10 of the top hotels in Scotland for 2022, as chosen by The Good Hotel Guide

The Good Hotel Guide launched its 2022 edition this month and with it the top recommended hotels by independent reviewers.

It includes new additions as well as favourites that have made the grade time and again.

Here are 10 of the top hotels in Scotland in 2022, all of which have received a prestigious Cesar Award (the Oscars of hospitality awards) either this year or in the past, and that have made the grade once again.

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Woodcroft House, Perth

A 2022 Cesar Award winner of, and a new entry in the Guide this year, Woodcroft House is an Arts and Crafts-style Victorian guest house with views that stretch across Perth to the mountains.

On a private road, proprietors greet you with enthusiasm before you settle into beautifully designed rooms filled with antiques, a coffee machine, a mini-fridge and home-made treats. For a really special occasion, stay in the suite complete with a cast iron slipper bath and a seating area in the turret.

Dinner is served by candlelight and ordered 48-hours in advance and you bring your own wine, venison is sourced from the owners’ deer park and eggs for breakfast are laid by the hens in the garden.

Boath House, Nairn

A luxury restaurant with rooms, Boath House is a Regency property with award-winning gardens. It’s 22 acres of carefully tended grounds include an ornamental lake, streams, parkland and walled gardens.

Behind the enchanting architecture, visitors will also find a first class restaurant.  With meadow views from large French windows, dine on ethically sourced produce as well as herbs, organic fruit and vegetables from the kitchen gardens.

Moor of Rannoch Hotel, Pitlochry

It feels like the last bastion of European wilderness, and as such the location of the Moor of Rannoch Hotel is nothing short of breathtaking.  A 19th-century hotel with no mobile phone signal, it’s a paradise for those wanting to escape from ‘it all’.

Owners Scott and Stephanie provide guests with oodles of information about where to walk in the surrounding area so think digital detox and hearty food – a break that’s quite simply good for the soul.

The Peat Inn, Fife

This luxurious restaurant-with-rooms within an 18th century coaching inn sits close to St Andrews and the Fife coast.

Upon arrival you are greeted with a decanter of sherry in your room, setting the tone for your stay.

Meanwhile, common rooms have log fires and the restaurant has a Michelin star.

Those who wish to get outside love to explore the surrounding landscapes as well as playing golf at the famous Royal & Ancient Golf Club close by.

Scarista House, Isle of Harris

On the west coast of Harris, Scarista House is surrounded by natural beauty including views of the Atlantic Ocean, heather-clad mountains and a white sandy beach.

Bracing walks along the sand are the order of the day, wildlife spotting and breathing in the fresh air.

Inside, the whitewashed Georgian hotel is small, traditional and welcoming. Rooms all have individual details (a bookshelf bedhead stocked with Penguin classics in one, an anteroom in which to sit and watch the sunset in another).

Food is a feast of local ingredients. For example, eggs laid from the resident hens, are a real treat at breakfast.

Kinloch Lodge, Scotland

On the Isle of Skye, Kinloch Lodge is a former hunting lodge that has a palpable sense of history that’s celebrated throughout the property.

For example, there’s a framed letter from Queen Victoria, while outside you can explore ancient castles in addition to wild swimming and keeping an eagle out for wildlife such as sea eagles, red deer, otters, dolphin and whales.

Charming details include an honesty bar in the lounge, you can also take part in cookery courses, or go fishing or stalking with the lodge’s ghillie before tucking into local produce at dinner.

Knockendarroch Hotel, Scotland

A Victorian hotel with a Baronial entrance, Knockendarroch Hotel is a grand mansion that’s mastered the art of country house chic. Replete with log fires and views across the Tummel valley, interiors have been kept up to date with a fresh, modern style.

Very much part of the local community, the Pitlochry theatre is available to visit having been born in the hotel grounds. Take a good pair of hiking boots for exploring lochs and glens; there’s also much to see and do close by, before returning for one of the most comfortable nights’ sleep you could ask for.

The Airds Hotel, Port Appin

Situated on Loch Linnhe, with the Morvern mountains beyond, The Airds Hotel is part of the Relais & Châteaux collection of hotels. A former ferry inn, it enjoys wonderful views from the moment you enter the driveway.

Food here is superb and the surrounding environment offers you the chance to walk around Clack Thoull, Loch Laich and Castle Coeffin.

The Cross at Kingussie, Kingussie

In the Scottish Highlands, The Cross at Kingussie is peaceful and understated, perfect for gathering your thoughts and escaping the world. The inn is surrounded by natural beauty, and food is an important part of the experience.

A wide range of fruit, local sausages, fresh eggs and Scottish smoked salmon and kippers are served at breakfast, three-course lunches are superb, and afternoon tea and a prized signature tasting menu at dinner are all available and not to be missed.

Kylesku Hotel, Kylesku

A former 17th-century coaching inn overlooking Loch Glendhu, Kylesku Hotel sits in the most spectacular spot for enjoying the scenery and spotting the local wildlife. You can see seals basking from your bedroom window and enjoy fresh seafood that’s caught locally and landed on the slipway outside each day.

The hotel has a real reverence for the environment it operates in, placing an emphasis on sustainable Scottish produce and talking in food metres as opposed to food miles.

For example, lobsters, langoustines, crabs and spineys are caught and fished in the waters surrounding the hotel and the marine protected areas of the Summer Isles, scallops hand-dived along the coast.  Meanwhile, entertainment is about walking and enjoying the simple pleasures that the environment has to offer.