TO GET LOST

Foyers Lodge

Foyers - United Kingdom

Beautiful Victorian lodge above Loch Ness, on the quiet side of the water. Six rooms, fireside dinners and Highland weather at the windows.

Adults Only

Pet Friendly

Restaurant

Fireplace

Library

Hike

THE SETTING

Foyers Lodge sits above Loch Ness, in a small village on the quieter south-eastern shore. The famous side of the loch gets the coach stops, castle traffic and monster stories. Here, the road is narrower, the woods come closer, and the water feels less like a postcard.

The building dates back to 1863. Before that, this part of Foyers already had its place in Highland history. General Wade’s military road passed through the estate in the 18th century, with soldiers, travellers and supply routes moving along the lochside. Later came Victorian sporting life, fishing, shooting, fireside evenings and the kind of Highland hospitality that belonged to long journeys and rougher roads.

In 2025, Foyers Lodge entered a new chapter with Reita Lebrock and her son Jeb S. Chatha. The house is still small, adult-focused and very much tied to the landscape outside: Loch Ness below, pine woods behind, the Falls of Foyers nearby, and long Highland days that often end best by the fire.

THE ROOMS

There are six en-suite rooms in the main house and one private apartment.

The bedrooms sit upstairs, reached by the main staircase. Rooms 2, 3 and 4 are the ones to book for a direct loch view; the others look towards woodland or take in a softer mix of trees and water. Several rooms have roll-top baths, some placed in the bedroom, some tucked into a dressing area.

The style is rich without feeling stiff. Dark blues and greens, patterned walls, old furniture, brass, mirrors, Scottish wool and proper beds give the rooms personality. It is more theatrical than rustic, but still right for the Highlands: colour against grey weather, warmth against the loch outside.

The private apartment has its own entrance at the rear of the property. It was once the Victorian hotel laundry and now works well for guests who want more space, a small kitchen and a little separation from the main house. It does not have a loch view, so it is better for privacy than panorama.

THE FOOD

Breakfast is served in the dining room, with Loch Ness below the windows. The menu is properly thought through: homemade bread, jam, honey, marmalade, yoghurt with granola or apple compote, fruit, pastries, porridge, Scottish pancakes, mushrooms on toast, smoked salmon with eggs, and the full Scottish for guests heading out into the hills.

Dinner is now part of the Foyers Lodge experience again. Chef Venesa prepares seasonal menus with Scottish produce and a short, comforting rhythm: salmon, scallops, Highland brie, lamb shank, seafood gratin, ox cheek pie, roast cauliflower, puddings, sorbets and a lodge brûlée.

The bar stays open until 23:00 for guests and evening diners. Whisky, Scottish gins, seasonal cocktails, wine, warm drinks, the fire, the terrace in blankets, sometimes the piano — it gives the lodge its evening shape.

THE STAY

Foyers Lodge works beautifully in bad weather. Rain on the windows, low cloud over the loch, a dark drawing room, a dram, a fire, dinner downstairs. Sunshine is welcome, of course, but the house does not depend on it.

The drawing room is the place to settle in: deep colours, a wood-burning stove, piano, bar, sofas and the kind of light that changes through the afternoon. Outside, the garden drops the eye towards Loch Ness, with trees and water pulling everything into the same frame.

Most guests come for a few quiet days rather than a busy hotel programme. Walk to the falls. Drive the south side of the loch. Read. Eat. Take one of the loch-view rooms and watch the weather move across the water.

Private Highland itineraries, chauffeur services, country sports, fishing, golf, whisky tours and boat trips can be arranged, but the best stays probably leave room for doing less. The lodge gives you enough: the loch, the fire, the food, the old road, the woods.

AROUND FOYERS LODGE

Foyers is a small village on the south side of Loch Ness, about 20 miles from Inverness. This side of the water is calmer than the better-known western road, with woodland, waterfalls, walking trails and fewer crowds. The Falls of Foyers are close to the lodge, dropping through a wooded gorge before the river reaches Loch Ness. Robert Burns wrote about them after visiting in the 18th century, and they are still the easiest walk to do from the house. The South Loch Ness Trail passes through the area, linking paths, quiet roads, viewpoints and forest sections along the lesser-seen side of the loch. It also forms part of the longer Loch Ness 360 route for walkers and cyclists.

For bigger outings, Inverness, Fort Augustus, Urquhart Castle, Culloden Battlefield and Clava Cairns are all within reach by car. The drive along General Wade’s Military Road is part of the pleasure, with open Highland views, loch glimpses and the sense of being just far enough from the obvious route.

Guests can also plan fishing, kayaking, golf, horse riding, whisky distillery visits, wildlife watching or simple days by the water. Loch Ness brings the name recognition, but Foyers gives the stay its quieter rhythm.

THE OWNERS

Foyers Lodge is owned by Reita Lebrock and her son Jeb S. Chatha. They arrived in 2025, after the major restoration years led by the previous owners. Their background is rooted in farming, and the official direction now places more emphasis on local produce, sustainability, Highland food and community connection. Reita also has a personal interest in future wellbeing weekends focused on neurodiversity.

GOOD TO KNOW

There are six en-suite rooms in the main house and one private apartment with its own entrance. The lodge is adults-only, with guests welcome from age 16. There are no family-connecting rooms. Pets are not accepted.

Foyers Lodge is around 20 miles from Inverness. Inverness Airport is the most convenient airport and usually takes around 45–60 minutes by car, depending on route and conditions.

Prices start at £235 per night for the smaller rooms, with a two-night minimum stay.