Prince Charles attends opening of luxurious bed and breakfast at the Castle of Mey
The Prince of Wales, Prince Charles threw open a new luxury bed and breakfast at The Castle of Mey in the North Highlands. Prince Charles, who is president of The Prince's Foundation, was behind the creation of The Granary Lodge, which opened to bookings on May 15.
The Granary Lodge is a multi-million-pound development overlooking The Pentland Firth to Orkney. The property has been converted into 10 bedrooms over three storeys, including two luxury suites and a disability-friendly room. All the bedrooms have en-suite bathrooms and also a king sized bed and two have suites with their own lounge areas.
The administrator of The Queen Elizabeth Castle of Mey Trust, Shirley Farquhar, said, "We are excited about opening the accommodation to the public, enabling us to generate year-round employment for local people and provide a valuable asset to tourism in Caithness. As luxury accommodation, a unique wedding venue, and a conference center, The Granary Lodge will, we hope, create a considerable positive ripple effect within the local economy."
"We welcome His Royal Highness to The Castle of Mey each year for his holiday here and, given his strong affinity and family connection to Caithness, it was fitting that he paid us the honor of formally opening The Granary Lodge," Farquhar continued. In 2007, a visitor's center was commissioned and a new animal center was opened around two years ago. The rooms at the lodge are available at prices such as £145, £155.
The director of outreach for the Prince's Foundation Robert Lovie shared, "We are delighted that The Prince's vision for The Granary Lodge has been realized and hope the development means more people will visit the North Highlands of Scotland to experience its unique offering to tourists. Our team has completed a wealth of hard work in recent months and is pleased with the result, which we hope will encourage people to spend longer in beautiful Caithness, an area so close to the heart of His Royal Highness."
"Our objective for the interior design was to achieve a classic and timeless style that reflects the special affinity between The Castle of Mey and The Queen Mother. Upon entering the building, guests will notice Her Majesty’s cipher 'ER' featured in the reception area. All of the fittings, fabrics, and fixtures are of a traditional style in keeping with the interior of the castle itself, and there is a strong Scottish feel that mirrors Her Majesty’s great love for Scotland," Lovie continued.
The Castle of Mey had been built by the 4th Earl of Caithness and was purchased by Prince Charles’s grandmother Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother in 1952 till 1996 when it was gifted to The Queen Elizabeth Castle of Mey Trust. In 1996, Prince Charles was appointed as president of The Queen Elizabeth Castle of Mey Trust.
The VisitScotland Regional Leadership Director Chris Taylor shared, "The opening of The Granary Lodge offers visitors to this beautiful part of the North Highlands a fantastic opportunity to linger for longer in luxury in Caithness. We know that the NC500 is just one of the many attractions that bring visitors from around the world to Caithness and we hope that they will use The Granary Lodge as a base to really explore and discover the treasures in and around Thurso, John O'Groats and Wick."
"The North Highlands is an area not only rich in history and culture but one which also boasts a number of distilleries and castles. It also has amazing wildlife and breathtaking scenery at various locations, including Dunnet Head and Duncansby Head, with sea stacks and sandstone cliffs packed with sea birds, including puffins."