026, just over six months after opening in Port Ellen.
The judges assessed fifty properties across the country and awarded Ardbeg House 9 out of 10 for rooms, suites, food and drink. Their description: “a whisky wonderland, with playful, maximalist interiors; and a convivial, well-stocked bar that’s priced for locals.” Ellie Goss, Communications and Hospitality Director, described the recognition as “a major milestone for Ardbeg House, cementing its place as one of the most exciting new destinations in the UK.”
The property opened in September 2025 as a conversion of the old Islay Hotel, acquired by Ardbeg in 2022. Twelve rooms designed by Russell Sage Studio, with materials sourced from over twenty Scottish and Islay craftspeople: copper from old stills, local textiles, a visual identity built around the distillery’s character. Winning one of British travel publishing’s most visible awards in under a year from opening is not a small thing.
The bar
I stopped at the Ardbeg House bar in October 2025, a few weeks after opening. The interior design by Russell Sage Studio is genuine: copper from old stills, materials sourced from over twenty Islay craftspeople, a recognisable visual identity throughout. On the counter, Badger Juice — a secret blend served from a hand-painted black and white firkin at £5 a dram. Discrete in profile, well priced for the setting. The full range of Ardbeg expressions is exactly what you’d expect: complete.
The pricing is the sticking point. The bar charges on average 20–30% above Visitor Centre prices at the distillery, a few kilometres away, with substantially the same selection and driver drams were not available. After a couple of drams I headed to the distillery, where a pour of Y2K cost £30. The judges’ description of the bar as “priced for locals” does not reflect what visitors actually pay.
When the hotel opened in September 2025, real room availability was hovering around €485 per night, well above the £230 Ardbeg had announced. The Times award puts Ardbeg House firmly on the international luxury travel map. The prices at the bar remain what they were.
