Detour Pit Stop #102: Mhor84 Motel, Scotland

The concept of a Motel might be more associated with American road trips than Scottish A-roads, but that hasn’t stopped Mhor84 becoming a something of an icon.

Situated on one of the key routes to the Scottish Highlands – the A84, Mhor84 is a classic motel-cum-diner, reinvented for the 21st century

The A84 sweeps up from lowland Stirling, over 45 increasingly spectacular miles to Lochearnhead, firmly in the highlands. It’s a brisk drive, one of the key routes for those heading to Scotland’s North – in particular the iconic Glencoe.

Mhor84 appears set back from the road, under the watch of Ben Vorlich. If you’re lucky with the weather, a gaggle of customers will be sat outside on picnic benches.

Inside, the space is a restaurant / café / bar hybrid – it’s bright and welcoming and open all day.

The menu is populated by locally sourced produce, freshly baked sourdough (from the motel’s own bakery) and, yes, avocado on toast. It expands to mussels, seafood chowder, scallops and oysters for the more adventurous.

It’s a convivial spot, where drivers mingle with cyclists on the national Cycle Route 7, and hikers on the Rob Roy Way. Thursday nights welcome live folk music if you fancy some other footwork.

If the food and chilled vibe reel you in, you can crash out in one of the motel rooms, or self catering option, ‘Calair Cottage’. And it’s worth sticking around – there are four Munros accessible from the Motel’s doorstep, and they’ll arrange fishing licenses for the many nearby lochs.

A breathtaking six-mile drive up an undulating single-track road takes you through ancient forest to motel’s the more upmarket, yet equally eccentric sister-venue, the Monachyle Mhor Hotel.

In a region often lacking in good food options, and Mhor84 a welcome addition. Plus, it’s a great excuse to venture to the mountains, as if you needed one.

Words Luc Benyon

---

ROADBOOK

CLASS: MOTEL

NAME: MHOR84

ROUTE: Balquhidder, Lochearnhead, Perthshire, FK19 8NY

COUNTRY: UK

---

---