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The Island Bear B&B

3.0 star property
Victorian B&B, steps from Bowmore Distillery

Photo gallery for The Island Bear B&B

Tasting room
Exterior
Front of property
Exterior
Premium bedding, individually decorated, individually furnished
The Island Bear B&B is a great choice for a stay in Islay Island. Free perks include WiFi and full breakfast daily between 7:30 AM and 9 AM.

Reviews

9.8 out of 10
Exceptional

Popular amenities

  • Parking available
  • Non-smoking
  • Free WiFi

Main amenities (1)

  • Daily housekeeping

Feel at home (6)

  • Children stay free
  • Private bathroom
  • Daily housekeeping
  • Flat-panel TV
  • Premium bedding
  • Free parking nearby

Room options

Available filters for rooms
Showing 2 of 2 rooms

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Premium bedding, individually decorated, individually furnished

Room (Room 2)

Highlights

Individually furnished
Individually decorated
Flat-screen TV
Hypo-allergenic bedding
Renovated in 2023
Premium bedding
Shower/tub combination
Hair dryer
  • Ocean view
  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 Double Bed

View all photos for Twin Room (Room 1)

Premium bedding, individually decorated, individually furnished

Twin Room (Room 1)

Highlights

Individually furnished
Individually decorated
Flat-screen TV
Hypo-allergenic bedding
Renovated in 2023
Premium bedding
Shower/tub combination
Hair dryer
  • Sleeps 2
  • 2 Twin Beds

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The price is ₹28,796
₹34,555 total
includes taxes & fees
14 Jun - 15 Jun
Another Place, The Machrie
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About the area

Map
SHORE STREET, Islay Island, Scotland, PA43 7LB

What's nearby

  • Bowmore Distillery - 2 min walk - 0.2 km
  • Islay Ales - 6 min drive - 6.3 km
  • Bruichladdich Distillery - 16 min drive - 16.6 km
  • Museum of Islay Life - 19 min drive - 19.4 km
  • Lagavulin Distillery - 25 min drive - 26.5 km

Getting around

  • Islay (ILY) - 8 min drive

Restaurants

  • ‪Peatzeria - ‬1 min walk
  • ‪Restaurant at Port Charlotte Hotel - ‬16 min drive
  • ‪Kilchoman Distillery - ‬20 min drive
  • ‪Lucci’s - ‬4 min walk
  • ‪Kilchoman Distillery Cafe - ‬20 min drive

About this property

The Island Bear B&B

The Island Bear B&B is a great choice for a stay in Islay Island. Free perks include WiFi and full breakfast daily between 7:30 AM and 9 AM.

Languages

English

At a glance

DONE

Hotel size

    • 3 rooms
    • Arranged over 2 floors
DONE

Arriving/Leaving

    • Check-in start time: 4:00 PM; check-in end time: 6:00 PM
    • Contactless check-in and check-out are available
    • Late check-in subject to availability
    • Minimum check-in age – 18
    • Check-out time is 10:00 AM
    • Contactless check-out
DONE

Special check-in instructions

    • There is no front desk at this property
    • Guests must contact the property in advance for check-in instructions; your host will greet you
    • To make arrangements for check-in please contact the property ahead of time using the information on the booking confirmation
    • If you are planning to arrive after 6 PM please contact the property in advance using the information on the booking confirmation
DONE

Required at check-in

    • Credit card, debit card or cash deposit required for incidental charges
    • Government-issued photo ID may be required
    • Minimum check-in age is 18
DONE

Children

    • One child stays free when occupying the parent or guardian's room, using existing bedding
    • No cots (infant beds)
DONE

Pets

    • Pets not allowed
    • Service animals welcome
WIFI

Internet

    • Free WiFi in public areas
    • Free WiFi in rooms
LOCAL_PARKING

Parking

    • Free off-site parking nearby
DONE

Other information

    • Smoke-free property

Property amenities

Food and drink

  • Free full breakfast each morning 7:30 AM–9 AM

Traveling with children

  • Children stay free (see details)

What to do

  • Public winery tours

Facilities

  • Built in 1886
  • Wine tasting room
  • Victorian architecture

Room amenities

Be entertained

  • Flat-screen television

Home comfort

  • Electric kettle
  • Iron/ironing board (on request)

Sleep well

  • Hypo-allergenic bedding
  • Premium bedding

What to enjoy

  • Individually furnished and decorated

Freshen up

  • Private bathroom
  • Shower/tub combination
  • Free toiletries
  • Hair dryer
  • Towels

Stay connected

  • Free WiFi

Food and drink

  • Free tea bags/instant coffee

More

  • Daily housekeeping

Fees & policies

Policies

This property does not have elevators.
Guests can rest easy knowing there's a carbon monoxide detector, a fire extinguisher, a smoke detector, and a first aid kit on site.
This property welcomes guests of all sexual orientations and gender identities (LGBTQ+ friendly).
This property accepts cash.
Cashless transactions are available.

Also known as

Island Bear Bed & Breakfast Islay Island
Island Bear Islay Island
Island Bear & Islay Island
The Island Bear Bed Breakfast
The Bear B&b Islay
The Island Bear Bed Breakfast
The Island Bear B&B Islay Island
The Island Bear B&B Bed & breakfast
The Island Bear B&B Bed & breakfast Islay Island

Frequently asked questions

Does The Island Bear B&B offer free cancellation for a full refund?

Yes, The Island Bear B&B does have fully refundable room rates available to book on our site. If you’ve booked a fully refundable room rate, this can be cancelled up to a few days before check-in depending on the property's cancellation policy. Just make sure to check this property's cancellation policy for the exact terms and conditions.

Are pets allowed at The Island Bear B&B?

Sorry, pets aren't allowed, but service animals are welcome.

Is parking offered on site at The Island Bear B&B?

No, unfortunately, but there's free parking nearby.

What are the check-in and check-out times at The Island Bear B&B?

Check-in start time: 4:00 PM; Check-in end time: 6:00 PM. Check-out time is 10:00 AM. Contactless check-in and check-out are available.

What is there to do at The Island Bear B&B and nearby?

Recommended spots to visit include Bowmore Distillery (2-min walk) and Islay Ales (3.1 mi), along with Bruichladdich Distillery (8.4 mi) and Eilean Mor (9.4 mi).

What's the area around The Island Bear B&B like?

The Island Bear B&B is located on the boardwalk/promenade, a short 2-minute walk from Bowmore Distillery.

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The Island Bear B&B Reviews

Reviews

9.8

Exceptional

10/10

Cleanliness

9.8/10

Staff & service

9.6/10

Amenities

9.8/10

Property conditions & facilities

9.8/10

Eco-friendliness

Popular mentions

Breakfast
Room
Bed
Location
View
Trip
Water
Bus
Restaurant

What guests liked

  • Breakfasts were consistently described as delicious, generous, and tasty. (13 reviews)
AI Sparkle IconFrom real guest reviews summarized by AI.

Reviews

8/10

Great place to stay in the middle of Islay’s largest village. Friendly and helpful staff.
3-night trip

10/10

Excellent location, very friendly, good breakfasts and lots of help with suggestions for things to do.
2-night trip

10/10

The Island Bear was amazing, Fiona was a great hostess!
2-night trip

10/10

Very cosy place, wonderful people
3-night trip

10/10

Enjoyed a couple of days staying here. Rooms were very comfortable and clean. Nice breakfast.
2-night trip

10/10

Very clean, modern and spacious and at a good price. Great value for money.
3-night trip

10/10

Convenient location
2-night trip

10/10

Duncan and Fiona were fantastic hosts so welcoming they recommended some lovely places to eat.The B&B was spotless extremely comfortable bed and a great breakfast. Could not have asked for more.
3-night trip

10/10

Mr Duncan and Miss Fiona are excellent hosts. A stones throw from Bowmore Distillery, and centrally located in Bowmore town. Couldn’t have asked for a better experience!
3-night trip

10/10

Property location is great for touring the Island, also central for walking around Bowmore. The room was spacious and clean. Breakfast was good with plenty on offer. Fiona and Duncan are very friendly and helpful.
2-night trip

10/10

The location was perfect right in the heart of Bowmore with a wonderful view. Fiona and Duncan were wonderful hosts with excellent food, wit, and charm. The room was spacious and clean with everything we could have needed.
3-night trip

10/10

An excellent bnb! It was extremely clean. The bed was comfy, the room was spacious enough, and the bathroom was updated. Duncan and Fiona went out of their way to explain a lot of local history and met our every need. The breakfast was one of the most generous we encountered in Scotland.
2-night trip

10/10

Hostess was so friendly and helpful! The room was lovely and had a great bathtub. View was beautiful from the room. Breakfast was great!
2-night trip

10/10

We spent 3 nights at the Island Bear and it was wonderful. Duncan and Fiona were excellent hosts and helped us when we needed to make a change and bring our son with us. The room was lovely, comfortable and the breakfasts were fantastic. We’ll recommend staying here to everyone that we know traveling to Islay
3-night trip

10/10

Fiona and Duncan are a ton of fun, and they make sure you're well-fed to start the day and have great local advice on how to get around Islay, especially on Sundays when the bus doesn't run. Definitely can't go wrong a The Island Bear, and the rooms are great
3-night trip

10/10

Fantastic place to stay in Bowmore. Great location, easy parking and not far from anything on Islay. The room was large and very clean. The bed was comfortable and the shower had good water pressure. Fiona, the owner, was fab! She was very friendly, welcoming and helpful! She also makes a great breakfast!
3-night trip

8/10

The room was very clean and tidy. Unfortunately, there is no refrigerator.
3-night trip

10/10

We were in Islay on a whisky tour for 3 nights and absolutely loved this little three-room B&B run by Islay local, Fiona. The room was surprisingly spacious. The bed was comfy. There was a lovely view of the water. It was right on the main road in Bowmore. And breakfast was made to order each morning, and served by Fiona herself - along with lovely conversation and local tips. I cannot say enough wonderful things about The Island Bear!
View from room 3
View from room 3
Front entrance - right on the main road through Bowmore
Lovely sunrise view straight outside the front door
3-night trip

10/10

2-night trip

10/10

3-night trip

10/10

2-night trip

8/10

verygood
2-night trip

8/10

Wir wurden sehr freundlich empfangen und auch das Zimmer war sauber und zweckmässig eingerichtet. Die Lage ist sehr gut, mitten im Zentrum von Bowmore. Frühstück gibts auf Wunsch und wird frisch zubereitet. Alles in allem ein kleines, gemütliches B&B gut gelegen für Ausflüge auf der Insel Islay.
3-night trip

10/10

Kurz und knapp: es gab nichts zu bemängeln.
2-night trip

10/10

Room was very clean, checkin was convenient, bed was comfortable, and the location was perfect. We had a nice view of the water from our room. Hosts Fiona and Duncan were very kind and helpful. Couldn’t ask for more!
2-night trip