Our brand new cruise and stay combination is ideal for those seeking a truly unique, very relaxed and memorable way to explore the west highlands.

Perfect for that romantic break, you start your holiday with a 3 night cruise of the sheltered waters of the Clyde. After days of relaxed exploration, you will take a short drive to one of our favourite hidden gems of small hotels, tucked away in a lochside location in the west highlands - a hotel with a fabulous reputation for food especially seafood.

Your Vessel

The Glen Massan, is a lovingly restored and significantly enhanced 85 ft traditional wooden boat converted to the highest standards to carry 12 passengers, with 6 double ensuite cabins. It offers the comfort and space of a larger vessel and the intimacy of a self chartered yacht.

Your exact itinerary will vary depending on time of the week and year - we can confrim details to you in advance. Cruises cover the sheltered waters of the west highlands taking in the beautiful local lochs such as Loch Riddon and Striven, the Kyles of Bute and the Isle of Arran, visiting area's inaccessible by road.

Your cruise includes a drinks reception upon boarding, all meals on board and wine with your evening meal.

Typical day aboard

Wake up and help yourself to a cup of tea or coffee whilst relaxing and looking out to sea. Early birds can be run ashore for their morning constitutional. Breakfast is served in the saloon between 8 and 9am. Talk over with the skipper the itinerary for the day and discuss with him any particular expeditions you want included. Typically the vessel will cruise for two hours in the morning and two in the afternoon and shore activities can be tailored around that. Take morning coffee when ever you like as a percolator and kettles are always available and help yourself to nibbles from the fresh fruit bowl, biscuits and snacks. Lunch and dinner is served at the communal table - the menu is discussed with the cook each day and she will be only too happy to accommodate special requests. Afternoon tea is around 5pm depending on the other activities and dinner will be served at 7.30pm.
After dinner relax taking in the evening film if you wish, alternatively go ashore to a local ceilidh or a stroll in the long summer twilight or just relax before being gently lulled to sleep.

After your cruise time for a relaxing stay ashore in an award winning small hotel in the west Highlands, around 45 minutes drive from where you disembark

Your hotel

Enjoying spectacular views across the Kyles to the tiny Isle of Bute, your hotel dominates Tighnabruaich's captivating shoreline, offering a warm and supremely romantic welcome. As you step over the Victorian threshold, look out for the mosaic floor in the vestibule ' it was laid by Italian prisoners of war whose exquisite legacy belies their no-doubt harsh war-time existence.

Sumptuous local seafood is a speciality here, the chef using only the finest of ingredients from trusted suppliers to create the best in Scottish cuisine, whether you choose the rarefied surroundings of the fine dining room or the more informal brasserie. Even breakfast is something of a culinary masterpiece here, and passing yachts have been known to moor up at the hotel to sample the breakfast of all breakfasts - scallops, bacon and champagne!

Prices for Cruise & stay holidays start from £829per person , based on 2 people sharing, for 5 nights between April and October 2008, on a bed & breakfast basis in the hotel and an all inclusive basis on the boat. Longer holidays are available and the cruise option can be added to any of our other featured holidays.

Transfers from Glasgow Airport if required can be arranged.

Ask us if you would like to extend this holiday with another of our hand-picked hotels.

All our touring holidays include a map of Scotland with recommended routes from your specified starting point, suggestions on places to see and visit depending on your personal interests and our expertise to help you get the most from your holiday.

All itineraries and room types are presented subject to availability at specific hotels.

Special note: a 25% deposit is required to secure a place on this or any of our holidays which include cruising.

The McKinlay Kidd Guarantee

All our holiday prices include a service charge of £7 per person per night towards the costs we incur in researching, planning and designing your holiday.

We guarantee to refund this service charge if you believe that arranging your holiday through McKinlay Kidd has not met your expectations for value. All we ask is that you write to us within 7 days of your return and explain your reason for claiming the refund. This will ensure that we can improve the experience for all our future guests.