14 Best Hotels in Fife and Angus, Scotland

Scandinavian-style rooms with easy chairs, plump bedding, and flat-screen TVs help you unwind at this contemporary quayside hotel. For more relaxation or to work up a sweat, head to the Japanese Yu Spa and fitness center. The Quayside Bar and Grill has views of the harbor and globally influenced menus that include a three-course set dinner menu featuring burgers, battered haddock, or aubergine steak for £26.

This old manor house, set among well-tended grounds, offers luxurious rooms for very reasonable rates. The bedrooms are spacious, immaculate, and nicely furnished with dark wood. The breakfast room, all linen tablecloths and napkins, still manages to be laid-back; in summer you can breakfast on the patio.

Set among acres of tidy lawns and rustling trees, this mansion is a genteel contrast to the city and even has a resident ghost. Those who appreciate antiques will find delight in each room; every piece of furniture tells a story (just ask the owners), while the excellent breakfasts served overlooking the gardens are local and nutritious.

Three miles from the center of St. Andrews, this modern hotel has spectacular views of the bay and two superb golf courses. The rooms eschew swags and frills, opting instead for simple elegance. Look for thoughtful touches like luxurious linens on the beds and heated floors in the ample bathrooms. There are four restaurants: the Squire, offering brasserie-grill dishes; the trattoria-style La Cucina, serving basic pasta and pizza; the Atrium Lounge for teas, sandwiches, and pastries; or St Andrew's Bar & Grill with its club sandwiches and panini. Golfers will find inspiration in the velvety fairways of cliff-top courses: the Torrance Course, designed by the great Scottish player Sam Torrance, and the Kittock Course.

Since the 1850s, the hospitality of this hotel has lifted the spirits of many a bone-tired hill walker, and it remains as comfortable a spot as ever today. The cheery bedrooms all have bathrooms en suite; ask for the Junior Suite for a rolltop bath with Glen views. The legendary Climbers Bar pours a fine pint—or glass of wine—and is often packed with walkers and climbers, many of whom are staying in the hotel's basic and well-heated bunkhouse or luxury lodges. The restaurant serves good home cooking; think soups, casseroles, and pies. Live music and ceilidhs take place in the spacious function suite.

An excellent and somewhat plush budget option, this B&B is right on the harbor, affording you the most authentic Arbroath stay possible. An interesting collection of furnishings shows the thought that has gone into making the rooms attractive and comfortable.

British brand Malmaison has brought life and a dash of panache to a dilapidated but much-loved Dundee landmark near the new waterfront. The rooms are rich toned, veering on dark, yet pristine and fragrant, with firm beds, soft bedding, and lush throws. The glamorous first-floor restaurant and cocktail bar, staffed by slightly scurrying staff, make this a popular bet for a one-night city-center splurge. Be sure to hold your jaw shut as you climb up the stunning elliptical spiral staircase, where the light of the cupola shines like a twinkling eye.

Regularly hosting international golf stars and jet-setters, the Old Course Hotel has much-coveted guest room fairway views, grand public spaces, and fabulous facilities including a swanky spa. Walk along the beach to work up an appetite, then have dinner in either the fine-dining Road Hole, rooftop Swilcan Loft, or the more relaxed Hams Hame Bar & Grill. The best of the bars is the famous Jigger Inn, the old stationmaster's lodge turned cozy 19th hole. If the budget won't stretch to a stay, pop in for the genteel afternoon tea, served overlooking the Old Course itself, from £32.50 per person.

Ten acres of formal and informal gardens surround this vine-covered country house with individually designed rooms, a wonderful restaurant, and a cozy lounge-bar with a handsome fireplace and terrace. All the rooms and four lodges (ideal for families) are beautifully decorated and have big, comfortable beds and bright, contemporary bathrooms. Take a walk around the flower-filled gardens, especially on a summer's night. The Seasons Restaurant is popular with locals celebrating anniversaries and graduations. Dishes are fairly simple but well prepared and, of course, seasonal, with much picked from the kitchen garden. Look out for hand-dived scallops, roast lamb, and an unforgettable local cheese board. Lighter fare is available at the bar.

Just off Perth Road, this Victorian-era villa set among well-tended shrubs is a find for those who like smaller, more intimate hotels. The good-size rooms have tidy furnishings and big windows letting in lots of light, and breakfasts are cooked to order. 

Beautifully polished wood, exquisitely restored period features, and gentle hues put the Hazelton head and shoulders above the typical seaside B&B. Rooms and bathrooms are tastefully furnished without undermining the history of this old merchant's house. The breakfast room, serving local bacon and eggs or housemade granola, is light and fresh.

With eight bright and contemporary two-room suites, this popular "restaurant with rooms" is perhaps best known for its outstanding, modern, Scottish-style restaurant. Considered one of the finest in Scotland, it serves inspired dishes featuring quality, seasonal ingredients such as lamb, langoustine, monkfish, and wood pigeon. Once you've slept that off, breakfast is an array of homemade breads and jams enjoyed while gazing at the rolling pastures of Fife. The inn is 5 miles southeast of Cupar.

This grand house turned classy B&B, originally built by the Earl of Airlie, is a relaxing place with spacious, elegant rooms. Various styles of breakfast—including an excellent vegetarian option—are served in the Scandinavian-style conservatory that overlooks the gorgeous gardens.