Scotland: the five best hotels in the Highlands

Achnagairn Castle, the cool castle

Highland extravagance: If you thought you were coming to a planplan castle, think again.

At Achnagairn Castle, very close to Inverness, the capital of the Highlands, there is no austere atmosphere of an old castle: the 19th century building houses sofas, armchairs, beds and rugs in every bright color imaginable.

By staying there, you will have the possibility of sleeping in one of the 24 rooms of the castle or in one of the seven mini-mansions that include the domain.

The decoration, unique to each room, is intended to be playful, with a good dose of humour.

In the kitchen, guests can enjoy packed lunches with local products, and can go to the castle to choose their wines and beers, while breakfasts are concocted at the request of each client.

The price:

from €146 per night in a double room.

Our advice:

take advantage of being near Inverness to stroll along the Ness Walk, a footpath along the Ness, the river that leaves the loch of the same name to flow into the Moray Firth.

Achnagairn Castle, Achnagairn Estate, Kirkhill IV5 7PD.

Such.

: +39 089 871012.

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The Granary Lodge, for a royal and contemplative stay

​These elegant guest rooms are located in the countryside, on the grounds of the Château de Mey, dating from the 16th century.

The Granary Lodge / Photo press

Ultimate guarantee of quality: it was Prince Charles himself who opened The Granary Lodge, on the coast of Caithness, in the very north of Scotland, at a strategic point on the NC500 tourist route.

Nestled between the sea and the Château de Mey, the former home of the Queen Mother, the ten bedrooms in this Bed & Breakfast, each with access to the outside, reflect the local environment and the château: furniture in dark wood, models of boats, shells… The soft colors reminiscent of the capricious North Sea are spiced up by bold floral wallpapers.

Notable feature: the hotel has an

, that is to say a bar where you serve yourself independently, and they count on your honesty to pay what you owe.

We are quickly seduced by this confidence, which makes the stay all the more pleasant.

The price:

€193 per night, all year round.

Our tip:

Just a 20-minute drive from Granary Lodge, Dunnet Head Lighthouse stands majestically on this small peninsula.

At the end of a winding road along beaches and lakes, we arrive at the northernmost point of the main island of the United Kingdom.

We can distinguish, a little more than 10 kilometers to the north, the Orchades archipelago.

Granary Lodge, The Castle of, Mey, Thurso KW14 8XH.

Such.

: +44 (0)1847 851861.

Read alsoIn the heart of the Scottish Highlands, the must-sees of Cairngorms National Park

Kylesku Hotel, for seafood

Kylesku Hotel, a boutique hotel on the edge of Loch Gleann Dubh.

Kylesku Hotel / Photo press

Further down the NC500 is Kylesku Hotel: set on the edge of Loch Gleann Dubh, in the remote region of Assynt, the location is not only convenient but also breathtaking.

This converted Victorian coaching inn in Scandinavian style offers rooms with a contemporary, understated atmosphere with touches of tweed, a bar and restaurant serving fresh, local seafood, where the loch and the wild, rugged landscapes of Assynt are reflected in the hotel's large bay windows.

The hospitality of the Highlands is honored: the service is warm, friendly, and the atmosphere relaxed.

The price:

from €116 per night in a double room.

Our advice:

the hotel offers many outdoor activities: kayaking, photography workshops in the middle of nature, cycling, or even boat trips to meet the seals.

Kylesku Hotel, Kylesku, Sutherland, Lairg IV27 4HW.

Such.

: +44 (0)1971 910047.

Inverlochy Castle Hotel, Highland Excellence

Even Queen Victoria fell in love with Inverlochy Castle.

Inverlochy Castle Hotel / Photo press

Even Queen Victoria fell in love with Inverlochy Castle when she visited it in 1873 and it has lost none of its charm.

A few minutes from the pretty town of Fort William, the hotel, a true jewel of Scottish baronial architecture, is also close to Ben Nevis, Scotland's highest peak.

To get there, you have to cross the mythical region of Glencoe, seat of the romantic imagination of the Highlands.

The decor is everything you'd expect from a château of this size, but we love the modernity that has managed to find its way into tradition: walk-in shower, Bluetooth stereos... On request, you can get a DVD player and a video game console.

The rooms have

absolutely everything one could need for a comfortable stay, and the service is impeccable: the very definition of excellence.

A place to keep on hand for a special occasion.

The price:

from €439 per night in a double room.

Our advice:

the hotel's restaurant, run by fathers and sons Albert and Michel Roux, is a must and offers British cuisine influenced by French culinary tradition, prepared with the best products from the region.

Inverlochy Castle Hotel, Torlundy, Fort William PH33 6SN.

Such.

: +44 (0)1397 702177.

Read alsoScotland: on the beautiful shores of Loch Lomond, the beginning of the Highlands at the gates of Glasgow

Saorsa 1875, the UK's first vegan hotel

The particularity of the Soarsa 1875, a vegan hotel, is the attention paid to the environment and ethics.

Soarsa 1875 / Photo press

Yes, Soarsa 1875 is for everyone, not just for those who say no to animal products.

Soarsa means freedom in Gaelic, and 1875 is the year this hotel was built, located in the village of Pitlochry, at the very beginning of the Highlands and the Cairngorms National Park.

In addition to the colorful decoration, with graphic wallpapers, the particularity of this hotel is the attention paid to the environment and ethics: textiles from fair trade, recycling, absence of fur and leather, reduction of single-use plastic… Do not expect to find bathrobes or slippers either, to limit the establishment's water consumption.

However, the comfort is anything but spartan: in the rooms, you will find Bluetooth speakers,

soft mattresses to fall asleep in… In the kitchen, top-of-the-range vegan cuisine will land on your plate, thanks to a five-course tasting menu for the sum of 55 pounds.

You'll have a great time there, and the planet will thank you.

The price:

from €210 per night in a double room.

Our tip:

There's so much to do in and around Pitlochry: Perthshire is a great part of Scotland.

Marvel at Queen's View, named after Queen Victoria's visit in 1866, or stroll through Faskally Wood – in autumn it's simply magical.

Saorsa 1875, 2 E Moulin Rd, Pitlochry PH16 5DW.

Such.

: +44 (0)1796 475217.

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