The Scotsman - 5 June 2010
Extracts from 'Heavenly Highlands'

What's that coming over the hill, is it a monster? Alas not, but when you’re peering out at Loch Ness in all its mystical beauty, you'll settle for this unique view anytime, Nessie or not. And when you're looking from the warm and welcoming vantage point of Loch Ness Lodge then you're experiencing a little taste of Highland heaven.

The luxurious five-star retreat...is perched on a wooded hillside...and it offers soothing peace the moment you drive through the gates. Opened in 2007, the lodge is modern but built to immaculate taste, with a majestic turret as its decorative centrepiece, and surrounded by acres of landscaped gardens.

Seven bedrooms are named after Highland lochs or glens....and in the premium first floor Carron room, it took a nanosecond to melt into our sumptuous surroundings, complete with en-suite bathroom, TV & DVD, bed dressed in Egyptian cotton and goose down duvet. The room was impressive but it's hard to start lounging around when Loch Ness is demanding your attention and your gaze is drawn towards the window and its entrancing view.

...In our case, slumbers could wait. Dinner was upon us, and the dining experience that followed blew us and our tastebuds blissfully away...Ross Fraser, Loch Ness Lodge's chef, has carved out a reputation as one of Britain's brightest and most creative young talents, having worked with world-renowned figures such as Marco Pierre White and Jean Christophe Novelli.

...He relies almost entirely on organic, locally source ingredients and the results are stunning. Our palates were bombarded with imaginative food, fine wine, perigord truffle and freshly churned ice cream and sorbets that will live long in the memory.

...Loch Ness Lodge is a harmonious mix of luxury and peace, without the slightest trace of pomp or hauteur ...it is a warm and welcoming environment and guests feel at ease the moment they arrive.

...While it is one thing to find accommodation so immaculate and comfortable, it is rare to find one that goes hand-in-hand with a restaurant that would be earning rave reviews in any city. Like Nessie, it may be something of a hidden gem, but Ross Fraser's talent is unmistakable, and you can see quite clearly that the Lodge and its restaurant will be going from strength to strength.