Overlooking a bay on the Argyll coast, Calum and Rachel Ross’s ‘friendly, good-value’ country house, next door to the exotic Arduaine Garden, is in ‘the most stunning spot’.

‘Everything is presented with care and style’ at Sally and David Ruthven-Fox’s small hotel on the ‘peaceful shores’ of Loch Sunart.

Friendly, folksy, ‘comfy and unpretentious’, Gill and Archie MacLellan’s ‘terrific inn’ stands in ‘a glorious location’ on the shores of Loch Fyne.

Steeped in stories of baronets and scandalous affairs, Susannah and Stuart Macpherson’s ‘beautiful Georgian house’ is today a ‘simply lovely hotel’ standing in extensive gardens ‘magnificent with mature trees’.

Catch sight of this ‘impressive’ Victorian hunting lodge through the trees as you approach; closer up, discover the ‘manicured grounds’ running down to Loch Snizort.

In ‘one of the wildest and most beautiful locations’, Tanja Lister and Sonia Virechauveix run their small hotel with ‘informal warmth’.

‘Cherry and Gordon Gunn clearly know their stuff’, having run their ‘lovely place to stay’ for more than 30 years.

‘We needed a break from our busy day-to-day, and we got it.’

There are whisky and castle trails to strike out on, but begin, perhaps, with a stroll around the Matheson family’s ‘lovely’ mansion – ‘the grounds are wonderful,’ say Guide inspectors in 2017.

‘A winning example of the small “hands-on” country house genre’, the Fordyce family’s 18th-century manor house on the Solway coast is ‘charmingly run’ with old-fashioned joie de vivre.

A ‘cosy spot’ in a remote position overlooking Langass sea loch, Amanda and Niall Leveson Gower’s family-friendly former sporting lodge is ideal for guests in search of fresh air and ‘fabulous views’.

Patricia Watt’s rural hotel on the Cowal peninsula faces green fields close to the shoreline where cattle once crossed the water to the Isle of Bute.

Ten minutes’ drive from the ferry, Anne Gracie and Ken Gunn’s whitewashed hotel has ‘fine views’ across the Sound of Sleat.

In walking country, this Edwardian stone house, originally built for a mill owner’s bride, is today a fine small hotel owned by Sylvia and John Matthews.

Tramp along the banks of nearby rivers Tummel and Tay, then back through woodland towards the McGown family’s friendly country hotel in a 17th-century turreted stone house just outside the town.

Wooded grounds and the meandering River Forss set a tranquil scene for this Georgian hotel with strong fishing links.

Vibrant Victorian Pitlochry offers many diversions, but to escape the bustle, head for Martin and Heather Walls’s guest house, a ‘beautiful’ Georgian house on the outskirts of town.

The River Tay flows by wooded grounds awash with bluebells in springtime, at Ann and Alf Berry’s modern B&B, in a pretty conservation village.

Whisky-sampling opportunities at Islay’s distilleries are within easy reach of this homely small hotel in a tranquil village.

Lesley and Iain MacDonald run their B&B on the outskirts of the village, where the ‘spectacular views’ stretch over Loch Broom and the mountains beyond.

In the centre of a pretty Borders town, this ‘excellent’, well-established hotel near the banks of the River Tweed has been run by the Henderson family for 46 years.

Ideal for the outdoorsy traveller – and with plenty to please indoorsy types – Stephen and Lisa Davies’s ‘good-value’ Victorian guest house in the Tweed valley is a ‘highly recommended’ base for travellers exploring the Scottish Borders.

In the wild glens of Argyll, Roger and Maria Soep’s rustic guest house is a haven for walkers, anglers, birders and stargazers.

Liked for its ‘unfussy atmosphere’, ‘warm hospitality’ and home-made Seville orange marmalade, this ‘friendly’ B&B occupies a ‘gorgeous’ Edwardian country house, ten minutes’ walk from town.