The Best Bed and Breakfasts in Inverness

This family-run establishment with its own pool, a golf course and a restaurant serving Scotch beef steaks, offers more luxury than the average B&B. Pull up on the crescent-shaped driveway and you’ll be greeted by smiley staff and maybe even a bagpipe performance. Relax in the jacuzzi with a glass of Champagne and admire views of the Highlands, the River Ness and Inverness Cathedral. Inside, the walls are wood-panelled, the bedrooms are tartan-chic and toiletries by The Scottish Fine Soaps Company are provided in the bathrooms.

This snug, three-bed Edwardian villa B&B sits unassumingly on a quiet residential street. Owners Terri and Eddie serve gooey homemade cakes and a mug of tea every afternoon, leave sprigs of fresh lavender on your pillow and provide on-demand cheese selections. Full Scottish breakfasts are cooked to order by your hosts, who will point you in the direction of local sights such as Culloden Battlefield and Loch Ness, both roughly a 15 minute drive away, and the city centre.

A popular bolt hole with returning bikers, so expect a friendly community feel and lots of leather. This guest house is in a quiet residential street east of the River Ness and a short walk into the city centre. Rooms are neat and colourful, and the carpets are tartan. The map of Scotland in the breakfast room is both decorative and handy for when your hosts Maggie and Malcolm help you arrange day trips to Orkney or off-shore dolphin spotting. A stand alone apartment is offered on a self-catering basis.

Family values seem to run through the water pipes this B&B. There’s the high chairs, toys and other baby equipment owners Frank and Lisa have kept hold of to give holidaying parents and their children a warm welcome. The decor is charming and floral. Breakfast times depend entirely on your plans, but a full Scottish fry-up won’t be a problem at 7am before a day hiking the Highlands — or at 12.30pm, after a night out in the city centre.

Comfort is king here and owners Zhanara and Peter Fraser want you to feel at home. Each of their four rooms has a king size bed, with patchwork quilts and stag-print cushions throughout. The ensuite has a shower, but no tub. The breakfast is epic: cereals, fruit and pastries followed by a full Scottish to fuel you up for the day or ease a foggy head. The city’s bars, restaurants and theatres are very close, so you’ll never be short of things to do.

From the moment you arrive at this guesthouse, owners David and Roberta will help you squeeze your visit to Inverness for all its worth. Movie buffs will be directed to local Hollywood filming locations from the Harry Potter films, The BFG and Amazon Prime series Outlander. Culture vultures are covered with the nearby Inverness Museum and Art Gallery, and The Eden Court Theatre. And the best authentic Scottish live music is within walking distance. Try the legendary Hootananny pub or Gellions, the oldest pub in Inverness, which hosts a weekly ceilidh. The interiors had a face lift this year, with all new beds. The whisky barrel TV stands, Nessie-shaped tea bag diffusers and Highland cattle key hooks are fun details.

This Victorian villa makes for a homely and traditional stay. The place is bare of clutter and spotless and a subtle tartan theme runs throughout, with plenty of bronze stags and Chesterfield couches in the living room. Expect homemade cakes delivered to your room daily. You hosts Naomi and Ross offer a welcome drink and are happy to help you make the most of their central location. All the bedrooms are en suite and breakfast is included.

Do you like your breakfast with a side of sporran? Order a full Scottish fry-up here — eggs, bacon, black pudding, tattie scones and all the other trimmings — and owner Kenny will serve it in full traditional get-up — kilt and all. This five bed guest house, in the quiet Crown area of Inverness, is modern and clean. A strict no stag or hen do policy stands, but families are welcome and there’s plenty of space.

This was originally a fisherman’s cottage on the edge of the Moray Firth, where the sky and sea appear to merge into one. It was carefully converted by owner Janey to accommodate two en-suite guest rooms, ‘Moray’ and ‘Beauly’, named after local beauty spots, and both rooms face the water, with Beauly located in the older part of the cottage. Look out for bottlenose dolphins and sea otters, or head out to Inverness city centre, only a 10-minute drive away. The nearest restaurant is four miles from the B&B.

The long curving driveway, pristine white-washed walls and the turret make a grand impact on any guests arriving at Dunlichity House. The building is surrounded by sprawling Scottish countryside — 12 acres of private land in total, including its own fishery — and is eight miles outside of Inverness. The area is teaming with wildlife, from birds to red deer and the odd pine marten. Expect an open-armed welcome from your host Karen. Bedrooms are sparklingly clean and stylish, the bathrooms cavernous. The remote location means a car is essential here. It’s the perfect base camp for exploring the Cairngorms and visits to Urquhart Castle, Fort Augustus and Glenmorangie distillery.

The owners make a wild claim that from their B&B you can leave to conquer Ben Nevis in the morning, and still be back for afternoon tea. But you might not even want to go that far. In the winter the dining room is rearranged and comfy chairs added around a wood burning stove. Tuck into a hearty full Scottish breakfast, which is included in the price, as is a small mound of haggis, made from locally sourced ingredients. Early breakfasts can be arranged for day trippers. The city is a short walk away and the Cairngorms National Park just a 30-minute drive.

Dog lovers will enjoy the tail-wagging welcome from energetic black labrador Myrtle on arrival. His owners Kieron and Jo, who run Strathallan, have 14 years’ experience in the hospitality business and it shows. This is a cosy but slick operation and they are fluent in French, German and Gaelic. Breakfast is plentiful and included, cooked to order any time. It’s worth noting the B&B is located across the river from the city centre in a quieter spot, but still not far from restaurants, bars and live music.