3 Best Hotels in Callander, Stirling and the Central Highlands

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.

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.