Four-star luxury for you and your four-legged friends

Rachel McConachie, her partner and their labradoodles enjoy a break at Stonefield Castle on the banks of Loch Fyne in Argyll

When travelling with our two dogs, we usually have to make sacrifices in terms of our accommodation. We often opt for a campervan trip, but sometimes it’s nice to have a bit of luxury and that’s where Stonefield Castle is top dog.

Set on the banks of Loch Fyne, in 60 acres of woodland gardens, the four-star Scottish baronial castle is not just dog friendly, it’s dog mad!

Thankfully, there is an increasing number of hotels which accept pets but we’ve never been anywhere quite so happy to welcome our fur-babies into such fabulously plush surroundings.

I mean, to be fair, they can get pretty mucky...

The staff were the most friendly and cheery we’ve ever met and made such a fuss of our labradoodles, Pepper and Phantom, that we truly felt at ease.

After being shown to our loch-view double room, the dogs enjoyed the treats and bowls of water that were thoughtfully provided before we headed out to explore the vast grounds.

From our room, we had seen paths leading to a wooded peninsula that we just knew the dogs would love.

As they stretched their legs after thecouriermagazine being cooped up in the car for the three and a half hour journey from Dundee, we marvelled at the variety of rhododendrons in full flower, and watched the boats drifting across the loch.

As we gazed over the water, we started to imagine all the wonderful seafood that awaited us for dinner – as Loch Fyne is famous for its oysters, langoustines and mussels. The main restaurant at Stonefield is a large airy conservatory with tremendous views over the loch.

However, for our first night we chose to eat in the cosy bar as we could keep the dogs with us while they adjusted to their new surroundings.

Dining in the bar did not mean losing out on any of the magnificent dishes on offer and I had grilled langoustines with garlic butter and a portion of chips, while my partner opted for pan-fried salmon.

No matter which window you look out of at Stonefield, you will always be treated to an incredible view, so we spent the evening soaking up the scenery on the comfortable sofas, enjoying a few drinks while the dogs made friends with everyone who passed by.

After pre-ordering the Loch Fyne seafood platter for the following evening, we enjoyed a peaceful sleep