22 Best Hotels in Inverness and Around the Great Glen, Scotland

A red-granite mansion turned luxury boutique hotel, Inverlochy Castle stands on 50 acres of woodlands in the shadow of Ben Nevis, with striking scenery on every side. Dating from 1863, the hotel retains the splendor of its period, with a fine fresco ceiling, crystal chandeliers, and a handsome staircase in the Great Hall. The bedrooms, traditional in style, are plush and comfortable. The stunning Seasgair restaurant, run by Michel Roux Jr., serves local specialties like Aberdeen Angus beef, sea trout, and scallops. This is a place where you dress for dinner, and men are required to wear a jacket. The hotel is 3 miles northeast of Fort William.

Built in the 1820s and recently refurbished, this stunning Regency manor house offers elegant, spacious rooms (some with cast-iron bathtubs), a highly renowned fine-dining restaurant with local, ethically sourced ingredients, and a stunning setting within 20 acres of lovingly nurtured gardens. The house is a registered art gallery, so many of the oil paintings that grace the walls are for sale. Amid the grounds is an elegant pond with resident swans and a 400-year-old walled garden, home to an excellent café. Check the website for special offers, including great midweek dinner/bed-and-breakfast deals.

This lovely, century-old Highland lodge has a warm and cozy atmosphere, with each of its five spacious bedrooms offering something a little different—though you're always guaranteed well-chosen furnishings, soothing color schemes, and smart modern bathrooms. Large windows look out over the tree-fringed garden, with the Cairngorms visible beyond; seek out the painted cat sculpture, part of a series of 132 dotted around town to promote the local Wildcat Centre. Halfway downstairs is a snug little reading nook, complete with guitar and board games, while on the ground floor there's a breakfast room and lounge with comfy sofas and a fireplace. With a full Scottish breakfast included with each stay, Coig na Shee is one of the area's best value accommodation options. It's located in Newtonmore, around 3 miles west of Kingussie but with several good dinner and drinking options of its own. Owners Marion and Graeme's son has a severe nut allergy, so avoid opening or consuming nuts while on the premises.

One of three Mansley properties in Scotland (the other two are in Edinburgh), Highland Apartments offers a luxurious self-catering accommodation option in the heart of Inverness. Each of the one- or two-bedroom apartments features spacious and beautifully designed living areas, well-equipped kitchens with cooktops, dishwashers, and fridges (prestocked with milk), and large bedrooms with incredibly comfortable beds. Many of the apartments also have balconies with delightful views of the river; there are few, if any, finer vantage points in Inverness. Best of all, the city's top sights, restaurants, and shops are right on your doorstep, so it's no effort to return to your apartment several times throughout a day's sightseeing.

A luxurious country house hotel set among 22 acres of meadows and woodland on the shores of Loch Sunart, Kilcamb Lodge is the very definition of a secluded retreat. The rooms are beautifully appointed with muted colors and patterned wallpaper, and offer luxury comforts like smart TVs, tea trays with homemade shortbread, and heated bathroom floors. Nevertheless, you might find you spend most of your time downstairs in the cozy drawing room, with its comfortable sofas and armchairs set around a fireplace, shelves heaving with books and games, and delightful views out to the loch. Foodies should splash out on half-board (£75 extra per person) to experience the magnificent eight-course tasting menu in the fine dining restaurant. Head chef Gary Philips changes the menu daily, but fresh, locally sourced seafood and game—from scallops and mussels to duck and wood pigeon—always features heavily, with every dish creatively assembled and elegantly presented. A great value, three-course Sunday Lunch (£35) is also available, as well as afternoon tea (from £24) and more casual evening dining in the Driftwood Brasserie.

An elegant and exclusive option offering a traditional Highland welcome, Loch Ness Lodge keeps the formalities to a minimum, but nice touches like the small decanter of sherry on arrival ensure you feel pampered. Rooms are spacious, and all but one have views of Loch Ness. The decor makes good use of dusky and deep colors, realized in crushed velvets and raw silks. There's a small spa with a hot tub, sauna, and therapy room (treatments must be pre-booked). The breakfast is excellent but dinner means a stroll to the nearby Loch Ness Clansman Hotel or a 15-minute taxi to the Loch Ness Country House Hotel; all these Loch Ness properties are part of the Cobbs Hotels group.

Owned by Scottish--Swedish couple Scott and Helena, this charming little B&B offers a warm family welcome, modern rooms with bathrooms en suite, and a great location at the heart of Aviemore. The white-and-gray color scheme, the exposed wood floors, the tweed cushions, and the thistle artwork give it a light and spacious feel, and every inch is used effectively (you'll even find compartmentalized drawers for tea and coffee). Add in the cozy guest lounge, the smart TVs, and the nippy Wi-Fi, and you have a perfect modern B&B.

A short walk from the heart of Inverness, this Georgian mansion-turned-boutique hotel provides a stylish and luxurious stay, along with one of the city's best fine dining restaurants. The rooms, which range from "hip" and "chic" to "decadent" and "extra decadent," are smartly appointed with king-sized beds, large TVs, and modern bathrooms with showers and/or stand-alone bathtubs; opt for the top category and you'll get a private terrace or balcony with a hot tub too. Even hotel guests need to make a reservation at the popular high-end restaurant, which is beautifully designed with monochrome walls, straight lines, and a whole lot of upholstery in tasteful accent colors. The food is superb, with creative, decadent, and often surprising dishes like cured salmon with olives and capers and smoked cauliflower with barbecue sauce. Enjoy a pre- or post-meal drink at the hotel's cocktail and whisky bar, which also serves a limited menu of pub food.

If you're looking for a bonafide get-away-from-it-all stay, this remote B&B on the western reaches of the Knoydart peninsula is hard to beat. Set within what was once a 19th century chapel and overlooking a beautiful sandy bay, it's a good 90-minute walk away from Inverie, already the most remote village in mainland Britain. Run by Swiss couple Bettina and Roland, who welcome their guests with a delicious raclette dinner (£22 per person extra), Sandaig has its own, limited electricity supply, which means no TVs and Wi-Fi but plenty of books and games—including a full-size snooker table. Rooms in the main building are functional rather than luxurious, so those staying longer may prefer to book into the more spacious annex property.

A coaching inn built in 1720, this hotel is close to the water and has magnificent views of the Small Isles. The inn retains a winningly provincial feel, with simple, sturdy wooden furnishings throughout both the shared spaces and the bedrooms, and its Crofter's Rest restaurant is renowned for its home cooking. High-quality local ingredients are used to good advantage: sea bass and scallops are specialties, as are "puds" (desserts) such as sticky ginger pudding.

At this traditional Scottish guesthouse, sturdy oak furnishings are featured in each room, including a downstairs bedroom with a full-curtained four-poster bed and a curved chaise lounge. There are many original pieces, as owners Margaret and Neil Hart have lovingly furnished the house with antiques. Pleasing color schemes throughout add to the charm. A five-minute walk from the river, Bluebell House has a great location in Inverness, and its hosts are some of the friendliest and most helpful people you may encounter on your trip.

Great views of the Strathspey Steam Railway, welcoming traditional decor, and a wide variety of room types make this hotel much more than just a base for exploring the Cairngorms. Bedrooms are bright and cozy, while statement wallpaper and freestanding bathtubs add character to some of the bathrooms. Suites are available, but the loveliest rooms are those that face the garden and have French doors opening out onto private patios. The bar and restaurant, which serve reliable pub favorites for lunch and dinner, incorporate old-fashioned elements that are reassuring rather than stuffy.

The suit of armor standing guard at the entrance is a good indication of what awaits within this grand old house: acres of tartan carpet, chandeliers made from antlers, and a small museum's worth of distinctly Scottish decorative items (be sure to say hello to the taxidermied golden eagle on the stairs). The straightforward, comfortable rooms offer less to look at than the foyer, though tartan tends to feature heavily here, too. The bar and restaurant serve robust lunches and dinners popular with guests and nonguests alike.

This beautiful old house with elegant suites and colorful gardens overlooks Loch Linnhe yet is only a 10-minute walk from town. A dram of whisky awaits you every evening—a typically thoughtful touch from the lovely hosts. The three suites that overlook the loch are spacious and beautifully designed, and two have whirlpool tubs. There's also a comfortable guest lounge and a lovely little veranda. Breakfasts are first-rate. However, you won't have long to enjoy it all: check-in is after 4 pm and checkout strictly by 10 am.

Peaceful surroundings, arresting views, and the friendliest of welcomes await you at this former Victorian hunting lodge. The enormous one- and two-bedroom guest suites in both the main building and the separate Bell Tower look as if they've tumbled straight from the pages of a design magazine; original features, such as elaborately carved ceilings, have been lovingly restored, and the tall picture windows take full advantage of the magnificent landscape. Huge bathrooms are modern and equally well designed, with lovely old-school touches such as antique-style bathtubs—one room even has two side by side. The Bell Tower Suites also offer private walled gardens with hot tubs. The house has no restaurant, but it does offer private, candle-lit, three-course dining on request.

Tucked away in Invergarry, 7 miles south of Fort Augustus though still within reach of the Great Glen's most popular sights, this rambling baronial mansion offers alluringly old-fashioned rooms with traditional Victorian decor, some with superb views over Loch Oich. The restaurant serves delicious three-course dinners (£45)—expect modern Scottish cuisine using local beef and salmon. On the grounds are the ruins of Invergarry Castle, a seat of the MacDonnell clan. The hotel entrance is close to the junction of A82 and A87.

The rooms in this charming Victorian hotel are tasteful and comfy, with some offering loch views, but the real highlights are the carefully furnished shared areas. The lounge features a fireplace, a piano, and old-fashioned armchairs in keeping with the architecture of the building; the modern Waypoint Bar serves local beers and a great afternoon tea; and Station Road Restaurant (run by renowned head chef Sean Kelly) is Fort Augustus's hottest dining spot.

This spot offers true five-star luxury in the form of spacious and stylish rooms, one of Inverness's best fine-dining restaurants (Torrish), and a verdant riverside location. The decor is beautiful throughout, with smart touches that include room carpeting depicting a tumultuous River Ness, which then calms around the beds. Each room offers great views, either over the courtyard or the garden, and some have terraces out to the courtyard's herb garden (the produce from which is used in the kitchen). With a chic bar, elegant lounge, and impeccable service, this is perhaps the finest high-end hotel in Inverness.

This former dairy-farm-turned-guesthouse offers a choice of accommodations: opt for one of the two charming sea-view guest rooms in the main 110-year-old building or for one of the more spacious, modern suites in the separate courtyard building. Either way, you'll enjoy comfy beds, high-spec bathrooms, and plenty of amenities. The delicious and varied breakfasts, which are cooked fresh from high quality local produce, are served in the communal dining room and lounge. You'll need to head out for lunch and dinner.

It may be less luxurious than Kilcamb Lodge across the loch, but the Strontian makes up for it with an interesting history (it was built in 1820 as the mine manager's house), cozy charm (think whisky and wood-burning stoves), and a distinctly local flavor (the Bothy Bar downstairs is a real hub for the local community). The bedrooms are comfortable, if a little old-fashioned in places. Renovation plans are in the works, but for now, play it safe by opting for the spacious Sunart Suite, with its comfy king-size bed, sitting room with large TV, and modern bathroom with walk-in shower and local toiletries. The alcove window here offers sweeping loch views from the bed. A tasty B&B-style breakfast is included with all bookings—look out the window as you tuck into your black pudding to see the Clach a' Bhranguis standing stone—and the Bothy Bar Restaurant serves good, hearty Scottish pub fare.

Finding that sweet spot where contemporary meets cozy is no mean feat, but the husband-and-wife team behind this welcoming guesthouse make it look simple. Don't be put off by the workaday appearance of the exterior; within, this is a stylish home away from home, featuring two beautifully furnished lounge areas and a small but pleasant garden. The rooms are light, bright, and mostly very spacious. Snag yourself one with an ultraluxe bathroom that comes complete with steam room. Hearty three-course dinners are offered, provided enough guests are interested.

This former bishop's home turned boutique B&B makes for a practical and stylish base, with owner Lorraine Freel's talent for interior design seen in the bespoke dining room chairs and handmade wallpaper—as well as in the eclectic array of art throughout. In the rooms, digital radios, Bluetooth speakers, and smart TVs add a splash of modernity, while Highland traditions are maintained with the thistle-tinged decor and the delicious, hearty breakfasts.