Greywalls Shortlist*

Teatime and tee time are amply provided for at the Weaver family’s elegant, ‘well-located’ hotel (Relais & Châteaux). It is a golfer’s paradise, on the edge of Muirfield golf course, with nine other courses nearby. Inside the crescent-shaped stone house designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens, Edwardian dark wood and pale fabrics create a homely atmosphere – a fine backdrop for afternoon tea, with loose-leaf blends, sweetmeats and champagne. (In good weather, move the feast to the tranquil walled gardens, attributed to Gertrude Jekyll.) Each of the traditionally styled bedrooms is individually decorated with antiques and artwork; choose one looking to the Firth of Forth, or over the gardens and farmland to the Lammermuir hills. In Chez Roux restaurant, chef Ryan McCutcheon’s classic French dishes emphasise local ingredients; lighter meals may be taken in the bar/lounge. Duncan Fraser is the manager. Bar/lounge, drawing room, library, conservatory, Chez Roux restaurant (open to non-residents). Free Wi-Fi, in-room TV (Freeview). No background music. Treatments. 6-acre garden. 15 mins’ walk to sea. Weddings/functions. Children (extra bed and breakfast £85) and dogs (in lodges only) welcomed. 23 bedrooms (4 on ground floor; 6 in lodges nearby). Per room B&B single from £85, double from £235. Dinner £40–£45.