The Drumossie Hotel, Inverness is a dream location for weddings
BIG events are something to look forward to – especially at the Drumossie Hotel in Inverness.
The four-star Inverness hotel is leading the way when it comes to big events, with general manager Kenny McMillan and his team somehow helping make an occasion feel even bigger.
While times were tough following years of pandemic-related restrictions and setbacks, the chance to celebrate and share happy occasions is something none of us will take for granted again – the Drumossie team are there to help make those significant moments even more special.
Post-Covid has revealed an appetite for sharing happy occasions with even more friends and family, with weddings among the hotel’s specialities.
“It is great to see weddings take place in full once again,” Kenny said.
For couples and their families looking to make their big day even bigger, the Drumossie certainly has the space to accommodate and even exceed their wishes – though if they wish to take the opposite approach and want an intimate occasion with just a couple of guests, the Drumossie can meet their wishes too.
As well as the Drumossie Suite, which has the capacity for up to 350 guests with two private bars, there is the smaller Culloden Suite which can take up to 80 people, and the hotel itself sits within nine acres of its own parkland. This gives plenty of space to breathe, whatever the size of the wedding party, and its elegant and rolling green lawns and the striking art deco building make an ideal backdrop for those wedding photos.
Weather permitting, it can even provide a setting for an outdoor ceremony, whether religious or humanist.
For those guests staying the night, the Drumossie – part of the family owned Macdonald Hotels group – has 44 en-suite deluxe bedrooms to choose from.
However, it is the award-winning food and unparalleled service which will help make the occasion even more memorable.
Kenny formerly the company’s North of Scotland group executive chef and a former award winning chef himself – with the title of “Scottish executive chef of the year 2015” under his belt – is very proud of the food offering at the hotel, having passed the reigns onto executive chef, Ewan Walker.
“Our team of award-winning chefs are very proud of their reputation and it is their dedication to serving only the finest quality food that makes the Drumossie Hotel different,” Kenny said.
“We are proud of our friendly and professional team and the service they provide to make your day a memorable one. And we have a strict policy of one wedding a day so you will be assured of 100 per cent of our attention on your big day.”
That service is well appreciated by the Drumossie’s clients, with staff regularly praised for the excellence of food and service and making a happy day even more special.
“Thank you for everything! Our wedding couldn’t have gone more perfectly, and we are so happy with how everything turned out”, read one typical response.
“You helped us create the relaxed wedding we hoped for, our guests enjoyed their time there and all commented on how fantastic the food was. It was not just the stunning setting that made our day so special, the team at Drumossie did.”
The events team will always do their best to accommodate a couple’s preferred date.
“We have seen a lot of weddings and it’s really nice to see family and friends when they get together,” Kenny added.
The hotel also stages other major events, many supporting charities and others helping the business community recognise the achievements of their peers.
“We do a lot of work with charities,” Kenny said.
“For example, we have very close links with Highland Hospice and will host the Catwalk for a Cause event in February. We have also held events with Poppy Scotland and Mikeysline, so we are always keen to get involved, especially if it is something that helps the wider local community.”
One of the region’s most prestigious business events staged at the Drumossie recently was Inverness Chamber of Commerce’s Highland Business Lunch with over 300 guests. It was the glittering climax to Highland Business Week and celebrated businesses of all sizes, as well as individuals making their mark.
Kenny added: “We work extremely closely with Inverness Chamber’s deputy chief executive and head of events Paula Nicol and her team to ensure the event runs really efficiently and their guests enjoy the highest standards of both service and food, because it is one of their most important events of the year and certainly one of the most important on the Highland business calendar.”
Inverness Chamber of Commerce is not the only major business organisation to turn to the Drumossie for its flagship Highland event.
The SCDI (Scottish Council for Development and Industry) will also be back at the Drumossie this month for its Highlands and Islands Annual Dinner and Business Excellence Awards.
“It’s great to be able to host these events again and take advantage of the fact that we have the largest ballroom in the Highlands, matched by the quality of our food and our service,” Kenny said.
As well as major business events, the Drumossie’s large facilities have also proven to be an ideal setting for sporting events, hosting professional boxing matches and encounters with some of Scotland’s biggest sporting names, including Paul “Gazza” Gascoigne and his former Rangers team-mate Ally McCoist, though their rival Old Firm fans have also been able to meet Hoops heroes such as former Celtic manager Martin O’Neill and strikers John Hartson and Chris Sutton.
“These events have worked very well for us because again we have the space and the experience and skills to make the evening very special,” Kenny added.
Classic car fans have also been finding their way to the Drumossie, which boasts the Highlands’ biggest car park with space for more than 400 vehicles, as well as being conveniently located just off the A9 and close to the start and finish of the North Coast 500 in Inverness, making it an ideal stopping off point for tours and rallies around the Highlands.
“I’ve been amazed with the success we have had with car clubs,” Kenny added.
“We have Ferrari, MG and Jensen car clubs and they are really nice people. They enjoy, good food, good wine and they love the location.”
While such events and bookings give much cause for optimism, there have been challenges.
As with the wider hospitality sector, the Drumossie has faced staffing issues, but has benefited from having a strong core team as well as a positive response from the youngsters Kenny has connected with at local schools as potential recruits.
“I think the key is to ensure that people are well paid and well looked after and make it a place that people want to work,” Kenny said.
“I always tell the young people who come here that the social engagement they learn from working in hospitality is an experience they won’t get anywhere else.”
However, the promising start to the traditional tourist season and the response from happy customers, whether wedding guests, networking business professionals or classic car enthusiasts taking a tour round the NC500, bodes well for the future.
Old Perth Road, Inverness IV2 5BE
T: 01463 236451
www.macdonaldhotels.co.uk/drumossie
