The West Highland Hotel

In this month’s blog post, we’re focusing on the home of A Write Highland Hoolie – the gorgeous West Highland Hotel in Mallaig!

The hotel has been a Mallaig landmark for over 100 years. It was built following the completion of the West Highland Line railway in the early years of the 20th century and was originally called the Station Hotel.

For the past 15 years, it’s been owned and run by Sine and Gavin Davis, ably assisted at times by their own children as well as an assortment of nieces, nephews, cousins and other relations. It’s a real family affair, and guests feel part of that close-knit circle as soon as they check in.

Every November, over Remembrance weekend, A Write Highland Hoolie takes over the entire hotel. We might be biased but we can’t imagine a more perfect setting for a book festival! Whether you’re a Hoolie regular or thinking about attending for the first time, you can be sure of a warm welcome from the minute you walk through the door.

With a crackling log fire burning in the foyer, comfy armchairs and a bar well-stocked with a huge choice of beers, wines and spirits, it’s the ideal place to relax at any time of the year. And that’s before you add books, books and more books and a packed programme of unmissable events when the Hoolie comes to town.

It all adds up to a fabulous house-party atmosphere where friendships are forged and discussions and debates continue far into the night. Luckily, at the end of every evening your bed is just a few short steps away!

The hotel’s location, perched above Mallaig, could not be more convenient for visitors. It’s just a five-minute walk from the railway station and ferry port, and there’s ample parking for those travelling by car.

Its elevated position means the hotel enjoys amazing views out across the water to the islands of Skye, Rum and Eigg, and it’s not unusual to spot marine life from the terrace. Last year, some humpback whales put in an appearance shortly after Natalie Sanders’ event on orcas, delighting everyone lucky enough to spot them.

When you book your Hoolie accommodation package at the West Highland Hotel, you’ll be able to choose from a number of room options ranging from Economy right through to the luxurious Hot Tub Studios. Your package includes all meals for the duration of the festival, but not your event tickets – those have to be purchased separately once booking opens in the summer.

To find out more or to book your accommodation, call the hotel direct on 01687 462210. Please don’t try to book online as all the rooms have already been set aside for Hoolie guests and will show as unavailable.

We’ll see you in Mallaig in November!

Your Questions Answered

Spring is here, and we're looking ahead to A Write Highland Hoolie 2025!

We’re busy putting together a fabulous programme of events for you – look out for some exciting announcements coming soon! In the meantime, though, we thought we’d answer some of the questions we’re most often asked by people thinking of attending the Hoolie.

Hopefully these will cover any queries you have, but if not, don’t hesitate to get in touch. We’re always happy to help.

Whether you’re a seasoned Hoolie regular or you’ve never been to the festival before, we hope to see you in Mallaig later this year!

Q. What is A Write Highland Hoolie?

A Write Highland Hoolie is Scotland’s friendliest book festival! It’s held every year over the second weekend in November in the West Highland Hotel, Mallaig.

Q. How can I attend?

Event tickets go on sale via our website over the summer. You can book for as many events as you like as our carefully thought-out programme means there’s no danger of sessions overlapping. Many of our guests like to book for every single event so they don’t miss out!

Q. Can I stay in the West Highland Hotel when I attend the Hoolie?

Yes! Our accommodation package at the West Highland Hotel includes a two-night stay, all meals and musical entertainment in the bar after dinner each evening. This can be booked by calling 01687 462210 once reservations open.

Q. Which should I book first – the hotel or my event tickets?

The hotel package goes on sale earlier than the event tickets and books up very quickly, so we recommend securing your accommodation first if you want to stay in the West Highland Hotel.

Q. Does the price of the hotel package include event tickets?

No. The Hoolie weekend rate at the West Highland Hotel includes bed, breakfast, lunch, dinner and after-dinner music over the duration of the festival, but guests need to book and pay  separately for tickets for the events they wish to attend.

Q. Is other accommodation available in Mallaig?

Yes, there are several other accommodation and eating options available in and around Mallaig for festival attendees who are not staying at the West Highland Hotel.

Q. Which genres of books are featured?

Our programme is eclectic and varied, covering fiction, crime, memoir, nature, folklore, history and outdoor pursuits – and poetry, too.

Q. Is it all about books?

Books are at the heart of the Hoolie, but there’s so much more happening, too! Musical entertainment is provided by some of Scotland’s best-loved traditional musicians, and there are plenty of opportunities to socialise and make new friends. We also run a full programme of outreach events, taking our authors and musicians into local schools.

Q. Can I buy books at the events?

Yes. The Highland Bookshop of Fort William runs a well-stocked bookshop at the festival, where you can buy all of the books featured over the weekend and many others, too.

Q. How can I keep up to date with announcements?

Follow us on social media and keep an eye on our website for news as the programme is confirmed.

Let's Hear It For The Hoolie!

Warning! We are about to indulge in some serious blowing-of-our-own trumpet in this blog post. We hope you’ll excuse us . . .

A time-consuming and sometimes frustrating, but nevertheless essential, part of running a small book festival is trying to secure sufficient funding. Without it, the Hoolie would be unable to continue, and we are grateful to everyone who supports us financially.

We leave no stone unturned in our efforts to secure donations. And we’re not above a spot of name-dropping! Endorsements from internationally acclaimed authors and musicians help the cause enormously.

To that end, we recently asked some favourite Hoolie authors and musicians to each write a testimonial for us to use in funding applications. They duly obliged, and we were blown away by their kind words! They were too good not to share . . .

"A Write Highland Hoolie is one of the most vibrant and enjoyable festivals I've attended. The calibre of guests was exceptional and every event was packed to the rafters by tremendously engaged audiences. The weekend format also provides numerous opportunities for authors to meet and chat to attendees beyond the signing table. The organisation of the events was flawless and I can't praise Polly Pullar and her team highly enough. Polly works tirelessly to make this event happen and is a charming and welcoming host. All in all, The Hoolie is a model of how a boutique literary festival should be run. Five stars!” Graeme Macrae Burnett, author.

“If we could make a map of Scotland’s cultural gems with notes on it of the fusion of our cultures through music, stories, poetry and song, the exchange of laughter and wisdom, the lifeblood of our seasons, our landscapes and our shared horizons, we couldn’t help but notice the glowing light over Mallaig where the unbreakable spirit of A Write Highland Hoolie unites all those who have gathered there to be amongst friends, and sometimes friends you never knew you had but will never know how much you have missed them. May that light never be dimmed.” Jim Mackintosh, poet. 

“Having spoken at book festivals the length and breadth of Britain, I can report that A Write Highland Hoolie in Mallaig is magical, unique and precious. Nowhere else do writers meet and celebrate so gladly with readers all of the glories of the written word. Stories are how we understand the world, and in the midst and the warmth of a Highland ceilidh, unforgettable stories are told, links made and remade, and at the end of a memorable weekend, the world seems somehow better.”  Alistair Moffat, author. 

“So many festivals, even very good ones, can blend into one another in the memory, but A Write Highland Hoolie is a truly unique undertaking in a striking location. It creates a compelling sense of shared creative endeavour as writers, musicians, artists and readers gather not merely to discuss books, but to throw their lot in with one another in a common space for 72 hours. I can’t think of any other festival that offers a comparable experience, and with it drawing consistently large crowds and commensurate book sales, it remains one of the highlights of the Scottish festival calendar.” Chris Brookmyre, author.

“I have been honoured and lucky enough to have been involved as a guest musician at A Write Highland Hoolie on two occasions now. My first appearance at the festival involved a concert and a chat where I went through my inspiration and the process behind my writing with author Paul Murton. My second visit to A Write Highland Hoolie was with a multi-media performance of “Beyond the Swelkie” which was a tribute to the life and works of the great Orcadian poet George Mackay Brown. On both weekends I also had the privilege of explaining my compositional techniques to pupils of Mallaig High School during a special event for the Hoolie School of Music Sessions. Together with multi-instrumentalist Hamish Napier, we wrote tunes with these talented young people. My experience of sharing my music and inspiration at this wonderful event with audiences and fellow creatives alike has been both enriching and inspirational to me. A Write Highland Hoolie is a friendly, community driven event which entices some of Scotland’s finest writers to the west coast of the Highlands. It is a jewel in the calendar for everyone who supports it.” Duncan Chisholm, musician.