Stone eagles mark your arrival at the gates of Nick and Charlotte Dent’s ‘impressive’ Victorian hunting lodge, down a single-track road, its lawns lapped by Loch Gairloch.

Heathery tones and tweedy fabrics bring a breath of fresh Orkney air to this family-run hotel in two Victorian villas just outside the city centre.

In a ‘wonderful setting’ on the shores of the Solway Firth, Graeme Lamb’s hotel affords spectacular views across the water to Hestan Isle and the peaks of the Lake District.

‘A real star, we enjoyed our stay,’ enthuse Guide regulars, who visited several hotels on either side of this year’s Scottish cruise. ‘It was by far our favourite.’

‘A very special place,’ say guests in 2019, of Sian and David Ibbotson’s Victorian hunting lodge overlooking the Irish Sea. ‘The accommodating hosts went out of their way, more than once, to ensure we had a terrific time.’

‘Dr Johnson and Mr James Boswell dine here tomorrow – which they did and I gave Mr Johnson rhubarb seeds and some melon.’ Here is Sir Alexander Dick, Laird of Prestonfield, writing of visitors to his 17th-century mansion at the foot of Arthur’s Seat.

Michelin-starred and Bibbed Edinburgh chef Tom Kitchin and wife, Michaela, have transformed the old Golf Inn in this coastal village into a cutting-edge gastropub-with-rooms.

A ‘little jewel’ in a secluded setting, this small baronial mansion is enveloped by sweeping manicured lawns within acres of woodland.

At every turn, contemporary artwork, artefacts, taxidermy specimens and striking features catch the eye in this imposing 19th-century coaching inn.