Kylesku Hotel

In the vast, remote, elemental landscape of Assynt, a 19th-century coaching inn overlooking Loch Glendhu has moved with the times to become a relaxed modern hotel. The tiny car ferry from Kylestrome used to dock on the slipway right outside. Today you just swoosh over the Kylesku Bridge to find a buzzy, dog-friendly place with simple, smart bedrooms painted in soft shades of grey and cinder pink. The cheapest snug attic rooms each have a shower in a private bathroom down a flight of stairs. A first-floor deluxe room in Willie's Hoose annexe has sliding glass doors to a loch-facing balcony and an en suite with walk-in shower. New owners, Highland Coast Hotels, espouse the values of seasonality and provenance. In the bar/restaurant, with magical vistas, the short menus are big on freshly landed seafood, with meat from local crofters. As well as langoustine, oysters, mussels and hand-dived scallops, options include dishes such as sirloin steak and chips and a vegetarian dish. Ask for a picnic and go whale- and dolphin-spotting, kayaking, cycling, or take a self-guided walk along the Coigach Geology Trail.