T
he restoration of the iconic former
John O’Groats Hotel is part of Natural
Retreats’ multimillion-pound regeneration
of this stunningly picturesque natural wilderness
escape in Caithness in the North of Scotland.
Originally built in 1875, the iconic former
hotel in John O’Groats has been carefully
restored over the past two years and has had
a new Norse-style extension added which
provides a dramatic splash of colour against the
coastal landscape.
The interior combines high-quality old and
new styling in keeping with the marriage of
the historic former hotel and the eye-catching
new extension. The Inn boasts bespoke selfcatering apartments with 1, 2 or 4 bedrooms,
each offering its own individual character and
all of the high-quality facilities and luxuries you
would expect from Natural Retreats. All of the
apartments feature modern kitchen/living areas,
stylish bedrooms and bathrooms and a variety of
windows providing guests with vantage points to
enjoy vast views of the dramatic John O’Groats
coastal scenery across the Pentland Firth onto
Stroma and the Orkneys—some of the most
breath-taking coastal views in Scotland.
As with all Natural Retreats properties, the
Inn at John O’Groats has been sensitively
developed keeping sustainability front of mind.
Local craftsmen used locally sourced materials,
such as Caithness stone and Scottish Larch
timber, wherever possible.
The opening of the Inn at John O’Groats is
part of Natural Retreats’ regeneration project
in the area. This huge investment has seen the
creation of 23 luxury residences, a co-operative
Storehouse café selling produce and goods
from local businesses and a brand new activity
and retail Outfitters centre, where visitors can
book a range of activities such as a sea safari,
scuba-diving and guided walks, as well as
purchase equipment, clothing and supplies for
outdoor pursuits.
Origins
The original building at John O’Groats was
an ancient house believed to be situated to
the east of the present building in front of
the Storehouse. The house was the home
of Dutchman Jan de Groot and his family,
originally from Holland, said to have settled
here about 1489, who obtained a grant for
the ferry from the Scottish mainland to Orkney
which was acquired from Norway, from James IV,
King of Scots, in 1496. Jan de Groot ran a ferry
to Orkney and charged 2p a trip. The coin for
this denomination became known as the ‘groat’.
Over a period of time the name Jan de Groot
has subsequently changed to John O’Groats.
The house was of an octagon shape, being
one room, with eight windows and eight doors,
to admit eight members of the family; the heads
of different branches of it, to prevent their
quarrels for precedence at table. Each came in
by this contrivance at his own door, and sat at
an octagon table, at which, of course, there was
no chief place or head.
The previous incarnation of the John
O’Groats Hotel was completed in 1875 and now
forms the White Toft of the Inn. One of the men
who built the original building was Alexander
Dunnet, the great-grandfather of Anne Dunnet
(the Lord Lieutenant of Caithness). A picture
of the Dunnet family, including Alexander and
Anne, can be seen in the reception area of the
main entrance.
Sadly, the original hotel fell into decline
and in 2010 Natural Retreats began a journey
to restore the building to its former glory
by transforming it to create a high-quality,
sustainable holiday accommodation.
www.naturalretreats.com
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THEN AND NOW
The landscape of the site prior to Natural
Retreats’ arrival was of a typical North Highlands
field used for grazing livestock and as such
contained few vertical features. The challenge
faced when planning the site was to respect
the existing landscape whilst enhancing the
experience of guests. The location of each
residence has been carefully thought through in
order to maximise the stunning views wherever
possible. Natural Retreats also set about
creating bunds—mounds of landscaped earth—
in order to maintain an element of privacy as
well as acting as a natural wind breaker. Now
fully grown