Contemporary Highland house named Scotland’s only winner in Vrbo’s Holiday Homes of the Year 2026
A contemporary coastal house in Gairloch has been named Scotland’s only winner in the Vrbo Homes of the Year 2026 awards, one of just six recipients in the UK.
ASSC Member, The Lighthouse, Gairloch, was recognised following consistently strong guest reviews, with visitors responding to the quality of their experience in all seasons. Designed by Skye-based architects Dualchas Architects, the house reconfigured a 1970s structure and has been let year-round since 2018. Its clever design and use of natural materials create a relaxed and comfortable home. It has held a Green Tourism award since 2024.
The Lighthouse takes its name from the light that fills all its rooms and its prominent position on a rocky headland overlooking Flowerdale Bay towards the Torridon mountains. It offers accommodation for a maximum of seven guests; with four bedrooms, three bathrooms, a large open plan kitchen and living room, a panelled study, laundry room and boot room.
It stands on Lewisian Gneiss, formed around three billion years ago and among the oldest rocks in the world, in a landscape that long predates the dinosaurs and now provides the setting for a distinctly modern Highland house.
The extensive garden has been restored and replanted with native species, and now supports a wide range of wildlife. Guests regularly see red and roe deer, pine martens and eagles, and can watch otters, dolphins and seals in the bay below.
The project was undertaken by William and Camilla Gray Muir, whose family have lived in the area for over 500 years. The Lighthouse is within easy walking distance of Gairloch’s beach, golf course and harbour, reached by a path across open heather from the garden.
Camilla Gray Muir said: “It has been a pleasure to share the house with guests who have so clearly appreciated it. The Lighthouse is just one of a growing number of local businesses that together offer visitors a memorable stay in this remote and lovely place.”