‘Why is it only on the Shortlist?’ asks a reader this year, commending the Weaver family’s Edwardian country house hotel with views to the sparkling Firth of Forth across Muirfield golf course. Why indeed? And in our fair way, we’ve upgraded it. The house, designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens, sits amid ‘outstanding’ gardens attributed to Gertrude Jekyll, with croquet lawn, tennis court, putting green, lavender border, herb garden and glasshouses. A stay here is ‘excellent in every way, from reception to departure’. Bedrooms (some in cottages at the end of the drive) are presented in period style, with antiques, rich hues, harmonious prints; some with views through dual-aspect windows. ‘Our ground-floor room was perfect for our accompanying dog.’ Public rooms are ‘beautifully furnished’. In Chez Roux restaurant, rising culinary star Ryan McCutcheon cooks such dishes as Highland venison, broccoli purée, blue cheese gnocchi, almond skirlie; from the veggie menu, lemon and rosemary gnocchi, seasonal vegetables, butter sauce. Golfers are in heaven, with ten courses within five miles. There are stunning, unspoilt beaches, and all this just a half-hour drive from Edinburgh. (Mrs EA Smith)