Month: September 2021

Climavore on Raasay

raasay house hotel climavore skye

Becoming CLIMAVORE explores the gap between the appearance and the reality of salmon—their inability to escape intensive farms. For this UK-wide project, 21 museums have removed farmed salmon from the menus of their cafés and restaurants, and introduced CLIMAVORE dishes made with ingredients that improve soil and water quality, and cultivate marine habitats. This move continues our multi-year collaboration with restaurants in Skye and Raasay since 2017.

from http://www.cooking-sections.com/Becoming-CLIMAVORE

Raasay House Hotel & CLIMAVORE

In 2017 we were approached by Atlas Arts on Skye about an exciting project which focused on the negative impact of salmon farming on Scottish shores and which looks at sustainable ways to reconnect with tidal produce.

CLIMAVORE asks “how do we eat as humans change climates?”

As a business with a strong relationship to our natural environment, especially the marine life we are extremely concerned with the impact of fish farming in the area and about how our changing climates will affect local marine life. We had previously had a very positive experience working with Atlas Arts on the Patterns of Flora project which you can see here in Raasay House so we were delighted to get involved in this. The main element was a tidal oyster table in Portree Bay where guests could dine on a special menu featuring tidal produce right there in the environment where it came from. For our part, we produced a CLIMAVORE menu and removed all farmed salmon from our regular menu. We used local mackerel and hake where we once we used salmon. It’s four years on now and we have not put salmon back on the menu.

In 2018 following the success of CLIMAVORE Cooking Sections, we went a little further into the project where we not only produced a special menu but we had the pleasure of taking on an apprentice from Portree High School to prepare the dishes. 20 students from Portree were given the opportunity to complete a course using tidal produce and then to go on to complete a placement in one of the participating restaurants like Raasay House Hotel.

Fast forward to 2021 and CLIMAVORE has grown and spread across the UK with many museums and restaurants taking the CLIMAVORE message on board as well as changing the produce they use on their menus. The project has now gained even more momentum and recognition and it has been shortlisted for the very prodigious 2021 Turner Prize. We are launching our very own CLIMAVORE menu this evening which will run along side or regular menu.  Please click here for a preview. 

We wish CLIMAVORE all the best for the Turner Prize and we are very thankful to have been given a chance to be involved and to open our eyes even further to the opportunities and challenges of the changing shores around us.

From today, you can taste CLIMAVORE dishes at:
Aberdeen Art Gallery
Ashmolean Museum, Oxford
Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art, Gateshead
BFI Southbank, London
Herbert Art Gallery & Museum, Coventry
Holburne Museum, Bath
London Transport Museum
Manchester Art Gallery
Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh
Royal Museums Greenwich
Science Museum, London
Science and Industry Museum, Manchester
Serpentine, London
Tate Britain, London
Tate Liverpool
Tate Modern, London
Tate St Ives
The Whitworth, The University of Manchester
Turner Contemporary, Margate
Victoria & Albert Museum, London
Wellcome Collection, London

And in Skye and Raasay:
Edinbane Lodge
Eòlach
Isle of Skye Baking Company
Loch Bay
Raasay House Hotel
Rosedale Hotel
Scorrybreac
The Ferry Inn
Three Chimneys

Visitors can taste a CLIMAVORE meal and collect one of the postcards from a twelve-part mosaic at participating restaurants filled with CLIMAVORE stories and recipes.

Raasay House Hotel – Economy Rooms, a closer look

Economy Rooms

We have 2 types of Economy Room, Economy Twin & Economy Double. Both types have fixed beds and cannot be converted into any other bed configuration. Aside form the double or twin difference the other main distinction is that the Economy Twin rooms are not en-suite whereas the Economy Double has an en-suite toilet and shower.

Economy Double Room Features – at a glance

  • Standard Double Bed
  • Small window – looks onto courtyard
  • Hairdryer
  • Coffee & Tea Making Facilities
  • Dressing table
  • Free Wifi
  • En-suite with step in shower
  • One room is on the first floor with 30 stairs to reach it and one is on the top floor with 50 stairs to reach it.
  • Flat Screen TV
  • Sloped Ceiling on one of these rooms

 

Economy Twin Room (not en-suite) Features – at a glance

  • Twin Beds(cannot be changed for a double)
  • Small Window – No View/Roof slope
  • Hairdryer
  • Coffee & Tea Making Facilities
  • Dressing table
  • Free Wifi
  • External toilet with step in shower – lockable and private for your use only, located either across the hallway or about 5 metres down the corridor.
  • One room is on the first floor with 30 stairs to reach it and one is on the top floor with 50 stairs to reach it.
  • Flat Screen TV

 

Economy Family Room Features – at a glance

  • Super King Bed OR 2 Twin beds (let us know you preference before arrival)
  • View of the Walled Garden at the rear of the property
  • Set of Bunk Beds – best suited for children or smaller persons (please let us know you will be using these before arrival)
  • Pull out bed (please let us know you will be using this before arrival)
  • Hairdryer
  • Coffee & Tea Making Facilities
  • Dressing table
  • Free Wifi
  • One room is on the first floor with 30 stairs to reach it and one is on the top floor with 50 stairs to reach it.
  • Flat Screen TV
  • NOT EN-SUITE BUT WITH PRIVATE LOCKABLE TOILET/ SHOWER NEARBY

Booking Tip!: Remember to always book direct for the best rates. Check out our price promise here. 

Raasay House Hotel – Classic Rooms, a closer look

Classic Rooms – Our range

We have a variety of classic rooms for you to choose from, from classic doubles to large classic family rooms which sleep 5 people.

Classic Double Room Features – at a glance

  • Standard Double Bed
  • View of the Walled Garden at the rear of the property
  • Hairdryer
  • Coffee & Tea Making Facilities
  • Dressing table
  • Free Wifi
  • En-suite with step in shower
  • One of these rooms is up 25 stairs and one of these rooms is up 50 stairs
  • Flat Screen TV

 

Classic Family Double Room Features – at a glance

  • Standard Double Bed
  • Set of Bunk Beds – best suited for children or smaller persons (please let us know you will be using these before arrival)
  • Sofa sitting area
  • View of the Walled Garden at the rear of the property
  • Hairdryer
  • Coffee & Tea Making Facilities
  • Dressing table
  • Free Wifi
  • En-suite with step in shower
  • This room is up 50 stairs
  • Flat Screen TV

 

Classic Family Superking/Twin Room Features – at a glance

  • Super King Bed OR 2 Twin beds (let us know you preference before arrival)
  • View of the Walled Garden at the rear of the property
  • Set of Bunk Beds – best suited for children or smaller persons (please let us know you will be using these before arrival)
  • Hairdryer
  • Coffee & Tea Making Facilities
  • Dressing table
  • Free Wifi
  • En-suite with step in shower
  • One room is on the first floor with 30 stairs to reach it and one is on the top floor with 50 stairs to reach it.
  • Flat Screen TV

Classic Triple Room – Superking or Twin Room Features – at a glance

  • Super King Bed OR 3 Twin beds (let us know you preference before arrival)
  • View of the Walled Garden at the rear of the property
  • Hairdryer
  • Coffee & Tea Making Facilities
  • Dressing table
  • Free Wifi
  • En-suite with step in shower
  • These rooms are on the top floor with 50 stairs to reach them
  • Flat Screen TV

Large Classic Family Superking/Twin Room Features – at a glance

  • Super King Bed OR 2 Twin beds (let us know you preference before arrival)
  • View of the Walled Garden at the rear of the property
  • Set of Bunk Beds – best suited for children or smaller persons (please let us know you will be using these before arrival)
  • Sofa or pull out Bed (please let us know you will be using this before arrival)
  • Hairdryer
  • Coffee & Tea Making Facilities
  • Dressing table
  • Free Wifi
  • En-suite with step in shower
  • One room is on the first floor with 30 stairs to reach it and one is on the top floor with 50 stairs to reach it.
  • Flat Screen TV

Booking Tip!: Remember to always book direct for the best rates. Check out our price promise here. 

Raasay House Hotel – Premium Rooms, a closer look

Premium Rooms

We have 2 premium rooms which are both elegantly decorated with a Superking or Twin beds plus a sofa bed/sitting area.

premium super king twin raasay hotel

Room Features – at a glance

  • Super King Bed OR 2 Twin beds (let us know you preference before arrival)
  • View of the grounds at the side of the building or the Walled Garden at the rear of the property
  • 1 Sofa Bed – best suited for children or smaller persons (please let us know you will be using this before arrival)
  • Sitting area with coffee table
  • Hairdryer
  • Coffee & Tea Making Facilities
  • Dressing table
  • Free Wifi
  • En-suite with step in shower
  • You must go up 25-30 stairs to reach these rooms
  • Flat Screen TV

Booking Tip!: Remember to always book direct for the best rates. Check out our price promise here. 

Raasay House Hotel – Deluxe Rooms, a closer look

Which Deluxe Room will you choose?

Here at Raasay House Hotel we have two distinctly different types of deluxe room.

Deluxe Room Type 1

deluxe room type 1 raasay hotel

There are two which mirror each other, each with a bathtub and a private exclusive lounge in between them. These rooms make up the “Balcony Suite” and are called “Deluxe Room Type 1” on our booking page.

Important: When you book both of these rooms (type 1) you get a free private lounge with a sea facing balcony in between. If you only book one these rooms then you must share the lounge and balcony.

Room Features – at a glance
  • Super King Bed OR 2 Twin beds (let us know you preference before arrival)
  • Sea Views
  • 2 Sofa Beds – best suited for children or smaller persons
  • Hairdryer
  • Coffee & Tea Making Facilities
  • Desk
  • Free Wifi
  • Large bathroom with bath tub and shower over
  • You must go up 30 stairs to reach these rooms
  • Flat Screen TV

Deluxe Room Type 2

The other type of Deluxe Room is further along the East side of the building front and is separate to the others with no access to the balcony lounge. However, this room does have it’s own integrated sitting area with a huge bay window offering a perfect spot to sit and enjoy the sea views towards the Cuillin range on Skye. This room is called “Deluxe Family room with superking/twin beds, bay window, sea view, 2 sofa beds” on our booking page.

Room Features – at a glance
  • Super King Bed OR 2 Twin beds (let us know you preference before arrival)
  • Sea Views
  • Large Bay Window Sitting Area
  • 2 Sofa Beds – best suited for children or smaller persons
  • Hairdryer
  • Coffee & Tea Making Facilities
  • Free Wifi
  • En-suite with step in shower
  • You must go up 30 stairs to reach this room
  • Flat Screen TV
  • Important: This room is totally separate to the other 2 deluxe rooms so access to the balcony lounge is not permitted when staying in this room unless you have booked the other 2 Type 1 deluxe rooms as well.

 

Booking Tip!: Remember to always book direct for the best rates. Check out our price promise here. 

Raasay – Price promise, book direct for best hotel room rates

Third-Party Booking Sites – they are not always cheaper

balcony sea view raasay house hotel skye

Like many hotels and other accommodation providers, we sell rooms through third-party sites to reach a greater audience. This is a double-edged sword because although we do get the benefits of reaching a wider audience we also have to pay very high commission rates. Not only that but the level of support received from these platforms can be shockingly inadequate for both ourselves and our customers despite the hefty sum they claim in commission. To counteract this extra cost to our small family run business we have to charge more through third party booking sites than we do direct.

Our Price Promise

When you book directly with us we do not have any commission to pay and this allows us to offer the very best direct rates to our customers. On top of receiving lower rates booking directly with us also cuts out the middle man when it comes to guest communications. This means that we receive much more accurate information about who is staying in the room and what their individual requirements are, which in turn makes for a far superior guest experience.

Our promise is this: if you find a better price than our direct prices anywhere online for the same room, same rate category, same number of guests for the same dates…. not only will we match it …we will give you an additional £10 off of your nightly rate to say thanks for pointing it out to us.

CLICK HERE TO BOOK THE CHEAPEST DIRECT RATES GUARANTEED!

Isle of Raasay – Traveller questions

In this post we have compiled a list of questions and answers based on the most asked questions by travellers who are researching Raasay online.
Raasay House Hotel
Raasay House from Tempation Hill
  1. “Can I visit Raasay?” – Yes! You can visit the island via the ferry that departs form Sconser on Skye. Check the Calmac website for the appropriate ferry timetable for the time of year that you are planning to visit.  You can visit as a day visitors or stay over in one of our 21 bedrooms.
  2. “Can you drive on Raasay?” – Yes! There are not many roads on Raasay but you may need a vehicle if you don’t cycle and you plan to explore the North of the island or some of the more out of the way spots.
  3. “Is Raasay inhabited?” – Yes! There are around 170 residents that live here on the island.
  4. “Who owns the Isle of Raasay?” –  The island is not owned by any one party. The island has areas owned by the forestry commission, independent crofters, other private owners, community organisations.
  5. “Are there any bars and restaurants on Raasay?” –  Currently there is a restaurant and bar at Raasay House Hotel.
  6. “Is there a petrol station on Raasay?” – No, so please make sure you fill up before coming over. The nearest filling stations are at Broadford or Portree on Skye (both 20 mins from the Sconser ferry terminal)
  7. “How big is the Isle of Raasay?” – The island is 14 miles by 5 miles and has a an area of 62.31 km². This is just a little smaller than Manhattan Island in New York although the population there is around 1.5 million more than the Isle of Raasay population.
  8. “Where do I get the Raasay ferry from?”– The Raasay ferry leaves from Sconser on Skye. The ferry takes about 20-25 minutes, there are 9 ferries a day except on Sundays where there are only 3.
  9. “Do I need to book the Raasay ferry?” – No, just make sure you are in the queue about 10-15 minutes before the ferry is due to depart. You buy your tickets on the ferry.
  10. “Does the Raasay ferry take card payments?” – Yes
  11. “Is there an ATM on Raasay?” – No, there isn’t but you can withdraw money from the Post Office.
  12. “Is there a supermarket on Raasay?” – No, however, there is a great community owned shop called Raasay Community Stores. There is also a Post Office within the store where you can withdraw money as you would at an ATM.
  13. “Is Raasay part of the inner Hebrides?” – Yes, the Isle of Raasay is part of an archipelago of islands which make up the Inner Hebrides of Scotland.
  14. “Is Raasay the same as Rothesay?” – No, they are not the same, Rothesay is a wee town on the Isle of Bute
  15. “Is Dun Caan a volcano?” – It’s not a volcano but is volcanic in origin and is comprised of Basalt.
  16. “Where is Raasay?” – The island of Raasay lies nestled between the Scottish mainland and the Isle of Skye. This unique position offers visitors to Raasay arguably some of the best views in Scotland.
  17. “Is Dun Caan a Monroe?” – No, Dun Caan is 1771.65 feet high whereas Munros are 3000 feet or more high.
  18. “What do people who live on Raasay do?” – The main employers for the Raasay population are: Raasay House Hotel, Raasay Distillery, Raasay Community Stores, Caledonian MacBrayne Clyde & Hebridean Ferries. There are also some independent businesses such as those making jewellery/gifts, a sawmill, building contractors, crofting of course and more.
  19. “What is the top rated hotel on Raasay” – Raasay House Hotel is rated number one on TripAdvisor.
  20. “Is there any cell reception on Raasay?” – Yes, the mobile phone or cell signal on Raasay is really quite good in most areas.
  21. “Was the UK TV show SAS Who Dares Wins filmed on Raasay?” – YES!  Raasay was the location for seasons 5 & 6 of this hit TV show and for seasons 2 & 3 of Celebrity SAS Who Dares Wins (both filmed in 2019 and 2020).  Raasay House Hotel was used as a base of operations for the crew in both instances.