Hidden within 36 acres of Italian gardens and woodland outside of Ballantrae, this hotel lies close to the Ayrshire coastline. A late 19th-century baronial castle, it was first intended as the family seat for the Earl of Inchcape and holds a significant claim to fame – Winston Churchill was said to have discussed the D-Day landings while staying here in the 1940s. Pursuits for the well-heeled are a speciality – shooting, fishing and falconry, as well as tennis and croquet. Inside, guests can relax beside log fires, feast on six-course meals and peruse enormous wine lists. 17 bedrooms offer a period feel filled with antiquities and panelled or marble bathrooms include Penhaligon toiletries.