These are unusual times, and the state of affairs can change quickly. Please check the latest travel guidance before making your journey, and note that our writers visited these hotels prior to the coronavirus pandemic
Is your idea of the perfect romantic weekend in Scotland snugly seductive or outrageously opulent? More ‘Sex in the City’ or ‘Monarch of the Glen’? Should there be candlelight, moonlight or city lights? Scenery, saunas, or shopping? Happily there places that offer all that and more – often in the same place. And then there’s the food, the cosy fires and all those cashmere opportunities… Here's our pick of the most romantic hotels in Scotland, including the top places to stay for breathtaking views, secluded settings, hot tubs, sumptuous décor, intimate restaurants and soothing spas, in locations including Edinburgh, the Isle of Skye and the Scottish Highlands. Just don’t blame us if you get home and find you’ve left your heart in the Highlands.
The Fife Arms
Braemar, Highlands, Scotland
The delight is in the detail at this wildly romantic, sublimely comfortable, uniquely fascinating Highlands hotel. It's right in the centre of Braemar, a charming village famous for the Royal Highland Games and full of old-fashioned appeal with pretty stone houses, tea rooms and even a sporran shop. Plenty of outdoor pursuits are offered and there's a spa. For dinner and drinks, choose between the jolly bar serving good pub grub, traditional country house style in the Clunie Dining Room or Art Deco glam in Elsa's Bar. Even if your budget doesn't stretch to one of the stage-set-style suites, all the bedrooms are themed and just as characterful.
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From
£
250
per night
• The best hotels in Scotland
The Three Chimneys and The House Over-By
Dunvegan, Isle of Skye, Scotland
This restaurant with rooms stretches across two simple white buildings on the shore of Loch Dunvegan. The restaurant retains much of its modest, crofthouse character, with small rooms, stone walls and low ceilings. The suites, in an adjacent building, are designed to capitalise on the views: airy, high-ceilinged and gently contemporary, with a Scandi-meets-Scotia feel to the décor. Staff are charmingly attentive, greeting you with tea and home-baked cakes, followed later by drinks in the attractive lounge/dining area with its cosy wood-burning stove, books, Lewis-men chessboard and telescope for bird, seal and star-spotting.
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From
£
345
per night
Inverlochy Castle Hotel
Fort William, Highlands, Scotland
Queen Victoria said she ‘never saw a lovelier or more romantic spot’ than Inverlochy Castle in 1873, and it remains as impressive as ever, lying at the foot of Ben Nevis, girdled by a ring of highland peaks. Dinner begins with a drink by the fire in the Great Hall, followed by a delightfully light-handed five-course menu with a distinctly Highland accent. Try the matched wines – the sommelier is devoted to his calling. Moving with the times means waterfall showers, Bang & Olufsen stereos and televisions, while the unashamedly country house style – all swags, gilt, silk and brocade, sparkling crystal, polished wood and an all-pervading sense of time suspended, remains.
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From
£
375
per night
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Prestonfield House
Edinburgh, Scotland
A quiet, country-house setting with shamelessly seductive and wildly opulent interiors (think endless brocades and silks, oil paintings and ormolu) make Prestonfield House one of the most romantic places to stay in Scotland. There are a few parlours to pause in for drinks and bites, but consider The Rhubarb restaurant, which looks as if it should be frequented by roués and sirens in silk and feathers, for a feast for the senses. You'll be so engrossed by the décor you'll scarcely notice the food on your plate – nice Scottish things like grouse with brambles or North Berwick lobster and there's an 800-bottle wine list.
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From
£
355
per night
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The Torridon
Wester Ross, Highlands, Scotland
After winding through the small roads of the western Highlands, arriving at The Torridon is rather impressive. One of the most romantic lodges in Scotland, it looks as though it has been plucked straight out of the late 19th century, with longhaired cows out front and the sweet smell of pine all around. It was originally built in 1887 as Ben Damph House by William King-Noel, the first Earl of Lovelace who married renowned scientist Ada Lovelace, and has various nods to the then reigning monarch Queen Victoria. Many original features remain but are brought into this century with elegant yet simple décor and an abundance of cosy armchairs and sofas.
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From
£
198
per night
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Isle of Eriska Hotel
Scotland
For romantic getaways in Scotland with alluring locations, this 19th-century mansion tops the charts with a private island setting amidst glorious western Highland scenery. It boasts a highly regarded restaurant, an award-winning spa and myriad activities spread across 350 acres of grounds. The trappings of Victorian wealth and privilege pervade drawing rooms filled with deep sofas, fireplaces and books in the imposing granite and red sandstone Big House. Spacious rooms in the main building come in soft, neutral shades and exude comfort and Country Life style. Three Spa suites are more contemporary, with outdoor hot tubs in private gardens.
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From
£
261
per night
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Kylesku Hotel
Lairg, Highlands, Scotland
This delightful small hotel, parts of which date from the 17th century, offers stylish accommodation and splendid local seafood from its flawless position on a tiny peninsula looking out across Loch Glendhu. Its located in Assynt, a beautiful, remote region of the Scottish Highlands, makes it perfect for those who love hillwalking, wild swimming and birdwatching. Panoramic windows in the bar and restaurant celebrate the wraparound sea loch views, while well-curated fixtures and furnishings (think bare-wood beams, copper pendant lighting, a minimalist stove) are coolly understated.
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From
£
110
per night
Ardanaiseig
Loch Awe, Scotland
This 19th-century country house set in perfect seclusion overlooking Loch Awe is an excellent destination for a romantic getaway. It is at once lavish, ornate and utterly camp. The owner – Bennie Gray, an antiques dealer from London – has furnished the place with unique pieces from his collection; as well as the usual, there’s a capacious chaise longue, an intricate wood-inlay piano and two golden thrones worthy of the Beckhams. The eccentricity of downstairs continues into the bedrooms, where vibrant walls provide a backdrop for unusual, hand-picked antique furniture.
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From
£
115
per night
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Mint Croft
Isle of Skye, Scotland
Mint Croft is a rare find: a luxurious gourmet b&b in three old crofters' cottages perched above the sea. It's a labour of love created by a couple of designers turned modern-day crofters: style-wise think Harris Tweed meets Timorous Beasties (a Scottish design duo) and sheepskins from Skyeskyns over the hill. The main house has a library of design books to pore over, while in each room there's a handy Explore the Island kit with a walking sticks, binoculars, guides and maps. For easy, romantic breaks in Scotland this is a place to get away from it all.
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From
£
185
per night
Contributions by Gavin Bell, Cal Flyn, Robin Mckelvie & Penny Walker
