Pitlochry parents fear they won’t be heard on future of high school.

The owners of Knockendarroch Hotel in Pitlochry are celebrating after their business was named Scottish hotel of the year.

The Good Hotel Guide awarded Struan and Louise Lothian the prize at a celebratory dinner in London earlier this week.

The award is made after the guide’s staff conduct hundreds of anonymous inspections across the country.

Mr Lothian, who with his wife has owned the hotel since 2014, said: “For us, this is the ultimate award from the definitive independent hotel guide. We are absolutely delighted and honoured to be recognised alongside such legends of the industry.

“We would never suggest that Knockendarroch is the best or most luxurious hotel in Scotland. Rather, we like to think that this award recognises the overall experience that we offer our guests.

“The phenomenal team is key to delivering our vision and heartfelt thanks must go to them for their skill and tireless hard work.

“We look forward to the future and continuing to improve on every aspect of what we do here at Knockendarroch.”

The 14-bedroom hotel, which dates from 1880, is in the centre of the Highland Perthshire town. It was originally built for an Aberdonian lawyer with four acres of gardens, an inner courtyard, a gate house and coach house.

Many of the original features still exist including the house’s grand entrance porch with stained glass windows, stone columns and a grand staircase.

The building was also home to Scotland’s “Theatre in The Hills”, when the Pitlochry Theatre Company erected a huge tent in the garden for performances in the 1950s.

A spokesperson from the Good Hotel Guide, which is published every autumn, said: “The guide is written for those seeking impartial advice on finding a good place to stay. Hotels cannot buy their entry and inspectors do not accept free hospitality on their anonymous visits to hotels.”