Today is St Andrew’s Day, and to celebrate we’ve pulled together a quick selection of that most emblematic of places to stay: castle hotels in Scotland. And although December’s undoubtedly a bit ‘dreich’ (translation here for the uninitiated), there’s a line of thought that that’s really the way Scotland should be: misty, drizzly and utterly magnificent.

1. Inverlochy Castle, Torlundy (Fort William)

Queen Victoria once wrote of Inverlochy Castle (pictured above): “I never saw a lovelier or more romantic spot.” It’s hard to disagree. With lawns that run down to the still, black waters of Loch Na Marag and the backdrop of a brooding Ben Nevis, Inverlochy is one of the most picturesquely situated of all castle hotels in Scotland.

2. Glenapp Castle, Ballantrae (Ayrshire)

A 19th-century baronial pile of battlements and towers surrounded by extensive woodland, a stay at Glenapp Castle is like stepping straight back into Victorian times. Inside, meanwhile, wood panelling, fireplaces and heavy drapes more than maintain the illusion. It’s even got a resident ghost*. Naturally.

(*For more on things that go bump in the night, check out our recent post on haunted hotels in the UK…)

3. Isle of Eriska Hotel, Eriska (Nr. Oban)

Ok, it’s a castle; and it’s on a private island. What more could you ask for? Well, clay-pigeon shooting and a nearby nine-hole golf course stand out.  But given the weather that’s currently lashing the West Coast of Scotland, it’d probably be best just to curl up in front of the fire with a good book…

4. Prestonfield, Edinburgh

Prestonfield… A castle? Well, one man’s castle is another’s fortified house, and, semantics aside, it’s definitely something of a rarity: a grand 17th-century house/castle hotel in Scotland that’s easy to get to. No long drives across barren moorland here; Prestonfield is located just outside Edinburgh city centre. And since it’s from the same James Thomson stable as The Witchery, it’s a stylish Gothic affair to boot.

Looking for a truly dramatic place to stay? See all Travel Intelligence’s castle hotels.

Technorati Tags: Castle Hotels, Country House Hotels, Luxury Hotels, Scotland

Tags: Castle Hotels, Country House Hotels, Luxury Hotels, Scotland

This entry was posted on Monday, November 30th, 2009 at 2:53 pm and is filed under Boutique Hotels, Luxury Hotels, TI Tips. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.