The Best Hotels to Book Near Highland Wildlife Park

The McInnes House Hotel has rooms for couples, families and groups within their collection of nine boutique bedrooms. It’s in the heart of the Cairngorms National Park, surrounded by untamed Scottish wilderness, yet just a five-minute walk from Kingussie train station – so it’s ideal if you’re arriving by rail. The restaurant serves Scottish staples, like haggis bon bons and home-made steak pie. A rotation of seasonal mains keep things fresh, making the most of the natural bounty in the surrounding countryside.

In Aviemore, the outdoor activity capital of Scotland, the Cairngorm Guest House sits against the dramatic backdrop of heather-clad hills. The cute, Victorian building houses contemporary rooms to suit both couples and families. Guests enjoy access to the lounge, which is crowned with an original Victorian fireplace that crackles away in the winter months. Kids will love the selection of board games. Breakfast is served in the dining room where a Cairngorm-style cooked breakfast awaits, or creamy Scottish porridge to fuel a day of outdoor adventures.

On the banks of Loch Alvie, just a few miles from Aviemore, this country hotel is full of personal touches. In the winter months, a roaring fire provides a warm welcome in the lounge, where you can peruse local guidebooks. Each bedroom is individually styled – from vibrant, striped walls to cooling blue tones and handmade patchwork quilts. There’s a drying room for boots and skis, and a bike wash if you want to make the most of the surrounding Cairngorms National Park. A wildlife area in the garden encourages the local fauna to stop by. What’s more, you can choose between fine dining in the restaurant or a slap up meal in the snug bar. Don’t leave without trying their famous porridge with double cream and Drambuie.

The focus is the food here at the Boat Hotel, where the concept of a “pub with rooms” is elevated to “restaurant with boutique rooms”. The Boat restaurant serves pub classics made with fresh, local produce and a pinch of luxury. Tuck into Scottish dishes, like haggis pakora and cullen skink, for a true taste of the Highlands. Classic rooms are contemporary, while deluxe rooms have four-poster beds, and garden rooms have private terraces overlooking the grounds to the Boat of Garten steam railway.

This cosy little B&B started life in 1891 as the Argyle Temperance Hotel and is on the Crown Estate of Glenlivet, famous for its nearby whisky distillery. These days, it acts as a gateway to the outdoor activities and wildlife trails of the Cairngorms National Park. Botanical-themed rooms are decorated to reflect the local flora – they’re also pet friendly, so bring your four-legged friend. The included breakfast is a choice of slow-cooked Scottish oats and cream, or a continental tray of pastries and cold cuts.

In the idyllic village of Kingussie, this guesthouse is just a five-minute walk from the train station. There’s also free parking on site if you’re arriving by car. You’re at the gateway to Cairngorms National Park here, an eight-minute drive from the Highland Wildlife Park. An open fire greets you in the lounge, where big Victorian bay windows look out towards the Cairngorm mountains. Rooms are traditionally decorated, as if frozen in time from the Victorian era, and come with ensuites or shared bathrooms. Breakfast is included, to set you up for a day in the great outdoors.

Stepping into the drawing room with its heather-purple carpet and tartan finishes, there’s no doubt you’re in the Highlands at Dalrachney Lodge Hotel. A fire spits and crackles in the fireplace, a clock ticks on the oak mantlepiece and a towering bookshelf is filled with classics. The former hunting lodge motif continues in the bar and restaurant, where you can sip a dram of local Glenlivet by the fireside and enjoy a full Scottish breakfast in the morning. Set in the wilderness 15 minutes from Aviemore, this is a nature-lover’s paradise – the hotel runs wildlife-spotting and photography trips to see ospreys, red deer and black grouse less than a mile away.

Just under an hour’s drive from the Highland Wildlife Park, the Steadings at the Grouse and Trout is just eight miles away from Loch Ness, so you can enjoy a truly Scottish getaway. The Grouse & Trout restaurant is a destination in itself, serving locally sourced produce made into lavish dishes like whole roasted flichity grouse with venison stuffing, or Stornoway black pudding on a bed of foraged brambles. Away from the city lights, the grounds of the Steadings are a perfect place to stargaze – you can see the Milky Way on a clear night and possibly even the Northern Lights in the depths of winter. A local astronomer is available for stargazing tours, too.

On the outskirts of Inverness, a stay at Macdonald Drumossie Hotels puts you a 40-minute drive from the Highland Wildlife Park and everything else the Cairngorms has to offer. Cut crystal glasses in every bedroom are perfect for a wee dram, and every ensuite has a separate bath and shower. The award-winning chefs at the Grill Room restaurant whip Scottish produce into perfectly pink cuts of meat and sweeps of jus topped with wild flowers. Afternoon tea is a lavish affair, with the Laurent-Perrier Rosé champagne option pulling in visitors from far and wide.