Best Luxury Hotels in Scotland

Just minutes from the ferry terminal at Brodick (staff collect guests in liveried vans), Auchrannie is set beside a burn, in the shadow of the mountains. Choose to stay in the spa hotel (best for families), the old house hotel, in a multi-bedroom lodge catering to groups, or at the far reaches of the resort in a couples’ timber-built one-bedroom retreat with a wood burner, a wood-fired hot tub, fire pit and wilderness views. All are within walking distance of the facilities; three restaurants, two pools, two thermal suites, a children’s play barn, an activities centre and games hall and ASPA for treatments.

Stroll a mere ten minutes from the centre of Inverness to discover this uber-trendy hotel – the city’s only to have five stars. The sleek, modern Rocpool Reserve, is contained in a Georgian mansion house and overlooks the River Ness. It has its own moody cocktail ‘r bar’ and Chez Roux (part of the wider Roux group) serving everything from amuse-bouche to hearty high-end fare and even special meals for your pooch. Four categories of bedrooms (11 in total) offer delights such as hot tubs, cabin-style saunas, balconies, oversized beds and Tassimo coffee machines, along with dark and dramatic decor. Valet services and beauty treatments are available on request.

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.

This property began life in 1895 as a home to Lord Strathcona, before serving as a military and maternity hospital. Nowadays the highland mansion, and its ten acres of land, offer a refined Highland base with views of Glencoe. Some of the suites and lodges have hot tubs and maxi bars and you’ll be served breakfast in bed, setting the scene for a romantic escape. Seasonal meals can be served in the restaurant, with drinks in the living room beside an open fire, or during the day, the staff will pack you a luxury picnic to enjoy in the great outdoors.

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!

Stay in an elegant New Town Georgian townhouse with 26 rooms, which, like The Dunstane Houses, are spread across two buildings. Nira Caledonia offers a Jacuzzi Suite, ideal for soothing tired legs after a day of exploring the city’s cobbled streets. All rooms and suites come with PMD Tea, minibars, 2,000-pocket sprung beds, goose-down pillows and L’Occitane toiletries as standard. The hotel boasts its very own 12-year-old ultra-limited edition whisky, bottled in partnership with Adelphi Distillery and served onsite. Guests can try the tipple and dine at Blackwoods Bar & Grill, which has a farm or fishery-to-fork ethos (around 40% of the menu ingredients come from Scotland).

Overlooking Loch Feochan with panoramic views of rugged mountains and tranquil islands, Knipoch Hotel is just a short six-mile drive from Oban. This historic boutique 4-star hotel dates back hundreds of years and it became part of the Sonas Collection in early 2024 following a £1 million renovation. The property has been carefully restored to preserve its original charm, featuring stone walls, fireplaces and wood-panelled interiors while enhancing the guest experience with modern comforts such as super king-sized beds, luxury fittings and a relaxing outdoor hot tub. Knipoch Hotel’s newly launched destination restaurant ‘1635’ offers a seven-course, high-end Scottish dining experience, blending the finest local ingredients with seasonal flavours from across the country. This peaceful retreat is surrounded by stunning highland views and is an excellent base for exploring the local area.