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The most romantic hotels in Scotland for 2023
From roaring fires and exquisite restaurants to breathtaking scenery, these are all particularly special places to stay
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.
Imagine a chic godmother – old money but addicted to post-war Dior. If she designed a hotel it would look like this: part country house; part stylish swank. With a dramatic restaurant, state-of-the-art gym, wellness treatments and an exclusive rooftop bar, it doesn’t get much more glamorous than this. Deliciously pretty bedrooms are all soft pastel colours and deep velvet, with classic reproduction furniture, voluptuous curtains, polished wood floors and oriental rugs. The crème de la crème overlook St Andrew Square, but you may wish to avoid if bothered by the trams rumbling past late at night and early in the morning. Happily though, even the smallest ‘Nook’ rooms are in the same style, with king-sized beds and sumptuous bathrooms.
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• The best hotels in 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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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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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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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 hotels 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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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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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 has 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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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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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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Contributions by Gavin Bell, Cal Flyn, Robin Mckelvie & Penny Walker
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A heavenly 18th-century house hidden on Calton Hill with a courtyard garden to the front, a prett... Read expert reviewRates provided byBooking.com -
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The delight is in the detail at this wildly romantic, sublimely comfortable, uniquely fascinating... Read expert reviewFrom £ 250per night