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The Island Bear B&B

3.0 star property
Comfortable boardwalk/promenade bed & breakfast, walk to Bowmore Distillery

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your current months are June, 2024 and July, 2024.
June 2024
July 2024

Photo gallery for The Island Bear B&B

Room (Room 2) | Beach/ocean view
Front of property
Premium bedding, individually decorated, individually furnished
Premium bedding, individually decorated, individually furnished
Twin Room (Room 1) | Premium bedding, individually decorated, individually furnished
Reviews
9.8

Exceptional

Popular amenities

  • Breakfast included
  • HousekeepingHousekeepingHousekeeping
  • Free WiFiFree WiFiFree WiFi

Explore the area

Map
SHORE STREET, Islay Island, Scotland, PA43 7LB
  • Popular LocationBowmore Distillery2 min walk
  • Popular LocationIslay Ales5 min drive
  • AirportIslay (ILY)8 min drive
  • Popular LocationBruichladdich Distillery13 min drive

Most relevant reviews

ExperimentalCarousel

10/10 Excellent

Very cosy place, wonderful people
Irakli
Apr 11, 2024
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Room options

View all photos for Room (Room 2)

Premium bedding, individually decorated, individually furnished

Room (Room 2)

10/10 Exceptional

Highlights

Individually furnished
Individually decorated
Flat-screen TV
Hypo-allergenic bedding
Renovated in 2023
Premium bedding
Shower/tub combination
Hair dryer
  • Ocean view
  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 Double Bed

View all photos for Twin Room (Room 1)

Premium bedding, individually decorated, individually furnished

Twin Room (Room 1)

10/10 Exceptional

Highlights

Individually furnished
Individually decorated
Flat-screen TV
Hypo-allergenic bedding
Renovated in 2023
Premium bedding
Shower/tub combination
Hair dryer
  • Sleeps 2
  • 2 Twin Beds

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About the neighborhood

Islay Island

Located in Islay Island, The Island Bear B&B is in the historical district and on the boardwalk/promenade. Notable landmarks in the area include Islay Ales and Eilean Mor, and travelers wishing to experience a bit of culture can try Museum of Islay Life. Bowmore Distillery and Bruichladdich Distillery are two other places to visit that come recommended.
Visit our Islay Island travel guideOpens in a new window
View more B&B in Islay IslandOpens in a new window

What's nearby

  • Bowmore Distillery - 2 min walk
  • Islay Ales - 5 min drive
  • Bruichladdich Distillery - 13 min drive
  • Museum of Islay Life - 15 min drive
  • Lagavulin Distillery - 19 min drive

Getting around

  • Islay (ILY) - 8 min drive

Restaurants

  • Kilchoman Distillery - 20 min drive
  • Peatzeria - 1 min walk
  • Kilchoman Distillery Cafe - 20 min drive
  • Restaurant at Port Charlotte Hotel - 16 min drive
  • Lucci’s - 4 min walk

About this property

The Island Bear B&B

Bed & breakfast rejuvenated in 2023 and located near Bowmore Distillery
Located close to Islay Ales and Bruichladdich Distillery, The Island Bear B&B provides free full breakfast. Stay connected with free in-room WiFi.
You'll also enjoy perks such as:
  • Smoke-free premises
Room features
All guestrooms are individually furnished, and offer comforts such as premium bedding, in addition to amenities like free WiFi.
Extra conveniences in all rooms include:
  • Free tea bags/instant coffee and electric kettles
  • Bathrooms with shower/tub combinations and free toiletries

Languages

English

Property amenities

Internet

  • Available in all rooms: Free WiFi
  • Available in some public areas: Free WiFi

Parking and transportation

  • Free offsite parking

Food and drink

  • Free full breakfast available daily 7:30 AM to 9:00 AM

Things to do

  • Wine tasting room
  • Wine tours

Guest services

  • Housekeeping (daily)

Outdoors

  • On the boardwalk/promenade

Accessibility

  • No elevator

More

  • 2 floors
  • Built in 1886
  • Renovated entire property - February 2023
  • Smoke-free property
  • Victorian architecture

Room amenities

Bedroom

  • Hypo-allergenic bedding
  • Premium bedding

Bathroom

  • Free toiletries
  • Hair dryer
  • Private bathroom
  • Shower/bathtub combination
  • Towels

Entertainment

  • Flat-screen TV

Food and drink

  • Electric kettle
  • Tea bags/instant coffee

More

  • Individual decor
  • Individual furnishings
  • Iron/ironing board on request

Policies

Check-in

Check-in start time: 4:00 PM; Check-in end time: 6:00 PM
Contactless check-in available
Late check-in subject to availability
Minimum check-in age: 18

Check-out

Check-out before 10:00 AM
Contactless check-out available

Special check-in instructions

There is no front desk at this property
Guests must contact the property in advance for check-in instructions; your host will greet you
To make arrangements for check-in please contact the property ahead of time using the information on the booking confirmation
If you are planning to arrive after 6 PM please contact the property in advance using the information on the booking confirmation

Access methods

Host will greet you

Pets

Pets not allowed (service animals are welcome, and are exempt from fees)

Children and extra beds

Children are welcome
1 child can stay for free if using existing beds when occupying the parent or guardian's room
Rollaway/extra beds are not available
Cribs (infant beds) are not available

Important information

You need to know

Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card, or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
This property accepts cash
Cashless transactions are available
Safety features at this property include a fire extinguisher and a first aid kit

We should mention

This property does not have elevators
This property welcomes guests of all sexual orientations and gender identities (LGBTQ+ friendly)

Property is also known as

Island Bear Bed & Breakfast Islay Island
Island Bear Islay Island
Island Bear & Islay Island
The Island Bear Bed Breakfast
The Bear B&b Islay
The Island Bear Bed Breakfast
The Island Bear B&B Islay Island
The Island Bear B&B Bed & breakfast
The Island Bear B&B Bed & breakfast Islay Island

Frequently asked questions

Is The Island Bear B&B pet-friendly?

No, only service animals are welcome at the property.

How much is parking at The Island Bear B&B?

There is free parking nearby.

What time is check-in at The Island Bear B&B?

Check-in start time: 4:00 PM; Check-in end time: 6:00 PM. Late check-in is available during limited hours.

What time is check-out at The Island Bear B&B?

Check-out is at 10:00 AM.

Where is The Island Bear B&B located?

Situated on the boardwalk/promenade, this bed & breakfast is 0.1 mi (0.2 km) from Bowmore Distillery and 3.1 mi (4.9 km) from Islay Ales. Bruichladdich Distillery and Eilean Mor are also within 12 mi (20 km).

Reviews

9.8

Exceptional

Rating 10 - Excellent. 33 out of 38 reviews" "
Rating 8 - Good. 5 out of 38 reviews" "
Rating 6 - Okay. 0 out of 38 reviews" "
Rating 4 - Poor. 0 out of 38 reviews" "
Rating 2 - Terrible. 0 out of 38 reviews" "

9.8/10

Cleanliness

9.8/10

Staff & service

9.6/10

Amenities

9.8/10

Property conditions & facilities

9.8/10

Eco-friendliness

Reviews

10/10 Excellent

Irakli, JAMISON

Traveled with group
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Very cosy place, wonderful people
Stayed 3 nights in Apr 2024

10/10 Excellent

Josh

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Fiona and Duncan are a ton of fun, and they make sure you're well-fed to start the day and have great local advice on how to get around Islay, especially on Sundays when the bus doesn't run. Definitely can't go wrong a The Island Bear, and the rooms are great
Stayed 3 nights in Sep 2023

10/10 Excellent

stephen

Traveled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Enjoyed a couple of days staying here. Rooms were very comfortable and clean. Nice breakfast.
Stayed 2 nights in Sep 2023

10/10 Excellent

Diane

Traveled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Hostess was so friendly and helpful! The room was lovely and had a great bathtub. View was beautiful from the room. Breakfast was great!
Stayed 2 nights in Nov 2022

10/10 Excellent

Michelle

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
An absolute gem with a lovely host!
We were in Islay on a whisky tour for 3 nights and absolutely loved this little three-room B&B run by Islay local, Fiona. The room was surprisingly spacious. The bed was comfy. There was a lovely view of the water. It was right on the main road in Bowmore. And breakfast was made to order each morning, and served by Fiona herself - along with lovely conversation and local tips. I cannot say enough wonderful things about The Island Bear!
View from room 3
View from room 3
Front entrance - right on the main road through Bowmore
Lovely sunrise view straight outside the front door
Stayed 3 nights in Oct 2022

10/10 Excellent

Lori, Shaftsbury

Traveled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Fantastic place to stay in Bowmore. Great location, easy parking and not far from anything on Islay. The room was large and very clean. The bed was comfortable and the shower had good water pressure. Fiona, the owner, was fab! She was very friendly, welcoming and helpful! She also makes a great breakfast!
Stayed 3 nights in Oct 2022

10/10 Excellent

Mary

Traveled with group
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Excellent location, very friendly, good breakfasts and lots of help with suggestions for things to do.
Stayed 2 nights in Sep 2022

10/10 Excellent

Hayley

Traveled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
We spent 3 nights at the Island Bear and it was wonderful. Duncan and Fiona were excellent hosts and helped us when we needed to make a change and bring our son with us. The room was lovely, comfortable and the breakfasts were fantastic. We’ll recommend staying here to everyone that we know traveling to Islay
Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2022

10/10 Excellent

Mary

Traveled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Room was very clean, checkin was convenient, bed was comfortable, and the location was perfect. We had a nice view of the water from our room. Hosts Fiona and Duncan were very kind and helpful. Couldn’t ask for more!
Stayed 2 nights in May 2022

10/10 Excellent

Catherine

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Lovely spot in the middle of town, great views from my bedroom window. And Fiona was the perfect host, cooking up a delicious Scottish breakfast!
Stayed 2 nights in Apr 2022

10/10 Excellent

Jackalyn, Mesa

Traveled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
An absolutely lovely stay on Islay! Duncan and Fiona are incredibly kind, and their bed and breakfast is wonderful. The rooms have a cozy feel, while still being really spacious if you’ve brought large luggage. I can’t wait to go back!
Stayed 5 nights in Apr 2022

8/10 Good

Luis Cesar

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Fiona and David great hosts confortable room
Cozy decently sized room with comfortable bed. Fiona and David are very friendly and supportive. Location is great very close to Bowmore Distillery. Breakfast is made-to-order abd very tasty. Would definitely revommend and stay again on my next trip to Islay.
Stayed 2 nights in Sep 2021

10/10 Excellent

William

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Perfect hosts
If you're already looking at the Island Bear for your trip to Islay then I suggest you just go ahead and book it if you can. This is a spotless, modern looking B&B right in the heart of Bowmore. I doubt it took us 5 minutes to walk anywhere in the village with all the restaurants and shops extremely close by. Really comfy bed, great shower/bath and nothing lacking in terms of facilities. What makes this B&B though are the hosts, Fiona and Duncan. We only ever really had the pleasure of speaking to them during breakfast but it made a great start to our day as they both took a lot of time to chat to us and talk about Bowmore and the island in particular. They were able to answer any questions we had. As well as all that the breakfasts were superb and more than enough to fuel a morning's adventuring. There was a problem with the ferries while we were there and their willingness to go above and beyond to help us out if needed was so appreciated. Thank you to you both and we hope to see you again soon. Billy & Marjorie
Stayed 4 nights in Sep 2021

10/10 Excellent

Malcolm

Traveled with group
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Excellent BnB. Clean, modern with great service. The owners couldn’t do enough for us Can’t fault it
Stayed 5 nights in Sep 2021

10/10 Excellent

Frances

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Amazing B&B, thoroughly enjoyed our stay.
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2021

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Traveled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Lovely comfortable rooms. Great choice of breakfasts. Hosts were friendly and knowledgeable about the area - things to do, places to eat etc. Would love to go back!
Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2021

10/10 Excellent

Andrew

Traveled with group
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Great stay and excellent base to discover Islay
Lovely modernised accommodation. Breakfast excellent and great hosts. It would appear Bowmore is the largest place on Islay with a few pubs and restaurants (better to book these as they can be busy) so this is a good base for touring the Island. If visiting the distilleries , buses are regular and go to most places over the island from here letting you enjoy even more.
Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2021

10/10 Excellent

Colin

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Islay paradise
Spotless, quiet room. Friendly and helpful hosts. Excellent location. Perfect "chill out" home from home.
Stayed 3 nights in Jun 2021

8/10 Good

Verified traveler

Business traveler
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Recommended
Very enjoyable. Nice breakfast and great hosts
Stayed 4 nights in May 2021

10/10 Excellent

Richard

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Fab
Great couple of days staying in Bowmore. Excellent Scottish breakfast every morning, Fiona was very helpful and always available when needed. Would definitely stay here again
Stayed 4 nights in Oct 2019

10/10 Excellent

Katrina

Traveled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Great location! Our room was cozy and our hosts were kind and very welcoming. Excellent breakfast in the morning!! Highly recommended.
Stayed 2 nights in Sep 2019

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
We thoroughly enjoyed our stay. The room was immaculate, and the place is right around the corner from the main square with the bus stop and the pier. Also, Fiona makes great breakfast.
Stayed 4 nights in Jul 2019

10/10 Excellent

John

Traveled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Charming B and B with great views of the water and a centralized location on the water. The owners were very friendly and helpful.
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2019

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Traveled with partner
Liked: Staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
This is a great place to stay, recently renovated with great care and style, the hosts are friendly, helpful and attentive. You will not regret staying here.
Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2019

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
We loved everything! The room was fantastic, Fiona and Duncan were great hosts and breakfast was brilliant!
Stayed 3 nights in Jun 2019