Guest house goes for gold

A Highland guest house which, over a century ago, received telegraph signals from the summit of Ben Nevis and transmitted them to shipping ports as gale warnings for skippers, has received a gold Quality Assurance award from VisitScotland.

The national tourist board awarded Glentower Lower Observatory guest house, in Fort William, a Four Star Gold award as part of its Quality Assurance (QA) scheme.

The well-established guest house - located majestically on the shores of Loch Linnhe - offers luxury accommodation to visitors to the Fort William and Ben Nevis area. Glentower Lower Observatory has stunning views of Loch Linnhe and the Ardgour Hills, with the centre of town only a short walk away.

In the 1890s and early 1900s, pioneering meteorologists raised the funds to build a weather observatory on the summit of Ben Nevis, and also a new home for the Observatory Superintendent.

Glentower received telegraph signals from the summit, which were transmitted to Liverpool and other main shipping ports, where warnings for gales were provided for ship owners and skippers. Today, Glentower is possibly Fort William’s most historical link to the past.

VisitScotland’s Quality Assurance schemes allow businesses to flourish, not only in meeting visitor expectations but in exceeding them. This trusted, independent and impartial source of information for visitors has been developed and improved over the course of 30 years.

The owners of the Glentower Lower Observatory were particularly praised for their genuine interest in guests as well as their pristine bedrooms. The guest house was also awarded VisitScotland’s Taste Our Best award as the cooked breakfast options were top quality, serving locally-sourced products.

Chris Taylor, VisitScotland Regional Leadership Director, said: “Huge congratulations go to both Trevor and Catriona at the Glentower Lower Observatory guest house, on this tremendous achievement of a Gold Star rating and Taste Our Best award.

“This is a clear recognition of their hard work and commitment in making sure each and every guest has a unique and memorable experience. The QA awards send a message to visitors about the quality of service and standards they will receive – and now they have the gold award to showcase these values.”

Trevor Rosie, owner of Glentower Lower Observatory, said: “We are absolutely delighted and feel very proud to have received the Gold Award from VisitScotland. We strive to give our guests the very best stay in the Highlands at Glentower Lower Observatory so it’s fantastic to receive this recognition.”

For more information about Glentower Lower Observatory visit https://www.glentower.com/

For more details about the Quality Assurance Scheme go to https://www.visitscotland.org/supporting-your-business/quality-customer-experience/quality-assurance-ratings