Portfolio of 3 high‑quality self‑catering units offering flexible capacity.
- Prime lochside/riverside positions with views over Loch Ness, gardens and the River Tarff.
- Access to residents’ leisure facilities (indoor pool, gym, sauna, steam room, etc.).
- Iconic tourist location combining Loch Ness’s global draw with Fort Augustus village charm.
- Year‑round trade from UK and European visitors, mixing short peak stays with longer off‑season breaks.
- Professionally managed estate with on‑site staff & flexible management options for hands‑off investors.
- Lifestyle investment for private buyers or small operators, allowing personal use plus strong income potential.
Scottish Business Centre is delighted to bring to the market an exceptional holiday‑letting portfolio comprising three high‑quality self‑catering/Airbnb units within the prestigious Highland Club development at Fort Augustus Abbey on Loch Ness. This is a rare opportunity to acquire a lifestyle business combining strong holiday‑letting potential with ownership of characterful property in one of Scotland’s most iconic and consistently popular tourist destinations.
Key Investment Highlights
- Established short‑term letting operation trading 12 months of the year
- Three individually styled units within The Highland Club:
- Monastery 10 – 1‑bedroom second‑floor apartment with loch and garden aspects
- Courtyard Cottage 2 (“Club Cottage”) – 2‑bedroom riverside cottage with patio, sleeps up to 5
- Courtyard Cottage 11 (“Strathglass Cottage”) – 2‑bedroom cottage with river outlook and patio
- Prime position within the historic Abbey complex on the shores of Loch Ness
- Access to extensive residents’ leisure facilities (indoor pool, gym, sauna, steam room, etc.)
- Professionally managed estate with on‑site staff and multiple property management options
- Proven demand via Booking.com and specialist Abbey‑letting platforms
- Significant scope to grow revenue through enhanced marketing, direct bookings and product development
- Attractive to both investors and lifestyle purchasers seeking personal use alongside income
Location
Fort Augustus, perched at the southern tip of Loch Ness, is one of the Highlands’ most appealing small villages—big enough to offer cafés, pubs, shops, and visitor amenities, yet small enough to feel authentic and peaceful. With the Caledonian Canal and its famous flight of locks running through the centre, surrounded by forested hills and lakeside views, it captures exactly the kind of “Highland postcard” setting that visitors are searching for.
The wider Loch Ness and Highland region is one of Scotland’s tourism powerhouses. Visitors come not only for the legendary loch and its myths, but for walking, cycling, sailing, kayaking, wildlife watching, and road trips on spectacular scenic routes. Day trips to Inverness, Fort William, Glen Coe, Skye, and the North Coast 500 are all within reach, and Fort Augustus sits almost perfectly in the middle of these attractions. This central location means guests can unpack once and explore a huge swathe of the Highlands without constantly changing accommodation. As a base, Fort Augustus works well for a wide range of travelers: couples on short romantic breaks, families seeking outdoor adventures, hikers and cyclists, and international visitors touring Scotland by car or campervan. The village offers boat tours on Loch Ness, easy riverside and canal walks, and nearby hill trails, so even guests who don’t want to drive far still have plenty to do. In the evenings, they can return to a relaxed village atmosphere with local pubs, restaurants, and lakeside sunsets.
For owners of Airbnb properties and holiday let apartments, this combination of setting and accessibility creates a strong platform for reliable bookings. Loch Ness is a globally recognised name, which greatly helps online visibility and search demand, while Fort Augustus offers the sense of a destination in its own right rather than just a stopover. Properties in and around the village can attract both short high-season stays and longer shoulder- and off-season breaks from UK and European visitors who want a quiet retreat with good walking straight from the door.
The tourism season in this part of the Highlands is also relatively long, often stretching from spring through late autumn, with additional spikes at Christmas, New Year, and school holidays. This can help support healthy occupancy rates and the potential to command premium nightly prices in peak summer. Owners benefit from repeat visitors returning year after year, as well as word-of-mouth recommendations—particularly if their property makes the most of the setting with loch or mountain views, outdoor seating, and cosy interiors that suit the climate.
Background & History
St Benedict’s Abbey, now home to The Highland Club, has stood for centuries at the southern end of Loch Ness and is a landmark in the Scottish Highlands. Following a major, multi‑year redevelopment, the main Abbey Church conversion was completed around 2012, creating a unique residential and holiday complex comprising 97 apartments and 12 cottages within about 20 acres of private grounds. Our clients’ three units have been operated as successful holiday and Airbnb‑style lets. Trading has been structured to capture year‑round demand from both domestic and international visitors attracted by the Highlands, Loch Ness and the rich history of the Abbey. The business currently operates all year, capitalising on high summer and shoulder‑season tourism while also benefitting from off‑season breaks, activity‑based visitors and guests seeking peaceful winter retreats with full use of leisure facilities.
The Highland Club – Estate & Facilities
The Highland Club occupies a unique position in the market: a gated, waterfront estate that seamlessly combines historic architecture, beautifully landscaped grounds and a full suite of leisure amenities. This distinctive setting enables the accommodation to command a premium over standard self‑catering options in the wider area, while still offering strong value when compared with similar quality properties elsewhere in Scotland.
Ownership of a unit at The Highland Club includes exclusive membership, subject to a monthly management fee. This membership grants access to an extensive range of shared facilities for both owners and their guests, including:
- Indoor heated swimming pool
- Gym, sauna and steam room
- Residents’ club lounge and snooker room
- Extensive landscaped grounds featuring:
- BBQ areas
- Children’s adventure playground
- Tennis court, football pitch and other sports facilities
- Giant chess and traditional lawn games
- Access to trout fishing and boat moorings (subject to local regulations)
The estate is overseen by a dedicated on‑site management team, providing security, grounds maintenance
