Discover The Magical Abbey Holidays Loch Ness: A Unique Stay In Fort Augustus

If you love finding quirky places to stay, then Abbey Holidays Loch Ness is the perfect place for you to stay. Located on the shores of the famous Loch Ness, in the converted Fort Augustus Abbey.

This Abbey has such a rich history, and was originally a military fort in the 18th Century, that was gifted to an order of Benedictine monks as the site for a new monastery in 1867. The building is incredible; with huge archways and hallways that make you feel like you’ve stepped into Hogwarts, the incredible gothic architecture is beautiful.

Staying in the Courtyard Cottages at Abbey Holidays Loch Ness

When you stay at Abbey Holidays Loch Ness, there are multiple options for where to stay. You can stay within the Abbey, in the apartments, and they look beautiful, with original features throughout.

You can also stay in the Courtyard Cottages, which is what we did. Overlooking the river, these cottages have so much space! With a roaring log burner, perfect to cosy up next to after an autumn day exploring Loch Ness and looking for Nessie, and two spacious bathrooms (with baths in both!), two spacious bedrooms and a well equipped kitchen and living room.

We felt so at home here as soon as we arrived. There were lovely details, like a drawer in the entrance hall to keep your dog towels and wine, tea, coffee, milk and biscuits in the kitchen. In the summer, it would be lovely as you have a patio off from the living room, perfect for enjoying your morning coffee. The two bedrooms (one a double, one a twin), are so spacious, with plenty of space to fully unpack. The beds were so comfy, and it was a perfect nights sleep here, and so peaceful and quiet.

The cottages are adjacent to the main Abbey, and the entrance into the Abbey is right opposite the cottages, and it’s a very quick 3 minute walk to the very shore of the Loch. When we went to explore and suddenly we were at the Loch, I was blown away at just how incredible the view was, especially as we got there at golden hour.

Facilities at Abbey Holidays Loch Ness

I was really impressed with how many facilities there are at Abbey Holidays Loch Ness.

I have to start with the heated swimming pool, sauna and steam room. The pool is located in the Abbey, with all of the original architecture – it has to be the most unique pool I’ve swam in. You have to book your 1 hour slot, and it worked really well as me and mum had the pool, sauna and steam room to ourselves for the whole hour.

There’s also a gym on site too, which you can book a slot for as well.

When you walk through the Abbey, you’ll find the cloister garden which is just beautiful. It really does feel like Hogwarts here, and in the centre you can find a giant chess board!

With it being Scotland, there’s plenty of indoor activities to do here, in the club house. This beautiful room has plenty of board games, as well as a pool table and a full sized snooker table!

There’s outdoor activities as well, including a tennis court, woodland playground, and football pitch.

On site, there is The Boathouse restaurant. We ate here on our first night, and whilst the food was really tasty, it is quite expensive. In the daytime, there are stunning, unspoilt views, of Loch Ness and it is beautiful.

The Perfect Base for exploring Loch Ness

Abbey Holidays Loch Ness is located in Fort Augustus, where the canal meets the loch. It’s a beautiful village, which surrounds the canal locks and it’s a brilliant village.

It’s about a 5 minute walk from the cottage to Fort Augustus. In the village there’s pubs, cafes, shops and the Caledonian Canal Centre, which has lots of information about the canals, and a brilliant little cafe as well.

Through the centre of the village is the canal locks, and it was fascinating to spend the morning watching one of the fishing boats make its way down the locks and into Loch Ness.

From Fort Augustus, you can get a boat trip on Loch Ness. However, these book up quickly and we couldn’t get a trip on it.

However, if you’re wanting to know more about the history of Loch Ness, I can’t recommend driving 30 minutes around the loch to the Loch Ness Centre. Not only can you do a boat trip from here, where you go over the deepest parts of the loch, there is also an incredible 1 hour immersive experience where you’re taken through the history of the Loch.

Final Thoughts on Staying at Abbey Holidays Loch Ness

If you’re looking for a good base for exploring more of the Highlands, which is dog friendly, has great facilities, and is cosy and comfortable, this is the place for you.

Not only is the location brilliant, if you’re staying for longer than a few days, the fact that there is a brilliant, fully equipped kitchen (with a dishwasher!!), it’s a real winner.

I’ll definitely be staying here again when I’m exploring that neck of the woods again!

Planning a trip to Scotland? Make sure to check out our Scotland articles, filled with some of my absolute favourite places to explore in the country.

This stay was complimentary in exchange for this review. However, all views and opinions are my own.