Ken and Anne relax in the lounge at Duisdale House.

In a league of their own

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Pictures: Alison White Words: Angela Spence

Multi-award-winning hoteliers Anne Gracie and Ken Gunn let us in on some home truths

t can be hard to balance the demands of work with home life and this difficulty is increased when both take place under the same roof. Husband and wife Anne Gracie and Ken Gunn understand this better than anyone as they are the owners of the multi awardwinning Duisdale and Toravaig House Hotels on Skye, which also double up as their home. We bought and moved into Toravaig House

Hotel in 2003, did a total renovation and opened for business in 2004, Anne explains. As it was also our home we designed separate quarters, which were small but decorated to the same standard as the hotel. Duisdale came on the market in 2007, which was only three miles down the road and we decided to buy it rather than extending Toravaig. We moved into Duisdale not long after and I was a bit reluctant at rst because it meant leaving our lovely quarters at Toravaig and Duisdale was in need of total renovation

at the time. But now we have two beautiful hotels and nice comfortable living quarters at Duisdale. Their living quarters at Duisdale House Hotel, which is situated on the picturesque Sleat peninsula in the south of the isle, consists of an en-suite bedroom and living room but that is all the couple need. We tend to eat from the restaurant kitchen and when the hotel is quiet Ken and I like nothing better that relaxing in front of the re in the guest lounge says Anne. The hotels are also enjoyed as a home from