The Cross at Kingussie

In an ‘interesting’ spot in the Highlands, ‘very friendly’ hosts Celia and Derek Kitchingman run their ‘lively’ restaurant-with-rooms in a former tweed mill on the banks of the River Gynack. Guests consistently praise the Kitchingmans’ hospitality. ‘They served me an early breakfast when I arrived on the overnight sleeper train, and Derek insisted on driving me to the station on my last morning,’ a Guide reader says in 2016. ‘Comfortable’ bedrooms in the ‘lovely’ building (wooden beams, stone walls) are decorated in rustic colours that recall the surrounding hills. ‘Our large, airy room had plenty of storage, a modern bathroom; a small balcony overlooked the burn.’ Settle in: there are books and DVDs to borrow; a south-facing riverside terrace is ideal for alfresco drinks; two lounges have games and log fires for rainy days. In the white-walled dining room, chef David Skiggs cooks a ‘beautifully presented’, ‘very high-quality’ menu, including, perhaps, lamb cannelloni, violet artichoke, rosemary jus. Wake up to a breakfast buffet of fruit, cereals, yogurt and freshly squeezed juice; ‘good choices’ of cooked dishes. (GC, Mike Benne)