Best Luxury Hotels in Scotland

Set within eight acres of woodland on North Deeside Road, on the western edge of Aberdeen, you’ll find Marcliffe, the city’s only AA five-star hotel. Since changing hands, the hotel is undergoing a period of significant investment, with a striking £5.5 million glass-domed brasserie, Skylark, and a newly refurbished collection of Suites and Superior rooms, each named after one of the region’s castles. Start the day with a bountiful breakfast in the Conservatory, enjoy afternoon tea or a massage in the spa mid-afternoon, and by evening take a drink in the Drawing Room by the log fire to the sound of the live pianist. And being just 20 minutes from Aberdeen city centre, you have the perfect base for both a city or countryside break in Aberdeenshire.

Standing watch opposite Glasgow City Chambers in the city’s historical municipal district, you’ll find the AC Hotel Glasgow, which breathes a vibrant, fresh energy into Glasgow’s hospitality scene. 245 rooms and suites sit across a brand-new contemporary new wing, plus 22 heritage rooms within the historical wing which once acted as Glasgow Parish Halls. Downstairs, restaurant Hazel, named after the hazel tree in Glasgow’s coat of arms, offers all-day dining, alongside a seriously good cocktail bar, lounge and coffee shop. And being just steps from Queen Street Station, you have everything to hand for a stylish leisure break or business trip in Scotland’s biggest city.

Set on Scotland’s Sutherland coastline at the start of the North Coast 500, Royal Marine Hotel, Brora is an Arts and Crafts period country house, transformed into a coastal retreat, complete with a quintessential, yet contemporary Highland welcome. The building itself, designed in 1913 by the celebrated architect, Sir Robert Lorimer, as a private residence, was acquired by Highland Coast Hotels and reopened in 2022 following a £1.6 million refurbishment. The result is a 21-room bolthole, complete with dining space championing local produce, a cosy bar, set alongside one of the area’s most challenging golf links for its neighbour. A convenient hour from Inverness and the same onto to Wick and Thurso makes this the perfect base to either relax and explore the area or use it as a stepping stone on your journey around Scotland’s rugged highland coast.

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.

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 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.

Experience the refined elegance of Kimpton Blythswood Square Hotel & Spa, a landmark address in the heart of Glasgow. Set within a grand Georgian building overlooking Blythswood Square gardens, this AA Five Star hotel brings together nearly two centuries of heritage with a confident contemporary style. Guests can expect warm, attentive service, beautifully designed rooms and a destination spa set below ground, offering a calming retreat from the city. Dining is led by iasg, the hotel’s signature restaurant, where seasonal Scottish produce and seafood take centre stage alongside a well considered cocktail list. Daily Kimpton Social Hour adds a relaxed touch, with complimentary wine served each evening from 5pm to 6pm. It remains the only AA Five Star accredited hotel in Glasgow city centre, combining historic character with a modern luxury experience.

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.

Perhaps one of the most romantic hotels in Edinburgh, The Witchery, is a boutique hotel which is intimate, opulent and offers an exceptional fine-dining experience with an award-winning wine list. Located at the gates of Edinburgh Castle, in a 16th-century building, the hotel boasts a rich and colourful history that is intertwined into the guest experience. Each of the nine suites are dramatic and theatrical – some with a four-poster bed, some with a roll-top bath for two, some with original portraits and tapestries-  and all with flamboyant style. Stay here and be transported to a bygone era.

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.

Built in 1887 by the then Earl of Lovelace, this 18-bedroomed baronial hunting lodge is filled with original features. While the hotel’s design certainly harks back to the building’s former life, the decor has splashes of bright accented colour. A kitchen garden supplies a multitude of organic produce, along with local meats and fish. And Highland cows can often be spotted wandering past the grounds. If travelling with kids, or those seeking some thrills, Torridon Outdoors is conveniently located on the doorstep, providing a range of outward-bound activities. Be sure to take a peek at the hotel’s drawing room, with its unusual zodiac-designed ceiling and to sample the hotel’s own Arcturus gin.

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.