How Many Guests?
The accommodation is:
- ideal for a romantic break for a couple
- spacious luxury for a single guest
- adaptable for a small family group
The maximum occupancy is two adults, or parents with two children aged 12 or under (by special arrangement).
Children
A travel cot with sheet and mattress is provided for a baby, and a stair gate for the top of the internal stairway. Please bear in mind that the house is not furnished to be completely toddler-proof.
No Dogs or pets, sorry!
We regret that dogs or other pets are strictly not allowed at Back Brae Lodge, for health reasons. Please don’t ask if we can make an exception for your extremely well-behaved dog…
You don’t have to be on holiday.
We’ve had many guests in the past who were escaping hectic urban life for a while, but not necessarily for a holiday. Whether writing, researching or working professionally in some other way, Back Brae Lodge makes an excellent office-away-from-home for days or weeks of undistracted concentration, with inclusive landline and fast Internet connectivity.
Around The House
Back Brae Lodge is an open-plan residence furnished to a high standard. The spacious L-shaped upper floor combines the living area, sitting area, dining area and kitchen.
The lower floor of Back Brae Lodge is accessible through both the internal staircase and a separate lower entrance from outdoors. It comprises a lobby and drying room, bathroom and double (kingsize) bedroom.
The building was originally a mason’s workshop before it was extended into shop premises for Tobermory Chocolate then Music Scotland. It was converted and renovated as residential self-catering.
Back Brae Lodge sits by the rock face which surrounds the natural harbour of Tobermory on all sides. There is an outside decked area with table and chairs for your use.
Parking
Nearest car parking is on Main Street, about 15 metres (50ft) away. There are currently no designated or residential parking spaces on Main Street, nor in fact on the street anywhere in Tobermory, other than one Disabled bay by the Co-Op. There are no charges for car parking anywhere in Tobermory and a parking space can usually be found near the house without much problem. The street is always less busy before 10am and after 6pm – outwith working hours and when day visitors to the town have left. There is also a large off-street car park by the garage and Harbour Association buildings on the opposite side of the bay, where the public service buses to and from Craignure operate. This is a 5-minute walk – though normally longer if you are distracted by the shop windows on Main Street…
Shopping
You can get your groceries and most other essentials in the Co-Op supermarket, 2 minutes’ walk away on Main Street. Another useful nearby shop is the legendary Brown’s hardware store, well known as an “Aladdin’s cave”!
What’s Provided?
Back Brae Lodge is completely non-smoking inside, however the outside decked porch area can be used.
Free and fast WiFi Internet
There is Wi-Fi Internet access for your laptop, tablet or mobile phone. Bring your own Ethernet cable to plug into the wireless router if you prefer. There is no limit on usage. Tobermory benefits from a superfast fibre broadband connection to the mainland so the current download speed in Back Brae Lodge is around 37Mbps and upload speed is 9Mbps.
Free Telephone
Many outgoing call services are free from the landline telephone supplied. There is a 1571 answering service on the phone where you can pick up messages. The mobile phone signal in the house is good.
Bed & Towels
On the lower floor there is one bedroom with a kingsize bed, wardbrobe and cupboard storage for clothes. A hand towel, face towel and bath towel are provided – bring an extra large bath towel if you prefer to use these.
Kitchen
The kitchen features a breakfast bar and includes a dual oven and grill, ceramic hob, microwave, washing machine and dishwasher. There is an under-counter fridge, a separate small freezer, a range of pans & utensils and tea towels. The dining table seats up to six people.
Services
The property is heated by timed electric heaters. Hot water is supplied by a timed electric immersion tank. There are fire alarms and extinguishers throughout the house. Downstairs, there is an iron & ironing board, condenser tumble dryer, a drying pulley for clothes, towels and linen and a hair dryer. There is no additional charge for electricity. The upper floor space can be blacked out with the curtains and Velux blinds. There is a sliding wooden partition door which can be pulled across to split the room into two spaces.
Consumables
A basic supply of household items is provided which most guests find last the duration of their stay. If you run short, you’ll find further supplies in the Co-Op, a couple of minutes’ walk away and open late. Items provided normally include toilet roll, kitchen roll, vegetable oil, salt and pepper, tea and coffee (but not milk). There should also be a good supply of washing up liquid, dishwasher tablets, washing machine powder, and bathroom & kitchen cleaning materials. These are all provided for convenience so aren’t meant to be removed from the house on your departure.
Indoor Entertainment
There is a 40″ HD television with Freesat HD satellite live broadcast channels. We also provide Amazon Fire on-demand TV with streaming entertainment services. Free accounts include Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and BBC iPlayer, or you can sign in to your own account. There is also a DVD player with a library of movies to choose from. Playing cards & board games on hand include Trivial Pursuit and Scrabble. Artwork in the house is by Shelagh Boyle, Ronnie Leckie, Bryan Evans, Angus Stewart and Norman Wilkinson, with historical maps from the National Library of Scotland.
Outdoor Activities
There is a diverse collection of books and maps to borrow, including guides and histories of the local area and Scotland. Your bicycle, canoe, surfboard or similar item can be stored either in the lobby or outdoors, behind the house on the decking. The risk of theft is very low, but remember your own locks if you prefer to secure your belongings outside.
