Cottages on the Isle of Mull

Table of Contents

• At a glance: what should you know about renting a cottage on the Isle of Mull?
• Cottages on the Isle of Mull: find your perfect retreat
• Exploring the Isle of Mull: our top recommendations
• Activities: what are the top things to do and see on the Isle of Mull?

• Traditional island cottages: Stone crofts, converted steadings and harbour-side cottages with wood burners, sea views and enclosed gardens, most sleeping between two and six guests.
• Where to base yourself: Tobermory for colour and company, Craignure for the ferry, the Ross of Mull for Iona and pink granite coastline.
• Guest favourites: The best-reviewed island cottages score above 9.0+, praised for peace, welcoming hosts and wildlife right outside the window.
• Island larder: Expect Isle of Mull Cheddar, hand-dived scallops, smoked fish and island gin and whisky within a short drive of your kitchen.
• Getting around: Single-track roads reward slow days, so plan around ferry times and take walks, boat trips and long lunches at island pace.

Cottages on Mull run from tiny stone crofts on the Ross of Mull to converted steadings above the Sound of Mull and charming terraced cottages on Tobermory's harbour front! Many sit on working land, so sheep, sea eagles and otters are near neighbours.

• Wood burners and stacked logs for long, dark island evenings
• Enclosed gardens and boot rooms, ideal in a dog-friendly cottage
• Hot tubs and, occasionally, a cottage with a pool
• Well-stocked kitchens for cooking Tobermory seafood and island cheese
• Parking, drying space and reliable Wi-Fi for longer, slower stays

Book early for summer: island supply is small and the best cottages go months ahead.

What are the best areas to stay on the Isle of Mull?

Tobermory suits first-time visitors, while a beach cottage on the west coast suits anyone chasing white sand and sunsets. The table below details regions for specific interests:

What do our guests say?

Guests consistently rate island cottages highly for quiet, comfort and the welcome they receive. Reviews mention wood smoke and star-filled skies, otters at the shoreline and hosts who leave local eggs, milk and a note about the tides. Ratings of 9.0+ are common, and the best cottages combine simple, traditional interiors with views that do the work.

Here are our top-rated cottages on the Isle of Mull from the past year:

1. Fionnphort Bolthole - 9.9+: A one-bedroom bolthole near Fionnphort with a garden, drying space and the Iona ferry minutes away.
2. Erisgeir Sleeps 6 with Private Grounds - 9.8+: Room for six in private grounds on Mull, with a terrace, family-friendly layout and a well-equipped kitchen.
3. Poppies Cottage, pet friendly in Craignure, Isle of Mull - 9.9+: A pet-friendly cottage for two near Craignure, with a sauna, garden and the Oban ferry close by.

Mull is the second largest of the Inner Hebrides, a ferry ride west of Oban, with sea lochs, single-track roads and Ben More at its centre.

🥗Where to eat on the Isle of Mull?

According to Google Maps data and reviews, ar bòrd (our table) is the best rated restaurant on the Isle of Mull. Below is a table showing the top 5 highly-rated restaurants hand-picked by our travel experts.

⭐Our guests' recommendation: Our guest traveller Emma recommends the Glenforsa Cafe & Farm Shop at Aros on the Isle of Mull: it pairs island beef and baking with a farm shop stocked with Isle of Mull Cheddar, smoked fish and island gin to take back to the cottage.

1. Wander Tobermory's painted harbour
2. Sail to Staffa and Fingal's Cave
3. Cross to Iona
4. Watch puffins on the Treshnish Isles
5. Climb Ben More
6. Beachcomb at Calgary Bay
7. Tour Duart Castle

1. Wander Tobermory's painted harbour

   The island's capital lines its bay with painted houses that have appeared on countless postcards. Spend a morning browsing independent shops on Main Street, tasting a dram at the Tobermory Distillery and picking up smoked fish and island cheese for the cottage. Boat operators leave from the pier for wildlife trips, and Aros Park's woodland waterfalls are a gentle walk around the shore. It is also the island's best place to eat, with seafood cafés and bistros a few doors apart.

2. Sail to Staffa and Fingal's Cave

   Boats run from Fionnphort, Ulva Ferry and Tobermory to the uninhabited island of Staffa, where hexagonal basalt columns rise straight from the Atlantic. Landing lets you walk the causeway into Fingal's Cave, where swell echoes under the roof, then climb to the grassy summit for views back to Mull and Iona. Puffins nest here from late April to early August. Sailings depend on sea conditions, so book ahead and keep a spare day.

3. Cross to Iona

   The short passenger ferry from Fionnphort reaches Iona in ten minutes. The island is barely three miles long, so a day is enough to see the restored abbey, the burial ground of early Scottish kings, the Augustinian nunnery ruins and the white shell sand of the North End. Cars need a permit, which suits Iona perfectly: walking is the point. Bring a picnic of island cheese and bread, and allow time to sit with the view towards the Ross of Mull.

4. Watch puffins on the Treshnish Isles

   Summer boat trips run to Lunga in the Treshnish Isles, where puffins nest close enough to photograph without a long lens. Guillemots, razorbills and kittiwakes crowd the stacks, and grey seals haul out below. Sailings usually run between May and July, often combined with Staffa, and depart from Ulva Ferry, Tobermory or Fionnphort. Wear boots for the landing and expect a steep, brief climb to the burrows on the clifftop.

5. Climb Ben More

   Ben More is the only Munro outside Skye on an island, rising to 966 metres above Loch na Keal. The usual route starts near Dhiseig and climbs steadily for four to five hours return, rewarding you with views over the Treshnish Isles, Iona and, on clear days, the Cuillin. The rock is magnetic in places, so trust the map rather than the compass. Quieter, lower walks lead through Glen More and along the Ardmeanach coast.

6. Beachcomb at Calgary Bay

   Calgary Bay is Mull's best-known beach: a curve of white shell sand and turquoise water on the north-west coast. It is free to visit, with machair behind the dunes and a sculpture trail through the woodland above. Bring a wetsuit for a bracing swim, or simply walk the sand at low tide. Fidden and Traigh na Cille on the Ross of Mull are quieter alternatives, both close to island log cabins and cottages.

7. Tour Duart Castle

   Perched on a headland above the Sound of Mull, Duart Castle has been the seat of Clan Maclean for seven centuries and is the first landmark you see from the Oban ferry. Tours take in the keep, the sea-facing battlements and exhibitions on clan history, with a tea room for afterwards. Nearby Torosay offers woodland and shoreline walks, and the road on towards Lochbuie passes a stone circle and a much-loved seasonal café.