Nowhere does New Year quite like Scotland, and making up for last year, hotels across the nation are celebrating in style this year.
From midnight river dips to glittering parties, fireworks on the lawn to fireside champagne, here the Good Hotel Guide recommends 10 of the top hotels for New Year’s Eve in Scotland.
Rufflets, St Andrews
An elegant 1920s mansion that is still owned by the grandsons of the original founders, Rufflets is one of Scotland’s first country house hotels.
It is known for its exquisite style, and this New Year they are going all out.
For Hogmanay they are inviting guests for a two-night treat including a six course with optional wine flight and live musical entertainment to see 2022 in, in style.
The Dunstane Houses, Edinburgh
The beautifully designed Dunstane Houses hotel is the height of modern hospitality as well as dripping in Scottish heritage and tradition.
For New Year, they’ve put together a three-night stay with a full Scottish breakfast, afternoon tea on arrival, a three-course welcome dinner and whisky tasting and a black tie champagne reception on New Year’s Eve complete with a five-course dinner.
Knockderry House Hotel, Cove
With turrets and towers, and views of the Arrochar Alps, Knockderry House Hotel is surrounded by coastal walks and forest paths to explore.
This year, their two-night inclusive New Year Break features afternoon tea by the fire and a stroll along the seashore of Loch Long and the Firth of Clyde.
A piper will call you to a celebratory five-course dinner, beginning with a glass of Rose Cremant de Loire.
New Year’s Day features a treasure hunt, picnic lunch, games and a storyteller recounting traditional stories and myths.
Kinloch Lodge, Isle of Skye
A former hunting lodge on the Isle of Skye, Kinloch Lodge has treasured history that’s evident in the decor and trinkets around the hotel.
For example, you will find a framed letter from Queen Victoria to one of the lodge’s former tenants.
Meanwhile, charming details include an honesty bar in the lounge, adding to a sense of homeliness.
Their Hogmanay Escape starts with a seven-course tasting menu at dinner followed by fireworks, champagne cocktails and bagpipes at midnight.
Prestonfield, Edinburgh
Situated next to Royal Holyrood Park in Edinburgh, Prestonfield is surrounded by fantastic grounds filled with peacocks.
The five-star hotel is a decadent 17th-century mansion – perfect for party season. Their unrivalled New Year’s Eve Ball is the way to start 2022 in style.
Back in full force this year in a world glittering with velvet and gold, it includes a lavish four-course dinner and Celtic cabaret, a lively ceilidh band and a disco until 1am.
Douneside House, Tarland
Douneside House is a graceful country house hotel on the edge of the Cairngorms national park.
Surrounded by manicured gardens, it is a genteel hotel complete with details such as a grand piano and a library with an open fire.
Their Hogmanay Package is a three-night stay. Bring your dancing shoes as it includes a traditional Scottish Hogmanay celebration, complete with a renowned fireworks display at midnight.
Saorsa 1875, Pitlochry
Set in woodland and gardens overlooking the town Saorsa 1875 is about the modern design and the vegan food.
Everything is sustainably sourced, from the Scottish toiletries to the biodynamic wines.
Celebrate Hogmanay in Gaelic style with a vegan twist, enjoying a cocktail masterclass, multi-course dinners, a New Year’s Eve party and midnight countdown, and a pizza and film night on New Year’s Day.
The Torridon, Torridon
A luxury hotel in a wildly beautiful location, head down a single-track road on a wooded estate and by a vast loch you will find The Torridon.
Nothing could embody everything the movies tell us about Scotland better than this hotel.
For New Year, they have organised a traditional Scottish Hogmanay with afternoon tea and a welcome dram on arrival, champagne and canapés before a lavish dinner, and dancing well into the night.
The Fife Arms, Braemar
Contemporary art, taxidermy and objets d’arts greet you at The Fife Arms. Explore and you will find everything from a Picasso on a tartan wall to Chinese artist Zhang Enli’s hand-painted ceiling.
Amidst this eclectic environment, you can celebrate in style. This year, they’re inviting guests to enjoy its Swiss-inspired festivities for New Year, including a traditional Scottish Pipe Band, champagne and locally caught oysters, a four-course dinner, fireworks at midnight, dancing, and music, and for those who dare, a ‘Clunie Dook’ river dip near to the hotel!
The Bonnie Badger, Gullane
A Michelin-starred gastropub-with-rooms, Bonnie Badger is a luxury bijoux hotel with a big reputation. Welcoming the whole family, the inn is best known for its food, so it’s fitting that New Year is all about tucking in.
It begins with champagne and canapés by the fire in the garden, five-course dinner, and champagne at midnight.
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