Campbeltown Courier, Friday 20 October 2006
"Copyright 2006. The Campbeltown Courier
(The Oban Times Limited). All Rights Reserved."

FIRST 5 STAR ACCOMMODATION IN KINTYRE

DALNASPIDAL Guest House at Tangy has become the first establishment in Kintyre to be awarded five-stars – a fitting endorsement for the woman who turned an old ruined cottage into a dream house.

Lolita Lavery designed and oversaw every detail of the creation of the property which has blended beautifully the influences of her Cape Dutch heritage and that of her Scottish husband David to create something very special indeed.

The building, which comprises guest accommodation, Lolita and David’s home and a cottage for Lolita’s mother Iris, fits into the landscape perfectly. Someone told me that it looks as though the house has always been there,’ said Lolita, ‘which is a great compliment.’

Lolita arrived in Kintyre from South Africa via an Ancestral Visa and then became the Community Planning Manager for Argyll and Bute, meeting and marrying David along the way.

She resigned from her Community Planning post at the end of April and with the help of a business start-up grant from Argyll and the Islands Enterprise, has worked hard to get her new venture up and running.

The house was built by Campbeltown builders McKinven and Colville, local plumbers Livingstone and McEachran and Oban Electrics with all the internal decoration and joinery work done by Lolita, David and Iris, so getting the five-star award has made the work even more rewarding.

Those who knew me in my capacity as Community Planning Manager know that there are no half measures with me when I tackle a project. I have put heart and soul into my business and I am very pleased that it has paid off,’ said Lolita.

The property is on the short-list for Argyll and Bute Council’s Design Award, which recognises excellence in design and building quality.

That same attention to detail impressed the senior Visit Scotland Quality Assurance Advisor who commended Lolita for her exceptional service, hospitality and attention to detail.

Dalnaspidal means field of shelter and Lolita has turned the property into a haven for travellers and holiday makers within its three-acres of grounds.

There is a great hall with a log fire and a guest lounge leading to a sunroom for dining and two covered porches reflecting the Cape influence. The sunroom also has the unique Cape feature of an indoor barbecue.

The four guest rooms each have their own theme, Granada and Camargue and then Serengeti and Highland that celebrate the Lavery’s South African and Scottish connections and are furnished to the level of luxury and attention to detail that five-star awards demand.

It has all paid off. Dalnaspidal has only been open since the summer but is already attracting return bookings. Net Visuals of Tarbert designed their website and DeeVA in Oban is responsible for all Dalnaspidal’s graphic design needs.

Lolita is not one to rest on her laurels; her ideas for future development of the business are enclosing the porches and offering small business conferences, hosting small weddings and also opening for meals for non-residents.

When Argyll and Bute Council lost the services of Lolita Lavery, Argyll and Bute Tourism made a huge gain,’ said Councillor Rory Colville. ‘This is exactly the type of high-quality sustainable business that can only help to make the local economy more vibrant.’