21 Best Hotels in Stirling and the Central Highlands, Scotland

A grand refurbished Victorian country house set amid beautiful grounds, Cromlix House is owned by Scottish tennis champion Andy Murray, and you might notice the sound of ball on racket from the tennis court. It's easy to imagine a weekend country party strolling through the trees or fishing on the private loch. Paneled wood and deep, comfortable sofas throughout add to that sense of luxury. The rooms are furnished in harmony with the house's history, but with the most up-to-date facilities, including mirrors that are televisions. The summer house is now a Jacques Roux restaurant, where you can dine looking out over the croquet lawn. Don't miss the hidden chapel.

One of Britain's most famous hotels, Gleneagles is the very essence of modern grandeur, a vast palace that stands hidden in breathtaking countryside amid its world-famous golf courses. The rooms are elegant, hung with indulgent draperies and filled with soft leather furniture. All the pampering details are here, from fluffy bathrobes hanging behind the door to freshly cut flowers in every room. The hotel offers the entire spectrum of leisure activities, including a famous restaurant, a shopping arcade, a spa, an equestrian center, and a falconry center.

Set among woods and on the shores of Loch Faskally, Green Park is a genuinely luxurious country-house hotel. Bedrooms are impeccably clean, spacious, and decorated in grand style with floral patterns and dark woods. Most rooms have views over the loch or the gardens, and the most sought-after are those with a balcony on the second floor. The restaurant continues the country-living feel in its decor and its menu, which changes daily. The porridge with a "wee dram" is especially popular at breakfast.

Splendidly isolated in Balquhidder Glen, this beautiful converted farmhouse with contemporary interiors is set amid forests and moorland, looking out onto Lochs Voil and Doine. Rooms are strikingly modern and unique, with clean lines and touches of luxury, like plush animal-print throws and elegant toiletries. A cabin and a caravan redesigned by architects offer more nostalgic accommodations.The beautiful courtyard rooms, beside the main house, are more expensive. Known for its Scottish food, the hotel kitchen uses many homegrown ingredients from its own herb gardens. There's an expertly prepared prix-fixe dinner menu (£85), and if the weather is favorable, you can eat on the patio with beautiful views of the valley. In June, the hotel hosts its own festival week with food and music.

You could easily pass by this beautiful hotel without noticing, though it is just off Callander's main street; look for an unpretentious pink arch on the main street and there you'll find the 17th-century hunting lodge hidden among ornate gardens. The drawing room and exquisite library recall the hotel's origins, and the rooms are furnished with the past and present in mind. They are comfortable and elegant (all have modern bathrooms) but proudly retain their historic feel. There is a lovely walled garden and a riverside arbor as well as the River Teith flowing past (and guests enjoy fishing rights). The well-regarded, formal restaurant offers an excellent four-course dinner menu (£75 per person) in sophisticated surroundings. Less expensive is the Garden Bistro, which offers a café-style menu.

Cute, cozy, and very Scottish, this small hotel offers simple but clean rooms along with tasty breakfasts and good, hearty pub meals like fish-and-chips and local smoked salmon at reasonable prices. Rooms are spacious, and some have great views of the loch; beige tones and wooden furniture are appealingly neutral. In the pub downstairs, the tartan carpet and burning peat fire are quite welcoming.

There is little that you cannot do at this luxurious hotel overlooking Loch Lomond, including taking to the water in a motorboat or riding a seaplane above the trees. Built around an old baronial house, the hotel echoes the dark hues and grand furniture of the original owners in the decor of the beautifully appointed rooms. There are several restaurants and elegant bars in the central complex and in the golf courses that form part of the estate. The excellent Tamburrini & Wishart restaurant, run by noted chef Martin Wishart, offers a decadent five-course menu, while other dining options include the informal bistro with an emphasis on seafood, the Boathouse. The enormous Great Scots Bar celebrates national achievement in everything from soccer to literature. The Cameron Spa has pools, hot tubs, and game rooms, as well as a lovely little café of its own.

One of the large Victorian houses set back from the main road, this B&B is a quiet refuge with spacious, updated rooms and large windows. Most rooms have wooden floors and modern furniture; there are also four apartments. The dining room is bright and airy, and corridors and stairs are wide. You can enjoy the view of the surrounding hills from the large front garden.

Occupying a large stone landmark neoclassical building in the center of town and near the castle, this is a modern hotel in the grand style, with 21st-century amenities. Rooms are spacious and bright, decorated mostly in dramatic black and white. Black and white is also the theme of the ample public areas, bars, and a grill room that has a fashionable Jasper oven. There is no on-site fitness center, but guests can use one nearby.

One of Scotland's great Victorian hydropathy centers (treating illnesses using water), this grand resort hotel on 900 acres has been owned by the same family for more than 100 years. Today it focuses on outdoor activities, though it also has a pampering spa. Its modernized rooms are of a standard but attractive design and some are fairly cramped, but most have king-size beds. The hotel caters especially to families, with a wide range of activities for children, as well as golf and tennis, a tree-top adventure course, and a gym. The hotel has six restaurants, from a pizzeria to the more formal Meikle restaurant.

One of the grandes dames where Victorians would come to "take the waters," this hotel on sprawling grounds has retained elements of its original building with plenty of modern updates. The high style of its interior remains. Ample lounges and dark-wood hallways point to grander times, but the updated guest rooms are thoroughly modern, done in tones of brown or plum. The Kailyard restaurant by Nick Nairn reflects the innovative style of the well-known Scottish chef, especially his commitment to local produce. The restaurant, set in what was once the hotel's drawing room, has high ceilings and a refined atmosphere. The terrace at the front of the hotel, lined with wicker chairs, is a great place to relax after a spa treatment.

This small boutique hotel in a restored townhouse is situated in the heart of Stirling. The rooms have been tastefully modernized and feature some exposed brick and a range of interesting paintings. Each room is different, but all have comfortable beds; many have some vintage furniture. The downstairs bar and restaurant is small but quiet and relaxing, with a wood fire and some imaginative cooking, too.

Less than 5 miles from Perth, this tranquil, traditional country hotel with an air of understated elegance has spacious lawns, trees, and even a lily pond, making it feel more rural than it really is. Some of the good-size guest rooms are decorated in restful, muted colors. The conservatory dining room offers a varied dinner menu that includes Perthshire meat and fish. The hotel is the perfect setting for afternoon tea.

Known for its views, this hotel overlooking Loch Lomond sits beside the picturesque village of Luss. The rooms, many with loch views and some with balconies overlooking the water, are spacious and some have their own saunas or hot tubs. The on-site Colquhoun's restaurant, in a windowed conservatory, takes full advantage of the view.

This is a traditional Scottish country resort hotel for families and those who simply want to take it easy, though it also offers numerous sporting and fitness activities. More than 20 acres of gardens and grounds surround the building, which sits on a grassy hillside overlooking Loch Ard. Plaid or chintz drapes and reproduction antiques set the mood in the bedrooms. The restaurant has tartan decor that makes an appropriate backdrop for Scottish game, salmon, beef, and lamb. There is also a gym, pool, tennis court, and spa treatment rooms.

A lively hotel and pub in the heart of Pitlochry, you'll find spacious and elegant rooms here. The bar is busy and lively, with an extensive drink menu while the restaurant has a familiar pub menu. On weekends there is live music starting at 9 pm.

Balquhidder Glen is the perfect place for walkers and cyclists, and this modest but casually chic hotel has been designed with them in mind. It combines all-day fine cooking with attractively minimalist, cheap, and practical rooms done in mostly white, with pops of color. Hearty and filling, the food is suitable for the end of an energetic day; also look for occasional luxuries like oysters and mussels. A big breakfast costs £10. Families will appreciate the games room, with a pool table, TV, and board games. The all-day food menu (from noon until 9 pm) is geared towards active guests.

This small hotel with a lively traditional pub scores above all on location: it is just outside the walls of Stirling Castle, and the views are spectacular, especially from the upper floors where the guest rooms are located. The rooms are quite petite but clean and have ample beds; the lively downstairs bar serves wholesome traditional fare.

This handsome early-Victorian gray-stone mansion near Perth's Branklyn Gardens overlooks the River Tay and the city of Perth. Unpretentious and comfortable, its front garden offers fine views, and there's a sitting room for guests. Bedrooms, decorated in traditional style with wooden furniture, are simple but pleasant. 

Looking out over a pleasant grassy square, this rather grand and completely modernized Victorian house is within walking distance of Stirling Castle. The high-ceilinged rooms are spacious, and details such as heated floors and robes add to the comfort of the hotel. The home's colors are tasteful yet restrained, and decorative notes such as William Morris wallpaper and brass chandeliers recall the house's 19th century origins.

Dating from 1803, this handsome, rambling B&B with spacious rooms is part of a working farm. The house is surrounded by woods and flower gardens, with a lovely walled garden beyond. There are several sitting rooms for guests, inviting you to relax. It is a restful place that feels just slightly out of time, which is part of its charm.