10 Best hotels for history lovers
If it’s a blast from the past you fancy, there’s plenty available and you’ll get bed and breakfast too. What’s not to like, asks Hannah Brown
Whether it’s immersing yourself in the history of a Jacobean home or getting cosy with some old historic ghosts in an inn, this is a list of the top ten hotels in Scotland which are steeped in history.
The Scotsman Hotel
This Edwardian build of 1905, housed The Scotsman Newspaper for almost a century. The building is reported to be haunted by a host of ghosts, including a phantom printer.
Balmoral Hotel
Owned originally by the North British Railway Company, the hotel opened in 1902. The hotel’s clock was set three minutes fast, so that people wouldn’t miss their trains. This is still the case today. The only day that the clock chimes on time is on 31st December for Hogmanay.
The Kilmarnock Arms
Bram Stoker is thought to have written parts of Dracula by the fire at The Kilmarnock Arms
The Torridon
William King-noel built this hunting lodge in 1887. Noel stands out in history for marrying Lord Byron’s only legitimate daughter, Ada, a ‘poetical scientist’ who assisted Charles Babbage in writing the first computer program.
Kenmore Hotel
Widely considered to be the oldest hotel in Scotland, Kenmore is nestled in the middle of mountainous highland Perthshire.
Culloden House Hotel
This mid-18th-century manor hosted guests such as Bonnie Prince Charlie as he planned to overthrow English rule.
Roman Camp
Built in 1625, its name comes from the earthwork visible across the meadow to the South of the gardens which is believed to be Roman.
Ballachulish Hotel
The architect behind Ballachulish Hotel, John Honeyman, took on renowned artist Charles Rennie Mackintosh as his apprentice.
The Drovers Inn
Steeped in spooky stories, the Drovers Inn is rumored to be one of the most haunted hotels in Britain with more than 300 years of history.
Traquair House
Known as Scotland’s oldest inhabited house, Traquair House has links to historical royalty.
The Stuarts of Traquair supported Mary Queen of Scots and the Jacobite cause, and were eventually imprisoned, fined and then isolated.