About Us

In our website, we aim to give you all the information that you need if you are planning a stay in this superb area and, we hope, with us.

Firstly, though, may we introduce ourselves? We are John & Irene England – yes, we know, a great name to have here in Scotland!!

We moved to the Highlands in 2000, building up a small hotel near Aviemore, to the point, in 2004, where someone made us an offer we couldn’t refuse! The next 14 years saw us successfully running a Country Guest House, near Newtonmore, with a large, loyal following of guests and friends, something of which we are very proud.

However, mindful of a Motto, given to us by a guest: “Never get too busy making a living that you forget to make a life”, the time came to hand over the reins of the Guest House and “right size” here to Clune House Bed and Breakfast in Newtonmore, which we’ll run just as professionally while making a bit more time for our hobbies.

2018 was a very enjoyable “Gap Year” for us – we took some time out to travel, catch up with the theatre, shows etc. as well, of course, as making sure that Clune House was good and ready to welcome you and your fellow guests.

2019 was our first operating season here at Clune House B&B and we have to say how surprised we were at how good a season it was! We welcomed more guests than we had a right to hope for, from far and wide, with a great mix of first time visitors and our regulars, who were giving “our new place” a try. We are delighted to say that they liked what they found and a good number have already booked to return.

As to our hobbies, Irene’s passions are hill walking and skiing, two activities where she has a wealth of experience, including her Ski Instructors Qualification. She’s recently got back into tennis, fitting in a game or two when time permits. Luckily for you, she also really enjoys cooking, as evidenced by the popularity of her breakfasts.

John’s into Rugby Union, following the fortunes of his beloved Leicester Tigers and England. He reads a lot – nothing too posh –getting through a surprising number of books, which he’s happy to chat about if you ask. He also cycles, pulling on the Lycra and getting out on his trusty bike as often as time and weather permit.

One of our joint interests is travel – in recent years, you’d have found us in Australia, India, China, New Zealand, Spain, Canada & Alaska amongst others. We also enjoy a wide range of music, though we do have different tastes!!

Doing our best to keep you safe while you’re with us.

First & foremost, Irene and I hope that you and yours have been able to keep well during the Coronavirus Pandemic, something which has had a major impact on us all.

We both very much look forwards to welcoming guests again, once we are allowed to re-open. The Scottish Government’s latest advice, as of 19th June, is that this is still going to be on 15^th July, though there is the possibility of that being delayed. The First Minister announced that there will be a further statement no later than 2nd July.

However, while we have been closed, we have not been idle. In addition to getting some exterior renovations and upgrades done, we have been taking a detailed look at the way Clune House operates, taking into account the recently issued Scottish Government Guidelines. We’ve been planning and implementing the changes necessary to ensure, as much as we can, that we keep you, our guests, as safe as possible while you’re here with us.

Alongside that, we have not forgotten that our reputation for friendly, customer service is at the heart of what we do. Taken together, this means that we will play our part in you safely enjoying your time here in the natural splendour of the Highlands.

What we are doing for you.

In summary, the actions we are taking include:

Arrival.

When you arrive, you’ll still enjoy our normal, warm, friendly welcome, albeit without any hugs or handshakes. We’ll also happily still help with your luggage if you’d like us to.

We still intend showing you up to your room and telling you how everything works – as we normally do, and we’ve devised a way of doing this which meets distancing requirements.

Your room and house keys, sanitised of course, will be in your room door.

Your Room.

Here, we have made a number of changes, removing non-essentials such as cushions and throws, plus simplifying a few other things while still ensuring that you have everything you need for an enjoyable, comfortable and safe stay here.

For your first night with us, you can be confident that your room will have been well-aired and thoroughly cleaned and sanitised, utilising antibacterial cleaning liquids and sanitisers throughout, in preparation for your stay.

When we’re refreshing your room between nights of your stay, we’ll be following a new routine with even more attention to detail than our usual.

We are doing all this ourselves so that we can be as sure as we can be that it is done the way we want it to be.

Public Areas.

Your safety starts at our front door with sanitisation of the doorbell and handles. Moving through the public areas, these will be cleaned even more thoroughly than usual, especially higher traffic things such as table tops, the handrail up the stairs, door handles, etc.

We have rearranged the chairs and sofas in our Guest Lounge a wee bit, to allow you to relax in our comfortable seating but at the required distance from your fellow guests with whom you’ll still be able to chat if you’d like to. We’ve also done a bit of decluttering with most of Irene’s Teddy Bears on furlough for now and, sorry, but the choccies bowl has been retired too.

Breakfast.

Most significantly, we have replaced, for now, our much-loved communal breakfast table with separate tables for two which we’ve managed to place the required distance apart.

We made the room layout as flexible as we can so, if you are travelling as a group or family, the tables can easily be rearranged to make a larger table for 3, 4, 5 or 6, no problem at all.

For now, we have “rested” three dishes from our menu which still offers you the widest breakfast choice in the area. We also still cater for any dietary needs that you have.

We’ve introduced changes to the way we prepare and serve your breakfast to comply with the current best practice guidelines.

Check Out.

We have devised a simple and safe process for you to pay by card on your departure as normal. However, if you prefer to settle your bill directly into our bank account the night before your departure, we can do that too, no problem. For the time being we prefer not to take payment by cash or cheque.

What we ask of you.

“Coughs & sneezes spread diseases” – never, perhaps, has this old saying been more appropriate.

There’s no easy way for us to say this and without wanting to appear unwelcoming at all, if you have any of the symptoms associated with Covid 19, we would suggest that you think about your travel plans, perhaps rescheduling them for another time.

No symptoms? That’s great news. Here, then, are a few simple things, please, to help us help you.

Every time you come into the house, please sanitise your hands using the sanitiser provided in reception.

Every time you enter the Guest Lounge, whether for breakfast or just to relax, please sanitise your hands using the sanitiser provided in reception.

Play Your Part – Try To Stay Apart.

Be respectful of your fellow guests, giving each other ample space and allowing each other to pass safely, especially in the corridor, on the stairs and in reception.

Working together, you & your fellow guests can all enjoy your time together at Clune House and we can enjoy looking after you while also helping to keep each other safe and well.

Thank you in anticipation of your cooperation.