Glencoe House

Kinloch is a luxury family-run hotel in the beautiful surrounds of the rugged Isle of Sky in what once was a 17th-century hunting lodge. Found at the foot of a indomitable mountain and at the head of the tranquil waters of Loch na Da, this is truly the ideal place to escape the noise and stresses of modern life.

Here you will find guest rooms that are individually decorated in a calming, earthy palette and textures chosen to invoke Skye’s distinctive landscape. Each room is decorated with unique antiques, prints and paintings, and the large Edwardian windows ensure plenty of natural light. Some of the rooms also have exquisite views across Loch na Dal or towards Kinloch Hill.

Steeped in heritage – with several old portraits of the original lodge owner’s family hung in the dining room – the lodge exemplifies all the traditions of highland hospitality and your welcome here will be warmer than the many log fires lighting up every hearth.

When you have soaked up the serenity of the atmosphere and find yourself seeking some exhilaration, there are plenty of activities to choose from to satisfy such desires. Fly fishing will take you on a thrilling quest for the elusive wild Scottish salmon while stalking will connect you to the roots of the property’s history as a hunting lodge. Wild walks take you further into the rugged landscapes beyond the estate, which call out to be explored, while a range of cookery classes provide entertainment and insight into local cuisine, all from the warmth of the lodges interior.

After working up an appetite after any number of these activities, you’ll delight in the culinary treasures found here. Simply cooked local produce is generously served by award winning chef Marcello Tully, who won and maintained a Michelin star for seven years running.

Backed Britain’s highest mountain, Ben Nevis, and reflected in its own loch, the setting of Inverlochy Castle is more than matched by the great house’s grandeur. Built 1863, a visiting Queen Victoria commented, ‘I never saw a lovelier or more romantic spot’, and it is certainly as impressive today.

Arrive to an aristocratic welcome, perhaps after pulling up in the hotel’s Rolls Royce, and step into the aptly named Grand Hall. This is a place that has unashamedly stuck to its guns décor-wise, an eclectic mix of opulent 19th century styles, and it is all the better for it. Combined with the surroundings and impeccable service, it simply feels ‘right’.

There are 17 unique rooms in the main house, all spacious and thoroughly comfortable with unobtrusive modern features and delightful bathrooms.

Dining is a full country house experience, starting with a drink by the fire, followed by a multi-course dinner courtesy of Albert and Michel Roux Jr celebrating modern British cuisine with French influences, perhaps ending sampling some of the extensive whisky collection.

Spend your days here walking in the surrounding hills, fishing on the loch or enjoying afternoon tea. The array of outdoor activities in the Fort William area are within also all easy reach such as pony trekking, golf, mountain biking, climbing and white-water rafting.

Set within 58 acres of parkland at the foot a sea loch, Torridon Hotel enjoys a truly idyllic location that lets guests really appreciate the rugged beauty of the Highlands.

18 bedrooms feature bold prints and quirky accessories, many coming with freestanding bathtubs and views out across the loch and towards the Torridon Mountains.

The 1887 Restaurant offers a daily changing three, four or seven-course menu using ingredients sourced from the kitchen garden. Apples, blackberries and raspberries help make the sweetest of pudding, and vegetables and herbs make their way onto the plate within hours of being picked. Highland cattle, chickens and Tamworth pigs are also reared on the estate. For a pre or post-dinner tipple, make your way to the whisky bar – with over 350 labels you’re certainly not going to go thirsty.

With such a formidable landscape on your doorstep, you’ll want to check out the range of activities offered by the hotel. The adventurous may with to go mountaineering, gorge scrambling or coasteering; take to the loch in a kayak or canoe; or try your hand at archery or clay pigeon shooting. Of course, curling up in front of the fire or enjoying afternoon tea while looking out across the ever-changing landscape is as fine a way to spend your times as any.