The epitome of country-house luxury with gourmet dining, Tim and Stefa Hart's hotel stands on a peninsula, overlooking beautiful gardens and the shining expanse of Rutland Water.

Traditional as Burns Night and bannocks, the McMenemie family's Victorian country-house hotel in gardens leading to the shores of Loch Faskally is popular with its largely elderly clientele, who love the comfort of this 'unique establishment' with its caring staff.

Above Windermere, this Edwardian country house lies in gardens that melt into the glorious landscape. The hotel is part of the Storrs Collection (see Storrs Hall).

With an enviable position on Windermere, this Georgian hall has a relaxed country house feel, with formal and casual dining options, and bedrooms ranging from family friendly to seriously swanky.

'Ideal if you want a place to unwind or as a base to explore from', this small, intimate hotel is surrounded by wild beauty on the quieter shore of Loch Ness. Owners Anna Low and Philip Crowe are 'wonderful hosts'.

Bring the dog, bring the kids, revel in the gorgeous scenery and the great outdoors at this ‘lifestyle hotel’ with private shorefront on Ullswater and plenty of activities on offer. It's the old, staid Rampsbeck Hotel reinvented (out with the chintz and swags, on with the wetsuits or hiking boots!)

Fiona Doyle is your welcoming host at this B&B on the shores of Loch Indaal with stunning views across the bay and a home-from-home ambience.

There's a romantic air to the setting of this Scottish baronial mansion overlooking Loch Oich with the ruins of Invergarry Castle in the grounds.

In a beautiful location on the shore of Loch Sunart, where otters swim in the waters and red squirrels scamper around the land, this 18th-century lodge offers country-house comforts and plenty of Scottish flair, ranging from tartan fabrics to homemade shortbread.

Verity Butterfield clearly loves to welcome guests to her loch-side Georgian house, with blazing fires, comfy sofas, good artworks, excellent breakfasts, and dinner by arrangement.

A 'sprawling, traditional building in a beautiful setting' at the tip of Windermere, this family and dog-friendly hotel has easy access to lake-based activities as well as a spa.

Guests staying at this beautifully furnished and dog friendly pub can enjoy hearty, locally sourced fare or dine at sister property Another Place where they have use of all facilities.

In the vast, remote, elemental landscape of Assynt, this 19th-century coaching inn overlooking Loch Glendhu is today a dog-friendly modern hotel with simple, smart bedrooms, and magical vistas from the restaurant, where short menus showcase meat from local crofters and freshly landed seafood.

A private drive loops through native woodland and pastures to this classical mansion overlooking a ruined Knights Templar castle and teeming fishing lake in W B Yeats country.

With just one guest bedroom – or Royal Chamber – at the top of a Norman castle keep, this is surely the most romantic B&B in the Guide, and a memorable wedding-night retreat, with fine-dining available in the Banqueting Hall.

A Victorian mock-Tudor fishing lodge in wooded grounds on the River Irfon is today a spa hotel and foodie destination with a country-house ambience and views to the Cambrian mountains.

There are no TVs or minibars at the Leslies' ancestral country house on an estate with lakes and woodlands, but interiors are a trove of Grand Tour treasures, every house bedroom comes with some extraordinary tale, and estate-to-plate dishes are served in the restaurant.

In a sublime setting on a wooded estate on Loch Torridon, this baronial-style hunting lodge appeals to sybarites and sporty types, with amazing views and luxurious bedrooms, tasting menus sourced from the kitchen garden and farm, and a brasserie.

A New Forest bolthole, this country-house hotel has an easy glamour, romantic and family-friendly rooms, heart-warming Italian food and top-notch spa.

There are spectacular views across Loch Tummel to the iconic peak of Schiehallion from Jade and Alice Calliva's old coaching inn, where bedrooms of great character have hand-picked artworks and many extras, and an appealing, unpretentious menu is sourced from local suppliers.

With treehouses, boathouses and shepherds' huts scattered around 70 acres of glorious grounds on the Consall Hall Estate, and delicious fine-dining cuisine in the double-height, glass-walled Plumicorn, this deconstructed, dog-friendly hotel is a haven for families, loved-up couples and the resident wildlife.

A long, winding drive leads to Henry and Lucy Hodgson's country house on an estate on Lough Corrib, with its lakeside sauna, old-fashioned interiors, warm hospitality, and great home-cooked food.

With possibly the best location in Portree, this former Victorian shooting lodge has spectacular views over the bay and Sound of Raasay to the Cuillin mountains. Now a family-run hotel, it has smart contemporary bedrooms and serves locally sourced, traditional dishes along with the views.

Walkers returning to this restaurant with rooms on the shores of Loch Earn, in the Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park, can dine from short, ambitious menus of classically inspired modern Scottish cooking, and watch ospreys from one of the comfortable, traditionally styled loch-view bedrooms.

In 32 wooded, landscaped acres on the shores of Lough Caragh with complimentary boating and fishing, this gabled Edwardian manor house combines comfort and elegance with an antique-filled lounge and candlelit restaurant.

A Victorian baronial fantasia with half-timbering, turrets, candle-snuffer roofs, stepped gables and Arts and Crafts interior overlooking Loch Long, this dog-friendly hotel mixes pretty classic doubles with impressive suites, while the chef uses local seasonal produce for fine-dining menus in an atmospheric panelled dining room.

Modelled on Rome's Villa Borghese and overlooking Italianate gardens with lakes, fountains and statuary, this spa hotel has a hip vibe, bold interiors, lovely bedrooms, fabulous bathrooms, a buzzy cocktail bar, and French-inspired cooking in the panelled dining room.

Offbeat and off-the-beaten track, this restaurant on the shores of Loch Fyne offers an inventive nightly tasting menu, a short à la carte offering, and accommodation in shepherds' huts and bothies.

A short hop from Belfast International Airport, this spa hotel and wedding venue has a lakeside heated sand beach, characterful bedrooms, some with a courtyard, outdoor bath and wood burner, and an eclectic menu to cater to all preferences.