Best Luxury Hotels in Scotland

Five minute’s walk from the island’s main town of Portee, this four-star Manor Hotel, puts you a little further toward the busier parts of Skye. However, set on a hill and surrounded by mature gardens, with views across the coast, you can still enjoy a sense of peace. 34 bedrooms come with Nespresso coffee machines, Bose sound systems, Highland Soap toiletries and 300 thread count sheets. Seafood is the focus at the Chargrill Restaurant, which provides excellent views, seasonal menus and a wood-burning stove for cosy evenings eating beside the fire. During warmer months, guests can dine and drink out on the hotel’s terrace, overlooking the Cuillin Hills.

If you dine anywhere on Skye, make it The Three Chimneys. The restaurant has achieved worldwide fame, yet is a humble figure on the landscape, in the shape of a cosy white croft cottage. Located in Dunvegan, the restaurant is accompanied by a romantic place to stay, The House Over By. Part of the Wee Hotel Company, the hotel has just six rooms, with one on the ground floor catering for families. Each has Temple Spa toiletries and Bose sound systems, with calming, refreshing decor. And, as it’s right next to the restaurant, you won’t have far to go to get ‘home’ – a factor that’s especially handy on Skye, where the transport infrastructure relies on access to a vehicle.

Back in the 16th-century, this was a hunting lodge. Now it’s a well respected, family-owned and run hotel in a remote part of Skye (although, most of Skye is by nature remote). Local craftspeople have been employed in the process of decorating this hotel, giving it a distinctly Scottish, yet upscale look. Homely rooms are all individually designed, with views of the nearby loch, fluffy robes and L’Occitane bath products. Guests can go foraging with the lodge’s own ghillie, take part in traditional country pursuits, play board games, dine on menus constructed to include ingredients from the Kinloch’s kitchen garden and drink at the honesty bar.

Overlooking the 18th hole and clubhouse of the world-famous Old Course in St Andrews, the 5-star Seaton House provides the famous Scottish golfing town with its most refined hospitality experience to date. Formerly The Scores Hotel, the property has reclaimed its original name, following a sensitive restoration of its two Georgian townhouses which date back to 1864. The Luxury Editor spent a weekend at Seaton House, so read on to discover why this is, without doubt, St Andrews’ most sophisticated new address. Positioned on ‘The Scores’, St Andrews’ most iconic road, Seaton House offers 42 luxurious guest quarters, including expansive garden and terrace suites, destination dining by celebrated Edinburgh’s seafood restaurant Ondine Oyster & Grill, Bar and outdoor alfresco dining terrace and a further all-day dining experience, The Board Room.

This modern boutique hotel, wedged between traditional tenement buildings in Glasgow’s city centre, is a welcome retreat in the busy city. Only steps away from some of the best shopping, theatre, art galleries and museums in Scotland, it’s the perfect place to sojourn. With 104 rooms, there is something for all budgets and needs. From standard twin and double rooms to superior twin and double rooms through to family rooms. But it’s the duplex suites that flex the Apex’s luxury muscles. Each of their five duplex suites are split over two floors, with open mezzanine levels overlooking some of the best views of the city. Take some time to gaze at the beautiful skyline.

This beautiful hotel in the heart of the city centre was once one of Glasgow’s very first power stations. Showing off the opulence in architecture both on the outside and in, the hotel mixes the beauty and composition of the original designs, like high ceilings and original brown brick, with modern splendour and comforts. With a business centre available on-site, business travellers will find everything they need to keep them on track. To wind down after a hard day at the office or sightseeing, spend some time at their on-site fitness centre or surf the web with their wi-fi available in all areas. More than just a place to rest, it’s an essential part of Glasgow’s mercantile history and a key to its transformation into the industrial city it has become. Don’t forget to take a walk around the neighbourhood and look up to see the architectural beauty that surrounds.

40 miles from Glasgow (certainly, as the crow flies) is Portavadie Marina, a resort surrounded by rolling West Coast hills and on the banks of Loch Fyne. The hotel itself is a modern and glass-fronted building overlooking the marina full of yachts and boats. The village itself is compact with not much more than a few cottages, but the resort more than makes up for that with its luxury spa and well-being facilities. After a £10 million development, the contemporary spa facility offers a 16-metre pool, fully equipped gym, sauna (with a picture window offering incredible views), Jacuzzi, and a plethora of spa treatments using Ishga products developed in the Outer Hebrides using the pure Scottish seaweed. The star of the show here however is the heated outdoor infinity pool (the biggest in Scotland) which feels like you are swimming in the loch but without the freezing temperatures!

Dating back to the mid-1800s, this castle overlooks the peaceful Sound of Mull. Its imposing exterior gives way to a cosier interior; glowing fires, wood panelling, country house decor, a complimentary array of whiskies and just five bedrooms. The incumbent owners (Tom and Marjorie Nelson) live in a private wing within the building. But they’re on hand to meet guests’ needs, including the supply of a hearty daily breakfast taken sociably, at a 16th-century trestle table. It’s a great choice for families seeking a more intimate stay, and pet pooches are most welcome to join too.

Found beside a canal, in a little fishing village where the sea meets Loch Fyne, it follows that this hotel would be the go-to place for seafood. Freshly caught shellfish is served at the relaxed Crinan Seafood Bar (don’t miss the huge local prawns and Colonsay oysters ). Guests can also eat in-house at its L’Assiette Michelin fine dining establishment, The Westward, Lock 16 Restaurant on the top floor and a cafe laden with home-baked goods. The hotel itself is family-run, with a total of 20 bedrooms – each themed on a Scottish artist, and all with ocean views. Any visiting artists have access to an onsite studio and there’s a magical secret garden at the rear.

Ultra boutique with just 15 rooms, Links House has a prime location, just steps away from the Royal Dornoch’s first tee and a short walk to the beach. Clubs are available to borrow if you’re unable to bring your own, along with a range of other activity supplies. Play the neighbouring course ranked #2 in Scotland and #4 in the world by Golf Digest, as well as a further four championship courses nearby. It’s not only golf that’s the highlight of a stay at Links House – the two AA Rosette-awarded restaurant offers some of the finest food in the region. The 19th-century hotel also benefits from two honesty bars and sumptuous furnishings.

Dating back to the 18th century, this former coaching inn has taken on a new lease of life as a fine-dining waterfront hotel. Just 11 rooms ensure the boutique feel remains intimate and there are plenty of homely touches, such as bikes, free newspapers, wellies and waterproofs for guests’ use. A croquet lawn at the front provides elegant recreational opportunities, while local excur. The hotel is dog friendly and has self-catering cottages within the grounds, for those preferring a more private retreat. Or if you’re planning a large get-together why not hire out the whole place to yourselves?

Those couples seeking the classic romantic experience will adore the four-poster beds, lavish traditional furnishings, room service and award-winning three-course tasting menus at Ardanaiseig. Activities here focus on getting closer to nature with 240 acres of private grounds – bikes, wellies and fishing rods are all provided free for guests’ use and archery or clay pigeon shooting can be arranged. The house has a Grade II listing, retaining many original features and earned four stars from the AA Hotel guide.