NO man, as they say, is an island.

But have you ever wondered how it feels to have your own private one? Richard Branson famously has his own little spot in the British Virgin Islands (that man never misses a branding opportunity) but it turns out there are options closer to home if you want to cut yourself off from the mainland and act like a reclusive celebrity for a day or two.

The Isle of Eriska Hotel, situated on 300 acres of flat, tidal island at the entrance to Loch Creran on the west coast of Scotland, is a paparazzi-free zone. Separated from the mainland near Benderloch, by Connel, via a rickety wee bridge, most of the company you will encounter here are of the animal variety. Seals lazily patrol the surrounding waters, otters and badgers are low-key fellow guests, Roe and Red Deer dart through the undergrowth and even golden eagles check in from time to time. Mercifully, there was no sign of those less welcome west of Scotland visitors: midges.

Unlike those alternative luxury islands in the Caribbean or the Seychelles, of course, the weather in the west of Scotland doesn't come with a guarantee. Especially for an Easter weekend break. But our luck was in. On the days myself and my wife were on site, it is doubtful whether you would rather have sampled that late afternoon sun - as it threatened to dip behind the peaks of Mull, with the isle of Lismore in the foreground - from any other destination on the planet.

The theme of being surrounded and submerged by water is an appropriate one. What better way to take in this stunning vista than from the hot tub on our sun deck, glass of champagne in hand? That luxury was the crowning glory of one of the Isle of Eriska's two Hilltop Reserves, accessed by car via an admittedly gravity-defying trail, but beautifully fitted out with all mod cons including Sky TV and WiFi. Perhaps the most important gadget of all to remember to take with you should you venture out to dinner at night, however, is the torch which is specially fitted to each cabin. Scrambling back up the hill with only an iPhone and the stars to puncture the pitch blackness was a less scary variation of the Blair Witch Project.

To continue with the film references, an appropriate comparison point for Eriska's imposing main house would be Skyfall Lodge (in fact, that is Dalness Lodge in nearby Glen Etive, albeit recreated from scratch on Hankley Common, near Surrey). This grand old building, built in 1884 by a branch of the Stewart clan of Appin under the instruction of acclaimed architect Hippolyte Blanc, is where, for the last 40 years, Beppo Buchanan-Smith and his family have been hosting guests and serving up top quality food in their Michelin-starred restaurant.

Visitors travel from far and wide to sample the food and ours certainly didn't disappoint. Highlights of our locally-sourced meal included a Loch Cuil Scallop starter, a Gartmorn Farm Duck Breast, not to mention a cheese trolley featuring around 40 painstakingly-explained UK varieties of all strengths and sizes, served with oatcakes and rhubarb chutney. A bar in the conservatory serves tasty wee canapés, washed down - in my case at least - with a glass of the satisfying local Oban Bay Scallywagger lager.

The seclusion of the setting can play tricks on you. In truth, there is plenty to do nearby on a rainy day, not that we encountered any of them. Whatever the weather, simply exploring the island is one option. Its name derived from Erik the Red, the famed 10th-century Norse invader, this place is a living geography lesson. Designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest, a rocky, slate beach near the jetty on the western tip reveals this island's glacial heritage while a partially submerged Crannog, or fortified dwelling, reveals a human history of the island which stretches back to the Bronze Age and around 200 BC.

It isn't the worst jumping off point either. The Scottish Sea Life Centre also nestles on the banks of Loch Creran, up near Barcaldine. Dunstaffnage Castle sits proudly at the top of Loch Etive, while Oban offers McCaig's tower, all manner of seafood options and the gateway by ferry to Mull and Iona. The Ben Lora Cafe and Bookshop, just beyond Benderloch, is a cracking wee stop on the way.

But if it is the full, celebrity, private island experience you are after, it seems somehow sacrilegious not to make the most of it. And there is much to make the most of. The Stables, situated near the old formal garden, offers the kind of leisure and recreational facilities which would put some medium-sized Scottish towns to shame.

In the end, we settled for a quick game of badminton in the impressive indoor sports hall, although had we been feeling more adventurous, competing in our own mini Commonwealth Games wouldn't have been out of the question. Alternative options are tennis, badminton, table tennis or even five-a-sides had we found another eight players. Then there was a jog on the treadmill in the fitness centre - a gym which will soon expand further --before a relaxing swim in the 17m indoor pool, plus a sauna and steam room. All manner of spa treatments are available, as is a nine hole-golf course, driving range, putting green, croquet lawn, mountain bike hire and clay pigeon shooting.

For all the excellence of these facilities, the Isle of Eriska remains a plucky underdog amid some heavyweight competitors in the luxury Scottish hotel market. Gleneagles, Trump Turnberry, Cameron House, Mar Hall, the Old Course Hotel in St Andrews and Andy Murray's Cromlix Hotel all garner far more in the way of headlines and traffic, not to mention exclusive city destinations like One Devonshire Gardens in Glasgow, Edinburgh's Balmoral Hotel or the Marcliffe in Aberdeen. Maintaining a high-end, exclusive feel while providing everything a modern traveller requires is no easy task. But on days like these, when nature lends a helping hand, I could just about get used to this island life.

Stewart Fisher and his wife were guests of the Eriska Hotel, Spa and Island. A three-night Hilltop Spa Getaway break costs £499 per person and includes self-catering accommodation, two hours of spa treatments, use of the hotel facilities including pool, jacuzzi, sauna, steam room and nine-hole golf course plus one three-course dinner in the 3AA Rosette restaurant. www.eriska-hotel.co.uk