Best Luxury Hotels in Scotland

Douneside House is located in Tarland, not very far from Aberdeen. With upscale amenities, fine dining and an exquisite location, it guarantees a chic and classy holiday. Each room has a customised design, including high-end media entertainment technology and top-of-the-line Wi-Fi access. A few rooms have a private garden and guests can admire the gorgeous surrounding landscape. The lodge’s restaurant offers a large range of food varieties all made with local products. Fruits and vegetables which are grown organically in the gardens of the property add exquisite flavour to the food. Guests can play either tennis or mini golf at the hotel’s Sports and Health Club. Sports enthusiasts can work out using modern equipment of the Fitness Club. For a bit of relaxation, the lodge offers specially designed yoga classes.

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.

Located on Edinburgh’s most famous thoroughfares and offering what has to be one of the most enviable vistas of Edinburgh from any hotel window, 100 Princes Street is the latest addition to the family-owned Red Carnation Hotels collection, and arguably its most exclusive. Evocative of a private members’ club and a celebration of Scottish exploration, the property features 30 beautifully appointed guest rooms and suites, ‘The Wallace’ dining room, bar and lounge and ‘Ghillie’s Pantry’, an elegant private dining space offering over 200 whiskies along with custom whisky experiences.

Situated in the old Work & Pensions building in the city centre, Dakota Glasgow offers the best in affordable luxury and top-quality cuisine. On a quiet street just steps from Sauchiehall Street, you couldn’t be closer to the city centre pubs, restaurants, clubs and theatres. The interior of the hotel is as striking as its painted black exterior, with lots of exposed brickwork mixed with luxe furnishings and fittings – all very effortlessly stylish! The 83 rooms and suites are light and spacious with full-length windows which wouldn’t look out of place in an NYC loft and walls and soft furnishings dressed in the trademark dark grey tones that run throughout. The olive-tiled bathrooms are also a delight and add to the calming and peaceful ambience. In terms of food, the Dakota offers an in-house Bar & grill helmed by a head chef who trained under Rick Stein, and their impressive Champagne Bar is perfect for private dining or special occasions!

Originally built to transport keepers and supplies to lighthouses around Scotland, this heritage vessel is now an AA five-star hotel with  AA Rosettes. Docked in Leith, the ship provides wonderful waterside views, as enjoyed from the restaurant (named after Fingal’s original purpose) and the deck, where guests can partake of artisanal cocktails as the sunsets over the sea. Each of its 23 cabins has been named after a lighthouse and comes equipped with Noble Isle amenities. Set over one or two levels, they feature soft curves, with an interior design reflecting the glory days of mid and early-20th-century travel.

The century-old Perthshire spa resort brings its famous quintessential Scottish luxury to the heart of Edinburgh. In 2022 the brand completed the refurbishment of the iconic former Bank of Scotland HQ, a Grade A-listed building on St Andrew Square. The boutique property has a small number of bedrooms decorated in a modern style, but reflecting a timeless Georgian townhouse elegance. Guests and the general public can mingle in The Spence, an art deco all-day dining establishment, or in the rooftop bar. The bank’s old vault accommodates the wellness area, including a cryotherapy chamber and infrared sauna.

Crossbasket Castle, located in High Blantyre just 12 miles south of Glasgow, offers 40 Art Deco-inspired rooms and suites in its new hotel along with, nine historical rooms in its castle. Designed to blend early 20th-century elegance with modern luxury, featuring unique dining experiences such as Foveran’s, a light-filled space serving breakfast and lunch, and Trocadero’s, an energetic, Roaring Twenties-themed restaurant with live entertainment. Guests can enjoy rooms with luxurious amenities like marble bathrooms, underfloor heating, and Penhaligon’s toiletries, as well as expansive historical suites. The castle is set within 14 acres of landscaped gardens, with easy access to Glasgow, Loch Lomond, and the Trossachs National Park, making it the perfect base for both relaxation and exploration.

Prestonfield House is a unique 5-star hotel that seamlessly blends opulence, theatricality, and luxury within one of Edinburgh’s most charming historic buildings and has been operating since the 1950s. This exclusive haven, presided over by James Thomson O.B.E DL, marries the serenity and seclusion of a country estate with the vibrancy of urban Edinburgh. Set within 20 acres of beautiful, manicured gardens, with views across the nearby majestic Arthur’s Seat guests can enjoy the tranquillity of the green open space. Yet just a mere five-minute jaunt from the heart of Edinburgh, those seeking to explore the city can easily do so.

Each of the 18 lavish bedrooms and five romantic suites showcases individual features and character, adorned with one-of-a-kind antique furnishings and distinctive feature beds with the antique theme flowing throughout the hotel. The destination restaurant, Rhubarb, presents guests with the choice of private dining rooms, lavish salons, and grand public spaces – not to mention the fine seasonal cuisine they serve. The level of service and hospitality is impeccable, personal yet professional.

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.

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.

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.

Located in Glasgow’s Merchant City, the multi-award-winning House of Gods is a lavish boutique hotel with 28 maximalist rooms and suites. Guests can chose from the Cabin, Classic or Suite categories – all of which are dramatic, opulent and oozing with a flamboyant style. Think four-poster beds, luxurious fabrics oak-panelled walls, a fully-stocked handmade cocktail bar, custom-designed sofas and a roll-top bath. Each abode is a wanton haven that guests will never want to leave, especially if paired with a VIP package, adding a touch of further extravagance to the House of Gods experience. The hotel also comprises elaborate lounges and the Sacred Garden Rooftop where guests can enjoy a range of dining options.