The Most Luxurious Hotels To Book In Scotland

With historic houses, medieval towers and royal buildings, no two luxury hotels in Scotland are the same. No matter what corner of the country you visit, from Inverness to Muirfield, it is possible to stay in total comfort, with restaurants of the highest quality and local attractions that appeal to all tastes. Here are ten of the most luxurious Scottish hotels – bookable on Culture Trip.

1. The Chester Hotel, for locavore cuisine in a Victorian villa in Aberdeen

Boutique Hotel

One of the best luxury hotel choices in Aberdeen, the Chester Hotel is sharply stylish. It’s housed in a traditional-looking Victorian villa, but the rooms are decorated with outstanding flair, in soft, sexy greys, with Scandi-style monochrome textiles and artful lighting. The beds are massive, and there are Nespresso machines and immaculate grey-tiled bathrooms. Downstairs, the bar has a warm, speakeasy vibe and you can dine on dishes using locally sourced ingredients, or enjoy an afternoon tea featuring creations by the hotel pastry chef.

2. Glenapp Castle, for views of Isle of Arran and Mull of Kintyre in Ballantrae

Hotel

If you’re looking for a luxury hotel in Scotland, try this turreted stronghold close to the coast. Your approach, along a long tree-lined drive through green countryside, feels as if it should be accompanied by some classical strings, building up to a crescendo on arrival. Rooms have canopies, pelmets, four-posters and chandeliers aplenty, and there’s even a penthouse suite with a spiral staircase and its own lift. The best rooms have sea views over to the Isle of Arran and the Mull of Kintyre.

3. Dakota Glasgow, for contemporary luxury

Boutique Hotel, Chain Hotel, Hotel, Luxury

A luxurious guest room in shades of grey and with framed sheet music surrounding the headboard at Dakota Glasgow

With monsoon showers, roll-top bathtubs and rooms featuring king-size beds and floor-to-ceiling windows, Dakota is a sophisticated luxury hotel in Scotland, and the kind of place that makes you wish you could extend your holiday indefinitely. This is a five-star with a Manhattan loft-style vibe, decorated in grown-up shades of grey and brown. Cuisine is equally sumptuous, with lots of Scottish produce, and dishes including lobster thermidor, monkfish curry and steaks flamed at the Dakota Grill.

5. The Balmoral Hotel, for on-site Michelin-starred dining in Edinburgh

Hotel, Luxury

The Balmoral in Edinburgh is a five-star icon in the city, a venerable humdinger among all the luxury hotels in Scotland. Rooms and suites are decorated to echo the colours of the Scottish Highlands: heather and thistle, with pale tartans and grand furnishings. Suites are especially glamorous, with plenty of seating to sink into, lots of gilt and gold and marble-clad bathrooms. The Number One restaurant is Michelin-starred, with plum-coloured walls and gleaming-white table linen, and offers sophisticated eating based around ingredients such as roe venison and Exmoor sturgeon.

6. The Torridon, for a superlative whisky bar in Wester Ross

Hotel

If you want to visit one of the wildest corners of Britain, but do so in comfort and style, a stay at the Torridon is ideal. Set at the end of the famous Loch Torridon on the west coast, nestled among 23ha (58 acres) of immaculate parkland and surrounded by mountains and stunning views whichever way you look, this hotel boasts a whisky bar with more than 350 single malts and a restaurant committed to serving the finest locally sourced fresh ingredients. It is also conveniently near the long-distance route billed as Scotland’s answer to the US Route 66 – the North Coast 500.

7. Culloden House, for award-winning dining near Inverness

Hotel

When it comes to history, this hotel takes some beating. Bonnie Prince Charlie slept here on several occasions, including the nights before the Battle of Culloden, when the Jacobite cause came crashing down in defeat. Culloden House is surrounded by its own woodland and beautiful gardens, with an award-winning restaurant, a friendly, relaxed atmosphere and a warm Highland welcome. There are also championship golf courses close by, and even a sauna in the dungeon!

8. Inverlochy Castle, for sleeping like royalty in Fort William

Hotel, Luxury

Room at Inverlochy Castle with four-poster bed

Inverlochy Castle is a royal experience indeed, as luxurious as they come, and in an area of Scotland famed for its beauty and vistas. The dining rooms are furnished with gifts from the King of Norway; Queen Victoria stayed here for a week; and with Albert and Michel Roux Jr in charge of the kitchens, it’s home to chef royalty, too. Glenfinnan, where Charles Edward Stuart raised his father’s standard, is just a short distance away, as is the Great Glen Way, the falls in Glen Nevis and the mighty bulk of Ben Nevis itself.

9. Greywalls Hotel, for world-class golfing in Gullane

Hotel

Designed by Edwin Lutyens – one of the greatest British architects of the 20th century – Greywalls is oddly named, as the walls themselves are more of a welcoming cinnamon colour. The formal walled gardens, the Roux restaurant, the luxurious massages on offer and the location at the edge of the world-renowned golf links at Muirfield all add up to a unique stay. Edinburgh is only a 30-minute drive away, and the area around the hotel is full of hidden treasures to explore.

10. Gleneagles, for outdoor pursuits in Auchterarder

Luxury

Crystal glassware, polished silver trays, regal headboards, antiques and rich upholstery: Gleneagles is a grand country house retreat surrounded by magnificent Scottish countryside, and the most renowned luxury hotel in Scotland with good reason. Here, you can try horse riding, golfing, shooting, falconry and fishing: all the pursuits essential to a certain type of traditional British country life. Alternative indulgences include an indoor pool, spa, gym and theatrically splendid places to eat and drink.

Alexander Crow contributed additional reporting to this article.

Visiting Balmoral Castle? Discover where you can stay nearby and book now on Culture Trip.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.