The Daily Telegraph - Saturday - Travel
HOT HOTELS
THE GRANDTULLY HOTEL BY BALLINTAGGART
Grandtully, Perthshire
Stylish, colourful, clever and fun, this village hotel and wildly popular restaurant offers some of the best food in Scotland with smart bedrooms full of personality. Discover the “ring for whisky” bell in the library or be drawn to the warm, buzzy bar for a cocktail and perhaps a plate of negronicured sea trout. The relaxed restaurant mainlines in seafood, game and foraged ingredients.
Doubles from £155 including breakfast (01887 447000; ballintaggart.com/ grandtully-hotel)
KILLIEHUNTLY FARMHOUSE
AND COTTAGES Kingussie, Inverness-shire
Traditional stone farmhouse on the outside; surprisingly, soothingly Scandiwegian inside. Four subtly contemporary bedrooms have soft, snugglesome textiles with perhaps a modern fourposter here, soft pink Arne Jacobsen upholstered chair there, and mountain views all round. Guests have the run of the house: help yourself to a drink from the honesty bar, then curl up in front of the fire before tucking in to supper around the kitchen table.
Doubles from £435 including dinner and breakfast (01540 661619; killiehuntly.scot)
KNOCKINAAM LODGE, Portpatrick, Dumfries and Galloway
A timeless country house hotel, bastion of kippers and morning tea in bed served in good china. Best of all is the splendid seclusion at the bottom of a winding lane, with a private beach at the end of the garden. Swim or simply take a long soak in Winston Churchill’s vast concrete bath; spend the day exploring before dinner, then fall asleep to the sound of the sea. Doubles from £350 including dinner and breakfast (01776 810471; knockinaamlodge.com)
WINDLESTRAW Walkerburn, Scottish Borders
The Tweed Valley is a heavenly place for walking, especially the Borders Abbeys Way, which circles past four magnificent ruined abbeys. There are also at least a dozen walks from this Edwardian arts and crafts house, with six pretty bedrooms and welcoming hosts John and Sylvia. You’ll be glad you took the exercise when you have tried John’s cooking: think cured pigeon in elderberry vinaigrette and Borders lamb with Jerusalem artichoke. Doubles from £190 including breakfast (01896 870636; windlestraw.co.uk)
KILLIECRANKIE HOUSE
Killiecrankie, Perthshire
This long-cherished small foodie hotel in historic Killiecrankie has been comprehensively reimagined by its new owners, Tom and Matilda Tsappis (chef and sommelier respectively). It’s all about indulgent luxury, on the plate (Highland wagyu beef) and in the furnishings (Murano glass chandeliers). Expect roll-top baths and four-poster beds in each of the four bedrooms— essential after an 11-course dinner (plus whisky and “sweeties”).
Doubles from £450 including tasting menu dinner and breakfast (01796 473213; killiecrankiehouse.com)
SCARISTA HOUSE Sgarasta Bheag, Isle of Harris
When staying in this Hebridean Georgian house, there is nothing between you and the sunset but three miles of tidal sands. It’s a welcome retreat after a blowy walk, whether you take to the beach (loved by surfers for its big swells) or the hills, or go hunting for Harris tweed. You will find antiques and florals and books everywhere, along with some glorious views – and make sure you don’t miss the Stornoway black pudding at breakfast.
Doubles from £231 including breakfast (01859 550238; scaristahouse.com)
SHIELDAIG LODGE
Badachro, Ross-shire
A 26,000-acre estate is home to this 12-bedroom Victorian hunting lodge on the edge of Shieldaig Bay. Gently refurbished, it’s smart but not stuffy and welcoming to all ages. There’s a ghillie and a games room, activities such as falconry and a library. It’s an ideal place for families or friends to gather and blow the cobwebs away after long months of separation.
Doubles from £231 including breakfast (01445 741333; shieldaiglodge.com)
KINLOCH LODGE
Sleat, Isle of Skye
It is 50 years since Kinloch opened to the paying public, setting the standard for comfort with character and good food that has never wavered. Now, the second generation are at the helm and autumn is the perfect time to take advantage of Kinloch’s ghillie’s “wild walks” combining wildlife spotting and foraging. Follow with a spa treatment, try a two-day “digital detox package”, or just sit by the fireside gazing over lovely Loch na Dal.
Doubles from £320 including breakfast (01471 833333; kinloch-lodge.co.uk)
GLENGORM CASTLE
Tobermory, Isle of Mull
It may be a high Victorian castle, all turrets and crow-stepped gables, but this is also the Nelson family’s home: informal and as warmly welcoming as staying with a friend (perhaps that’s the complimentary whisky?). There are just five smart bedrooms, all boasting extradeep baths. With fabulous sunset views and an open fire in every public room it’s probably as close as you can get to being royally relaxed.
Doubles from £160 including breakfast (01688 302321; glengormcastle.co.uk)