A remote Scottish island, once home to just five residents, is experiencing a remarkable renaissance, spearheaded by an unlikely duo: an award-winning interior designer and his cheesemaker husband. Their ambitious project to transform a derelict mansion into a boutique hotel is now the subject of a new six-part BBC Scotland series, Banjo and Ro’s Grand Island Hotel.
From Dereliction to Dream Hotel
Ulva House, a Grade B-listed modernist mansion on the Inner Hebridean island of Ulva, was a crumbling shell when Banjo Beale – winner of BBC’s Interior Design Masters in 2022 – and his husband, Ro, first discovered it. Undeterred by the lack of central heating or hot water, the couple plunged their savings into the venture, securing a rent and repair lease. They have been camping on-site during the renovation, a labour of love that aims to open a seven-bedroom, seasonally operating hotel later this year.
The project is more than a personal dream; it's a cornerstone of the island's community-led revival. Ulva was privately owned until a landmark community buyout in 2018, orchestrated to repopulate the island. Historically, the population plummeted from 570 in 1841 to just three adults and two children in 2015, largely due to the Highland Clearances. Today, the population has risen to 16, with a long-term target of 50.
"The good thing about Ulva being community owned," Banjo explains, "is we’re all in this together." Part of the hotel's profits will be reinvested into the local community, ensuring the venture benefits its new custodians.
A Bohemian Vision for the Hebrides
Banjo’s design ethos for Ulva House is described as "bohemian" and "whimsical," a fusion of his classical tastes and Ro's love for the tropical. The aesthetic goal is "arrested decay" – preserving the building's authentic, time-worn character. In the Orangery, peeling pale green paint has been carefully sealed under varnish, while throughout the house, salvaged antiques and curated pieces tell a story.
The couple’s passion for salvage is evident. The impressive zinc and marble-top bar in the Library was a £1,500 find from near Lyon, requiring a complex journey via Mull's small passenger ferry and a horse trailer on car-free Ulva. The entrance hall now features a romantic mural by artist Melissa Wickham, and the space is filled with towering plants, creating an unexpectedly lush, global feel in the Scottish isles.
Beyond the Hotel: An Island Reawakening
The hotel is just one part of Ulva's new chapter. The couple, along with business partner Sam, also run The Boathouse restaurant by the jetty, which has become a popular destination for visitors from Mull. For accommodation, options already include two off-grid bothies and a revamped hostel, catering to different types of adventurers.
One such retreat is Bearnus Bothy, a five-mile coastal hike from Ulva's jetty. Run by the adventurous off-grid couple Andy and Yvette Primrose, the whitewashed bothy offers a rustic escape with a wood-burning stove, candlelight, and stunning solitude. It exemplifies the island's appeal to those seeking connection with raw nature and peace.
As Banjo and Ro's television series shines a spotlight on this tiny island, the future for Ulva looks brighter. The community buyout model, following the example of places like Eigg, is proving its power. With a new hotel on the horizon and a growing sense of momentum, this remote Hebridean outpost is being thoughtfully and beautifully re-peopled, one design project at a time.
