Luxury self catering without the hassle

Jura Lodge, West Scotland

When French designer Bambi Sloan was called in to revamp the former head distiller's house of Jura's whisky distillery, she took the name - and the island's 5,000-strong population of deer - as her inspiration. The lodge's five bedrooms, sea-facing lounge and open-plan kitchen/living room are peppered with deer motif crockery, deer-shaped hooks and chairs that are fashioned from antlers. The overall effect is more sophisticated than it sounds though. Antique French linen, cosy old leather sofas and a reconditioned 1950s Brazilian café fridge add to the classy, vintage feel.

Sleeps Up to 10 people.

The extras Besides the welcome hamper, if you don't want to cook you can book chef François Bernier to come over from nearby Islay to whip up something memorable - often lobster, caught by a local diver.

To do Drink! The Jura distillery next door runs good informative tours and you can hop across on the ferry to Islay and do a trip around its eight distilleries. On Jura, the landscape is dominated by the three soaring Paps (mountains) and the notorious Corryvreckan whirlpool, just off the north coast. Barnhill, the house that George Orwell rented here when he wrote 'Nineteen Eighty-Four', is now privately let, but you can walk near it. Other attractions include Jura House's lovely gardens.

The Guestbook "The lodge is packed with so many vintage finds you're in danger of losing your possessions among the décor. But it's not fussy or twee. A calming paint palette reflects the sea and the surrounding Hebridean landscape - there are none of the usual Scottish interior clichés here," says Rebecca Baker from Glasgow.

Costs From £5,000 per week. Visit www.isleofjura.com/lodge or call 01496 820385.

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