Simon George ’ s visit to Cameron House on the banks of Loch Lomond finds the venerable establishment seriously targeting the MICE market

ark skies , lashing rain and howling winds courtesy of Storm Isha greeted our arrival at Cameron House , a luxurious 5-star hotel set in 400 acres dating back 200 years and in an idyllic location , a short drive from Glasgow airport . By our departure , the storm clouds had lifted , the winds had relented , blue sky was visible and the sun had come out .

The weather provides a fitting analogy for the challenges the hotel has faced – closure from the end of 2017 to early 2021 while it underwent extensive renovation including a new event wing , the pandemic and economic headwinds – and where it finds itself now . Much better placed structurally and strategically to target the MICE sector , especially

Cameron House

incentives and teambuilding events given the extensive range of outdoor activities on offer , and to transition the business from a hotel to a resort . As Michael Lavizani , resort director , puts it : “ Cameron House already attracts international visitors from Europe to the Americas but now I want to propel its status to the most internationally recognised luxury hotel in Scotland .”

New event space gamechanger The library lies in the heart of the hotel , an ideal setting for cocktail receptions or breakouts . The morning room , perfect for boardroom-style meetings , and the cinema , a plush , luxurious space which holds 29 , is suitable for presentations . However , it is the new event wing built at a cost of £ 43m by Cameron House ’ s owners , US private equity company KSL Capital Partners , and opened in November 2022 , which elevates the hotel ’ s MICE offering to a new level , enabling it to host large events ( 300-plus ), offer complete buyouts and really go after the

“ The new £ 43m event wing elevates the hotel ’ s MICE offering to a new level ”

international market . As Karen Avery , MICE sales director , explains : “ It puts us in a brand new arena .”

The Loch Lomond suite is the largest meeting room in the new event wing . It has its own entrance , can hold 600 delegates theatre style and 515 for cocktails , can be partitioned into three , has floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the loch and a loading bay which makes it ideal for auto events

Sporting slightly smaller rooms but similar in terms of feel , i . e . natural daylight , airy , neutral décor , Loch Katrine and Loch Fyne complement the space . There are also 68 bedrooms above this area which means that delegates can nip back to their room should they need to change . Highlighting its suitability to stage large events , last autumn Porsche UK took over the whole space .

Rich incentives offering Cameron House offers a near A-Z list of exciting activities for delegates – from a flight on a sea plane , a boat trip or kayaking on the loch , to a championship golf course , a luxurious spa and traditional rural pursuits such as archery , clay pigeon shooting , falconry and , the highlight of my stay , 4x4 offroading on some challenging mountain tracks .

Commenting on Cameron House , Sophia Umney , partnership and events manager at Miss Jones Group , was full of praise : “ The venue has lots to offer , especially in terms of experiences . For corporates looking to book , everything is either onsite or well catered for offsite , while in terms of pricing you get a lot more for your money , especially compared with down south .” CN