8 Best Hotels in Stirling and the Central Highlands, Scotland

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.

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.

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 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.