Portavadie Marina, Argyll

So marinas are just for avid yachties. Right? Wrong. Stunning Portavadie Marina in deepest, wildest Argyll is a world class marina, but also offers a remarkable array of accommodation, from posh backpacker dorms through to stylish luxury apartments and on to one of the most romantic escapes for a honeymoon couple imaginable. And that is not even mentioning their brace of restaurants and excellent massage treatments, which all combine to make Portavadie more of a destination than a marina.

The marina and resort that today sits by the tiny hamlet of Portavadie owes its existence, somewhat bizarrely, to the oil industry. The sheltered rectangular bay was carved from the Atlantic with the aim of building concrete oil platforms in the 1970s and a whole workers’ village was also built nearby. The project turned out to be a white elephant as the anticipated demand never came and it was abandoned.

We Were Bowled Over

We had seen photos of the faded old Portavadie site so we were bowled over on arrival at the multi-million pound 230-berth marina, which opened for business in 2009. By the rows of moorings stands an elegant, glass, steel and wood oasis laden with a restaurant, bar, a chic shop, treatment room and viewing tower where you can take all of this luxurious development in.

Great Value Lodge

New in 2011 were a separate lodge with its own restaurant, apartments, hotel-style rooms and dorms. The comfy dorms are great value from less than £20 B&B a night, while even the large apartments with their own balconies are a snip, starting at less than £70 a night.

Luxurious Self Catering Cottages and Apartments

Portavadie also have stand alone cottages and Tighnamara, a luxurious turf roofed retreat set all on its own that is ideal for those aforementioned honeymooners. The best thing about our interconnecting split-level apartments in the main development were the views. The glass floor to ceiling windows really showed off Kintyre across the water and the impressive crags of the Arran mountains. Sunrises were spectacular with the rugged panorama exploding in an array of fiery reds and deep oranges.

It was clear to see that a lot of money and thought has been poured into the accommodation. We had a designer kitchen, a powerful speaker system we could plug our Ipods into and there were flat screen TVs on both levels. The kids loved hanging out in the sunshine on balconies, while I also enjoyed the sauna, which was ideal for a spot of relaxation when the little ones were tucked up in bed.

Destination in its own Right

Coming all this way just to stay at a marina might sound like a funny idea, but the people behind it are determined to turn it into a ‘destination’ that attracts everyone from backpackers through to families and on to millionaires. We were certainly never bored during our three night stay. One minute we were enjoying a rejuvenating massage and facial and the next we were playing on the in-room Nintendo Wii consoles.

The chefs at Portavadie are also skilled in getting the best out of the local seafood. We feasted on lovely plump oysters from Loch Fyne, enjoyed juicy scallops from the same loch with clams, mussels and langoustines all part of the lunch and dinners we grazed through. One night we even had a chef in our apartment conjuring up a feast fit for one of the old kings of Dalriada, who used to preside over this intoxicatingly beautiful part of Scotland.

Handy Ferry

We made a point of venturing a little further afield to check out the surrounding area. The Cal Mac ferry from Portavadie across to Tarbert on Kintyre was really handy. In less than half an hour we were wandering around this pretty fishing port watching the local fleet in action and checking out the little art galleries that recline back from the water.

Back at Portavadie I rambled off one morning on the first section of the famous Cowal Way. This wide, chunky path was ideal for a fast walk, but as soon as I gained some height I battled off through the forests in search of a hill I had been eyeing from the marina. The steep climb was well worth it as a sweeping panorama unfolded with Portavadie Marina tucked below me and Kintyre, Loch Fyne, Arran and the open Atlantic all stretching out in front.

The idea of spending a weekend at a marina without actually getting on a yacht may seem a little bizarre to confirmed yachties, but the adults and kids alike in our group found Portavadie Marina an excellent destination for a break away from it all. Best of all this impressive new marina comes surrounded by the sort of epic scenery that makes Scotland such a special country to live in or visit.

More development, including a new a leisure centre with swimming pool is planned.

Portavadie Marina, Portavadie, Loch Fyne, Argyll, PA21 2DA.Tel: 01700 811075. www.portavadie.com

InsiderScotland Rating  [effortless-gm address=”[effortless-gm address=”Portavadie Marina, Portavadie, Loch Fyne, Argyll, PA21 2DA”]

For Families 8/10

For a Romantic Break 9/10

For Food 8/10

For Business People 8/10

InsiderScotland Rating 8/10