The Bridge Hotel rests by the banks of the famous Helmsdale River, close to the North Sea peppered with seals and otters, near a working harbour bobbing with fishing boats and below a Strath where hundreds of deer gently roam the wild outdoors. Built circa 1816 as a traveller’s inn (Ross’s Commercial Inn) and situated in the heart of the village of Helmsdale on the East Coast of Scotland, the building is steeped in history and tradition, positioned at the head of the old Helmsdale River Bridge. Served by two airports – Inverness and Wick – it is conveniently situated on the main axis between Inverness, Thurso and John o’Groats, offering a perfect base for exploring the wonders of the Highlands. The 200 year old building has been transformed by its present owner, Conservationist Christian Gross, into a warm and vibrant 21st century country hotel which was recently referred to as a ‘delight’ by the Sunday Times travel journalist Chris Haslam.

Run by the former Channel 4 newsreader and BBC Tomorrow’s World Presenter Shahnaz Pakravan, theirs is a partnership that believes in keeping things simple and unembellished, both in terms of hospitality and the food that is served up in their fine dining restaurant ‘The Green stag’. Despite Shahnaz’s background, there are no televisions in the rooms. Instead, the hotel has invested hugely in local natural history and art, in an effort to keep alive what this region stands for. With the help of the National Museum Scotland, the National Museum of Ireland, as well as local game keepers, stalkers, gillies and fishermen, they have accumulated one of the most unique and unusual collections of local fauna, not to be confused with a ‘trophy gallery’. Their art collection consists of over 200 nature paintings ranging from oils to water colours to original prints.

The hotel, though completely modernised, with 18 en-suite bedrooms all decorated to a very high standard, retains much of its original charm including the woodwork and panelling which glow with the warmth of open log fires.

The restaurant, which is open to the public, pays homage to Scotland’s best produce, specializing in game and seafood sourced straight from the hills and the sea. The Green Stag doesn’t expose itself to exotic enhancements, trendy ingredients and fusion cooking but delivers hearty fares with the most sought after raw materials of modern eating, served absolutely unembellished. The cooking is healthy, as game and wild fish are naturally organic, helping to keep the environmental footprint of the food to an absolute minimum.

On the menu, traditional game and seafood specialities include consomme of red deer, lobster bisque with cognac, emincee of roe deer Zurichoise, fillet of beef stroganoff, hare pate, red deer pate, red deer stag steaks and chops, Caithness fillet of beef with béarnaise sauce, Helmsdale crab claws and Scrabster seabass with samphire. The more informal Lounge Bar serves various home made soups, red deer goulash and ragout, smoked salmon sandwiches and assorted Bridge Hotel desserts like Highland Heaven and frozen honey & cognac cream. 

“We want to remain simple with our very own style that hopefully reflects the surroundings in which the Hotel is situated. We assume our clients travel this far North to experience the real Scotland and with it, true good old-fashioned hospitality. We therefore try to represent the Highlands, with our decor and food, whilst offering a service that may have gone amiss in the larger establishments of the big cities. Whether visiting for a relaxing break, sport or business, the Bridge Hotel promises a true Highland experience”

Shahnaz Pakravan