A slice of Highland history
Built in 1718, the original fort featured two three-storey barrack buildings capable of housing up to 60 soldiers each, held within a protective curtain wall. You can connect back to this time in history when you stay here, as the west curtain of the old fort still stands in the hotel grounds. This played a significant role in the Jacobite story, most notably in 1745, when Bonnie Prince Charlie visited and Jacobite forces seized the barracks to bombard Fort Augustus before marching to the Battle of Culloden.
How The Lovat began
The Lovat’s own chapter began in 1869, when a station hotel known simply as ‘The Inn’ was built on the site. With the arrival of the railway built through Fort Augustus in 1903, it evolved into ‘The Lovat Arms & Station Hotel’ — a name that reflected its growing importance as a stopover for travellers exploring the Highlands. When the railway ceased passenger service in 1911, the word ‘station’ was dropped, and it became ‘The Lovat’.
The Lovat, Loch Ness
Fast forward to 2005 and the hotel was bought by David, Geraldine and Caroline Gregory, who spent the next few years investing over £1 million to upgrade the property. To honour its Highland setting and deepen its connection to the area, they renamed it The Lovat Loch Ness.
Keeping it in the family
In 2011, Sean Kelly took over the kitchen as Head Chef, and following a hospitality romance, he and Caroline married in May 2015. Shortly afterwards, Sean bought David and Geraldine’s share of the business, and together, Sean and Caroline became the proud owners of The Lovat.
And so, the story of The Lovat continues…
