A remote Scottish island, once home to just five people, is experiencing a remarkable renaissance, spearheaded by an Australian interior designer and his husband. Banjo Beale, winner of BBC's Interior Design Masters in 2022, and his partner Ro are at the heart of a new six-part BBC Scotland series, Banjo and Ro’s Grand Island Hotel, which documents their ambitious project: transforming a derelict mansion on the Isle of Ulva into a boutique hotel.
From Dereliction to Dream: The Ulva House Transformation
Ulva House, a Grade B-listed modernist mansion with Regency influences, was a dilapidated shell when the couple first discovered it. Located on Ulva, a small island just off the Isle of Mull in the Inner Hebrides, the property has "good bones," according to Beale, but required a complete revival. The pair have invested their savings and secured a rent-and-repair lease to undertake the conversion, with part of the future profits being returned to the community.
The design ethos for the seven-bedroom hotel is a blend of Beale's classical style and Ro's love for the tropical, aiming for a "bohemian, whimsical" feel. A standout feature is a romantic mural of palm trees against mountains, painted by artist Melissa Wickham, which sweeps up the grand staircase. Beale, a self-confessed frustrated antiques dealer, has furnished spaces like the opulent Library Bar with finds from Belgium and France, including a Parisian pitch pine bar sourced for £1,500.
A key aesthetic is "arrested decay," where features like peeling pale green paint in the light-filled Orangery are preserved under a layer of varnish. The hotel will open seasonally, with Ro heading up the kitchen.
The Community Buyout Breathing Life Back into Ulva
This project is part of a larger story of revival for Ulva. The island, measuring just 7.5 miles by 2.5 miles, was privately owned until a community buyout in 2018 aimed to repopulate it. The population had plummeted from 570 in 1841 to just five in 2015, largely due to the Highland Clearances. The buyout initiative has since increased the resident count to 16, with a long-term target of 50.
Beale's connection to the Hebrides began when the couple moved so Ro could train as an artisan cheesemaker on Mull. Banjo's first foray into design was the Glass Barn cafe, which ignited his passion. The hotel is his third project on Ulva; he previously redesigned the Cragaig Bothy for the community and, last summer, he and Ro along with business partner Sam took over The Boathouse restaurant by the jetty, which has become a popular destination.
Off-Grid Adventures: The Bothy Alternative
For visitors seeking a more rugged experience, Ulva offers off-grid accommodation. One option is the charming Bearnus Bothy, a five-mile coastal hike from the jetty. Run by adventurous climbers Andy and Yvette Primrose, the whitewashed bothy provides a simple retreat with twin beds, a wood-burning stove, and candlelight. It embodies a spirit of wilderness adventure, with opportunities to spot seals, otters, and hen harriers on solitary walks.
The future of Ulva is looking brighter. With a new hotel on the horizon, a successful restaurant, and renewed community spirit, this remote Hebridean island is being thoughtfully and stylishly re-peopled, proving that innovative design and community collaboration can turn fortunes around.
