Dubai Emir's 63,000-acre Scotland estate sees few visits due to lack of rooms

The ruler of Dubai, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, owns an expansive 63,000-acre estate in the Scottish Highlands, known as Inverinate Estate in Wester Ross. Purchased over two decades ago for around $2.7 million, the estate boasts ten luxury properties, including a hunting lodge and three helipads. However, the billionaire Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates has reportedly visited the vast retreat only five times in the past twenty years.

The primary reason cited for the limited visits is a lack of adequate accommodation for the Sheikh's typically large entourage, which includes multiple wives, 23 children, extended family, bodyguards, and staff. This issue persisted even with existing facilities like a 14-bedroom holiday home and a 16-bedroom luxury hunting lodge. Following approval for a new 15-bedroom guest lodge, the total number of properties on the estate increased to ten, offering over 58 bedrooms.

Architects working for the Sheikh, who also founded the Godolphin racehorse stud, argue that the new buildings are essential to support more frequent and extended visits. Planning documents state that the owners' travel has been limited by accommodation constraints. The latest proposed 15-bedroom lodge features floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking Loch Duich, a large conservatory, and a spacious dining hall designed to host dozens of guests.

However, the estate's expansion has not been without controversy. Planning applications submitted by the Sheikh's companies have encountered objections from local residents, conservation groups, and the local church. Concerns have been raised about privacy and the impact on the surrounding landscape, with one planned lodge having to be temporarily withdrawn and relocated after residents voiced opposition. Some locals have also commented that the new buildings resemble a hotel and detract from the natural beauty of the Highlands.

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The owners of Inverinate Estate typically travel in large groups of immediate and extended family and friends. In recent years their travel to Inverinate has been limited by lack of accommodation. Additional staff accommodation was completed in 2017 to create infrastructure that would support greater use of the estate by the owner and this new application seeks to create residential accommodation for the use of the owners, their family and their guests in order they may enjoy more frequent and extended visits to Inverinate.