Lybster was once one of the busiest herring ports in Scotland, and the Portland Hotel was built into that working harbour town in 1851. For much of its life it stood as the premier venue in Caithness for weddings and other functions, before falling into disrepair and closing its doors.

In the summer of 2018, new owners carried out a sympathetic renovation that kept the building’s historic character intact, and reopened it as a family run hotel. The village itself gained a wider audience when it featured in the filming of Netflix’s The Crown.

The hotel now sits on the A99, forming part of the North Coast 500 route, and welcomes travellers heading toward Wick, John o’ Groats, and the ferry crossing to Orkney.