Black Sheep Hotels Group has opened the Ambassador Hotel in Inverness following a £6 million investment, marking the latest addition to its growing portfolio across the Scottish Highlands.
The property, formerly known as the Strathness House Hotel, has been redeveloped into a 14-bedroom boutique hotel spread across two Victorian townhouses dating back to 1874. The extensive renovation introduced redesigned bedrooms and suites inspired by 19th-century travel and the surrounding Highland landscape.
Two new hospitality concepts anchor the hotel. Talk of the Town, the on-site Indian restaurant, brings a Scottish-Indian dining experience to Inverness, while The Other Room serves as the hotel’s library bar. Both venues are housed within the redeveloped site and are open to hotel guests and local visitors.
Talk of the Town takes its name from a well-known Bombay restaurant established in 1968 and blends Indian flavours with Scottish and continental influences. The restaurant is led by corporate executive chef Sinclair Pinto, whose background includes experience in Michelin-starred kitchens alongside chefs such as Angela Hartnett and Hélène Darroze.
The menu focuses on locally sourced ingredients, with seafood supplied by Highland fishmonger Iain Stewart and meats sourced from Lochaber Larder. Dishes combine Scottish classics, Indian specialities and continental cuisine, reflecting the restaurant’s cross-cultural concept.
Drinks are supported by a curated wine and spirits selection from the Library Bar, alongside classic and signature cocktails created by Antwerp-based mixologist Paul Morel.
Black Sheep Hotels Group operates a collection of hotels, cabins, restaurants and hospitality venues across the Highlands, including The Whispering Pine Lodge, Black Sheep Hotels Cabins at Spean Bridge, The Cluanie Inn at Glenmoriston and Rokeby Manor at Invergarry. The group is owned by Mars Enterprises and Hospitality Pvt. Ltd., founded in 1991 by siblings Sanjay Narang and Rachna Narang.
With the opening of the Ambassador Hotel, the group continues to invest in heritage properties, positioning Inverness as a growing hub for boutique hospitality and destination dining in the Scottish Highlands.
