Built on the site of a medieval fortress, this Edwardian stone country house is surrounded by a dry moat. It is close to a main road, but sheltered by tall trees; there are good woodland walks from the pretty garden. Run by its owners, David and Verity Webster, it is liked for the warmth of welcome and the elegance of the bedrooms - they have antiques, good artwork, digital TV, flowers, mineral water, coffee and tea. All the bathrooms have been upgraded this year. Mrs Webster, an interior designer, styled the elegant public rooms with tasteful colour schemes; complimentary afternoon tea on arrival can be taken in front of a log fire in the drawing room. There is no dress code in either of the dining rooms, one in an attractive conservatory. Matt Dobson has joined as chef from a sister hotel, Raemoir House, Banchory. He cooks Scottish dishes with European influences, eg, terrine of rabbit and pigeon, date relish; baked wild sea bass, dauphinoise potatoes, braised fennel. Vegetables and herbs come from the kitchen garden; eggs from the hotel's free-range chickens (one reader enthused about the scrambled eggs at breakfast). Mrs Webster tells us that they no longer rear pigs, and that dairy farming has been given up on the farm nearby ('temporary rural smells are no more'). Children are welcomed (special menus, climbing frame, etc). (R and TB)