12 Of The Best Places To Stay In Scotland

Available through Sand & Stone Escapes, Milovaig House is a handsome two-bedroom former crofter’s cottage on the edge of the sea, right up in the remote northwest of the Isle of Skye. Alongside a modern extension featuring floor-to-ceiling windows and a telescope for stargazing and wildlife spotting, the rest of the traditional property has been given a Scandi makeover that suits Milovaig’s hillside surroundings – picture white-washed walls and sheepskin rugs. The extra touches extend to a generous welcome hamper filled with local bread, jam, eggs and fizz in the fridge. There’s even a Nordic-style wood-fired hot tub from where – in the right conditions – you can watch the Northern Lights.  

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Surrounded by five acres of private grounds, Dun Aluinn aims to redefine luxury in the Scottish Highlands. With a name translating to ‘beautiful hill fort’ in Gaelic, this exclusive-use, fully staffed property combines the services of a luxury hotel with the privacy of a private home. With panoramic views over the Tay Valley to Schiehallion, Dun Aluinn is a striking Queen Anne manor house. Originally built in 1909, the estate previously served as a hotel and boarding school before its transformation into an exclusive retreat in 2018. Interior highlights include the bespoke 5.5m-long oak and bronze dining table, and an iconic B&B Italia Tufty-Too corner sofa, positioned to capture the views of the valley. The property can host up to 18 guests across nine en-suite bedrooms, while an adjacent modern lodge sleeps up to eight guests. A private chef, butler and housekeeping team are on hand, and any type of excursion you can think of can be organised by the team. 

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Kinloch Lodge is a family-run property in a truly spectacular location. Tucked away on Skye’s southern shores, the lodge is remote – you’ll need a car to reach it, but it’s worth any journey. Once a 16th-century hunting lodge, it is now a charming hotel that pays homage to its own history while offering a home-from-home experience – if, of course, your home is a sprawling property on the edge of a loch. For over 50 years, the hotel has been run by Lady Claire and Lord Godfrey Macdonald, with their daughter Isabella now at the helm. Inside, bedrooms have been decorated in colours and textures that reflect Skye's distinctive landscape, while a bar with board games, a cosy fire and family portraits waits after dinner. Guests can eat in the restaurant or, in summer months, dine al fresco beside a fire pit looking out across the loch. Don’t miss Sunday lunch, featuring whisky-aged venison or Highland beef. 

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If you’re looking for some serious escapism, look no further than the beautiful Fife Arms in Braemar. Close to the royal hideaway of Balmoral, this appealing village is famous in its own right for its Highland Games. Set against the majestic mountainous backdrop of Cairngorms National Park, the hotel dates to the 19th century when it was built by the Duke of Fife as a coaching inn after Queen Victoria’s purchase of Balmoral sent the popularity of Braemar through the roof. In late 2018, the hotel was overhauled by Iwan and Manuela Wirth, the couple behind the Swiss art collective Hauser & Wirth, which owns galleries around the world. The Fife Arms has 46 bedrooms, encompassing everything from royal suites to interconnecting family rooms. Each has been uniquely decorated using plush wallpapers, furnishings and ephemera that reflect the hotel’s history. For views of the mountains, book one of the Nature & Poetry rooms inspired by Scottish poets – or go all out with one of the Royal Suites, which have grand four-poster beds, spacious living areas and copper roll-top baths. 

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Glen Dye estate in Aberdeenshire has a great collection of colourful holiday cottages. The North Lodge was built in the 1890s for the caretakers of the main house. Today, it sleeps six between three bedrooms (two kings and a twin). There’s a large kitchen to cook meals in, using the estate’s own vegetables and eggs, and a cosy sitting room with a wood burner. No 5 Steading Cottage sleeps seven, and includes the ‘Smiddy’, a beautiful stone building housing a games space and piano. For larger groups, there’s the Coach House, sleeping 12, with its own retro jukebox. All Glen Dye cottages have wood-fired hot tubs and outdoor cooking facilities, as well as offering access to the full 15,000-acre estate including its charming BYOB pub, The Glen Dye Arms. All cottages are dog friendly, and there’s a new Discovery & Adventure Centre with icy cold-water immersion tanks to slip into before warming up in the wood-fired sauna. 

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The Torridon is a luxury hotel in Wester Ross. Perched on the edge of the water, it’s an atmospheric former hunting lodge where a traditional, castle-like exterior contrasts with a contemporary design concept, with pops of colour breathing life into the oak-panelled rooms. The Bo & Muc Brasserie offers gastropub-style dishes, while the hotel’s formal restaurant, 1887, serves up a seasonal tasting menu. The hotel can lay on exclusive adventure packages for guests, such as hiking, cycling, kayaking and boat rides, while the autumn and winter months include a must-book package where guests can dine with Stephen, the in-house astronomer, before embarking on a journey through the night, using state-of-the-art telescopes to observe the universe up close, guided by Stephen's expert insights. 

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Wildland is a leading conservation-focused organisation in Scotland, dedicated to protecting and regenerating the natural landscapes of the Scottish Highlands, through its collection of distinctive, restored properties across three significant Scottish estates. Killiehuntly Farmhouse in the Cairngorms National Park is an easy-going, friendly guest house and collection of self-catered cottages. In the main farmhouse, you’ll find four cosy bedrooms – alongside a well-stocked honesty bar, breakfast each day and a hearty shared supper. In the self-catering cottages, you’ll find a kitchen full of good things (think eggs laid by the farm’s hens, plus fish and meat from friends in the community), a roaring log-burning stove, and a home from home to call your own. 

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