Culdearn House

Set back from the road in its own mature grounds, Sonia and William Marshall’s Victorian house stands on the edge of a swathe of the ancient Scots pine woodland, haunt of the capercaillie, that surrounds Grantown. The ambience is more intimate guest house than hotel, with just six bedrooms, a wide choice of malt whiskies to sample by the fire, and a locally sourced, home-cooked four-course dinner cooked by the hostess. Bedrooms are traditionally and eclectically furnished (no ‘boutique’ pretensions here). Dual-aspect Craigievar has antiques, a double-ended bath, walk-in shower, views to the woods and the Cromdale hills. Over drinks in the drawing room, you can meet fellow guests and order from an imaginative menu, maybe game terrine with onion marmalade or West Coast scallops, guineafowl with pistachio and lemon stuffing, hill-grazed lamb or the house speciality steak. After a freshly cooked breakfast of Scottish produce, head out to explore the Cairngorms national park, fish in the Spey, visit a falconry centre or take an exhilarating ride on the funicular to the summit of Cairngorm mountain.