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Portavadie Marina - A rather remote Gem


We visited the Portavadie marina complex for a 3 night long weekend in September 2015. Portavadie is a little hamlet in Argyle Scotland about 5 miles from tignabruaich. It is served by a single track road or via a ferry from Tarbert (more about the ferry later). The complex has various options for accommodation including a lodge style hotel, which we opted for, and a selection of different types and grades of self catering accommodation. The complex as well as catering for the land lubber also caters for the boating fraternity who use the excellent marina facilities. There are a number of bars and restaurants within the complex and the star of the show has got to be the Spa and leisure facilities with its outdoor heated jacuzzis and infinity pool.

If if you are considering going to Portavadie and are travelling by car from the south your route will take you along the A83 rest and be thankful road. Big tip, don't forget to turn left along the A815 or you will end up at Tarbert a mere 93 miles by road from your destination separated by the sea (technically it may still be a loch at that point however it's a sea loch ultimately connected to the North Sea!). Anyway the good news and lifesaver for me is that a car ferry runs every 30 minutes from Tarbert to Portavadie.

WE stayed at the lodge hotel in a very nice ground floor room with a view out over the loch and ferry slipway. The lodge has its own restuarant and bar and the food was of a good standard and well presented in a contemporary style. Breakfast in the morning was continental but adequate with cereals, juice, fruit, breads, meats, chees & pastries. We also had dinner one evening in the Marina restuarant. A bit more plush and up market and again food and service was very good. There is a further bar and bistro at the SPA complex and again this was good although much more informal and ideal for lunch or a day time snack.

The lodge is a fair distance from the SPA complex probably a 15-20 minute walk although we had our bikes with us so it was an ideal 5 minute cycle away. I'd say the SPA complex is the best I have experienced in Scotland and the outdoor Jacuzzis and infinity pool are just sublime, beautifully heated and a touch surreal to be relaxing in a pool outdoors in Argyll Scotland in September but relax and enjoy we did.

E verything about this stay was good and nothing makes it to the bad category. As far as niggles struggling there as well perhaps the only slighly negative comment would be that the complex is pretty remote at least a couple of miles to the nearest village but that wasnt much of an issue for us.

My first 10 out of 10 on my blog and we will definitly return one day hopefully soon.


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