Best Secluded Hotels in United Kingdom

Sat right on the water with views of the Kylesku Bridge, this hotel’s location is idyllic. The area of Assynt is a beautiful remote region of Sutherland, but the Kylsesku hotel on its fantastically situated peninsula overlooking Loch Glendhu will warmly welcome any visitors in from the untamed nature outside. Some parts of the hotel date from as early as the 17th century although the complex is now made up of a ramble of buildings built up over the years. Inside the hotel has a contemporary feel. – rooms are airy, comfortable and kitted out in a muted cool palette with touches of Scottish textile here and there, whilst the bar and restaurant serve up delicious local seafood to panoramic sea loch views thanks to huge picture windows. Public spaces are decorated with a modern Scandi-Scottish ethos – think bare wood beams, cool copper lighting fixtures and minimalist wood-burning stoves. Whilst there are no gym or spa facilities here, relaxation and escapism is all around this stunning locale and the hotel runs boat trips to a nearby sea colony or the highest waterfall in the UK for fun day trips.

This country abode close to the village of Hemingstone was imagined and designed by its owner, architect Dominic Richards. It’s a mixture of standalone 16th-century barns and new build additions housing guest accommodations from one to four bedrooms. The style is farmhouse chic, with exposed beams, fireplaces, slate floors and the kind of sofas you can sink into. At the centre of the property lies the Grand Barn and the hotel’s restaurant with menus featuring seasonal local ingredients and produce from the onsite kitchen garden. There’s also a gym, sauna, steam room and spa with an alfresco hot tub.

Laid back but classy, this super family-friendly establishment offers plenty of school holiday-friendly pursuits and rooms or apartments sleeping up to eight people. There’s tennis, swimming, croquet, badminton, bikes, a cinema room, creche and a kids club on-site, as well as free access to the nearby National Trust galleries. Adults can enjoy some alone or couple time with bespoke treatments in the spa, and candlelit meals at Federick’s. The hotel itself is an imposing 18th-century manor house enveloped by an enormous area of parkland, four miles from Bury St Edmunds.

The River Arts Club is housed in a Victorian Mansion beside the Thames. Boasting private moorings and access to the river, the hotel overlooks the Guards Club Island – home to many species of birds. It’s situated close to Bray, a gastronomic village paradise, to which guests can travel on water via the hotel’s private launch. There are six categories of bedrooms, all with original artworks and some offering open log fires, park or river views, and terraces.

Just a short drive from the racing town of Newbury lies The Vineyard Hotel. There’s a spa with hot tub, pool, steam room and sauna and innovative (part alfresco) dining at InsideOut. Wine is a big deal here with frequent tasting events – head sommelier Roland Bourger is a UK Sommelier of the Year winner and the cellar holds over 30,000 bottles. The rooms are classic and elegant, with four-poster beds and either balconies or patios in the suites.

This five-star country lodge makes for a wonderful state-of-the-art spa break. The hotel is housed in a 19th century mansion, but the spa area is in a separate, modern and eco-friendly wood-clad building with large windows taking full advantage of the views. Outside it has a jetted tub surrounded by loungers, plus there’s an infinity edge pool and a natural wild pool. Rooms come with four-poster beds and claw-foot freestanding tubs and some have private gardens. The award-winning venue also boasts three restaurants, a Billiard Bar, lounges and a terrace for alfresco dining.

The Gleneagles Hotel is an institution when it comes to luxury getaways. Its conception came about in 1910 when the General Manager of the Caledonian Railway Company had the vision to build a large country house hotel built in the style of a palace in the picturesque valley through which his railway line ran. It opened in 1924 and was quickly coined ‘the Riviera in the Highlands” Set in an 850-acre estate with three championship golf courses and an unbeatable array of sporting activities to try. From equestrian and shooting to fishing and off-road driving, there is plenty to keep you entertained or for a more relaxing experience enjoy some time at the ESPA Spa. Whilst there are 232 rooms, the design of each is constructed to feel like a far more intimate, boutique hotel with a mix of traditional and modern interiors. Guests can enjoy dinner in the incredible Andrew Fairlie Michelin-starred restaurant, the only restaurant in Scotland to hold two Michelin stars or for something more casual The Dormy Bar & Grill serves a selection of delicious dishes.

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.

Perched on the edge of Loch Faskally in Pitlochry, this Baronial castle was built in 1892. Created for the port and sherry merchants, Sandeman, it has since been turned into a glamorous hotel and spa. Family owned and run (by the Clark family) the castle houses 42 bedrooms, four treatment rooms, a pool, a sauna and two restaurants. Eating and drinking can be both an exquisite and unusual experience here, with mood-lit pod dining, a unique gin bar and triple AA Rosette-awarded cuisine accompanied by waterside views. And as the town’s only five-star hotel, it’s the fanciest address at which to stay in town.

There is something extremely romantic and magical about escaping to a private island for a holiday and the 300 acres of stunning land that is the Isle of Eriska certainly does not disappoint. This is the setting and the perfect backdrop for those guests choosing to stay at the Isle of Eriska Hotel and Spa. For over four decades the Buchanan-Smith Family worked hard on developing and nurturing this hotel which has flourished into a luxury destination offering guests peace, tranquillity, outdoor pursuits and much more – all with a touch of luxury. The hotel comprises of 34 bedrooms with 16 bedrooms in the main house, 5 spa suites located in the gardens with private hot tub, 2 garden cottages and 6 hilltop reserves along with a self-catering house option which is a short drive from the main hotel. Fine dining in the Hotel Restaurant or something more casual on The Deck can be enjoyed by residents and non-residents.

Stay in one of the upscale rooms or cottages (the largest of which sleeps 10) in this Edwardian Arts and Crafts country manor. The decor is classic and homely with antique furnishings, designer floral wallpapers, rolltop tubs, hanging tapestries and original fireplaces. Its 6 acres comprise a walled garden, an alfresco terrace, tennis courts, a croquet lawn and a putting green, all perched beside the Muirfield championship golf course. Inside you can sample elegant cuisine in the first Chez Roux Restaurant in Scotland, read a book from the library in a wood-panelled drawing room, get a massage in the spa and take tea in the garden room.

Boasting one of few year-round outdoor heated pools in Scotland, this newly renovated country house hotel (on the Duke of Roxburgh’s former estate) is a top spa destination. The gleaming light-filled, glass-walled, hydro-spa is absolutely a highlight, with its indoor to outdoor, swim-through pool. But there’s so much to do beyond; a top-tier golf course, a fly-fishing centre, a shooting school, a croquet lawn and a driving range. 60 new lodges have been erected on the grounds, giving a self-contained alternative to the more traditional main house bedrooms. Or you can opt for a room in the modern wing.