All Hail the Newcomer

Well, I am happy to say that The Imperial is just fabulous. Moving away from the many traditional-style establishments which populate the Highlands, The Imperial is slick and shiny: it smells new and expensive, and the operation is as smooth as the interior design. With more than a hint of the late Anders Ousback, The Imperial was even more impressive in looks and service than I had envisaged.

The owners generously threw open the doors on Saturday afternoon to all those who had assisted in the regeneration of the site, and it was the perfect weather to show off the intelligent design of the hotel. With some people-watching (and posing) tables on the front verandah, and a peaceful, sheltered-but-sunny courtyard in the back, the forecast for summer at The Imperial is fine and frantic. I was most impressed by the small and unobtrusive gaming room: not for the "entertainment", but for the way the inclusion of it does not impact on the rest of the hotel. A pool room with two tables makes up one side of the U-shaped rear which surrounds the courtyard, with the "facilities" on the other side. The kitchen is partially open, and it was rather pleasing for us to peer in and see what we had contributed to the fit-out!

Speaking of the kitchen, we were fortunate enough to taste some of the creations from Jamie and his team. I have to admit to doing a George Costanza, and positioning myself right in front of the point from where the food was emerging: the ravenous hoards were falling upon the trays, and not much was making it to the front of the bar.

Undoubtedly one of the main attractions of The Imperial, especially with summer approaching, is the natural light. While one side of the hotel provides a more intimate, secluded environment, most of the hotel is bathed in light through huge expanses of glass on three sides of the building. More importantly, it is flattering light. How do they do it? Who can say. But everyone looked a million dollars.

It is evident that a lot of thought, time and investment has been made in the creation of The Imperial. It has all the right ingredients to become a bustling, stylish destination in the Highlands. However, like all local businesses, it relies on the patronage of the target clientele. Consequently I encourage all of you, who may have been disappointed in recent years by the behaviour of the patrons in our other hotels, to visit The Imperial and support a new venture from a local family who are trying to take this hospitality sector in a new direction for our region.

Or, as Basil Fawlty would say, no riff-raff.