‘More home than hotel’, the Macdonalds’ ‘fabulous’ Victorian country house brims with family history and aristocratic fixtures. This year is daughter Iona Macdonald’s second solo season at the wheel. Father, Hugh, has stayed on to share anecdotes by the fire, and maintain the house-party feel. Viewfield is popular for its laid-back air, unstuffy eccentricity and colonial memorabilia and antiques collected over 150 years (‘needs bringing up to date’, says one guest). ‘All the staff were friendly and welcoming,’ report regular Guide readers in 2018. In the traditionally styled bedrooms, vintage touches (a cast iron bed, a Victorian washstand with a bowl and jug) and the occasional window seat overlook mature woodland. ‘Our rooms were excellent; large and comfortable with sea views.’ In lieu of in-room TV, guests are encouraged to mingle over cocktails, single malt and croquet. Ordered ahead, dinners consist of fuss-free Scottish fare. ‘The parsnip and cumin soup, and the duck breast in plum sauce were especially good.’ Dietary requests were happily dealt with, ‘to the point of creating a different starter’. Breakfast includes ‘very nice’ home-made marmalade. (Alan and Edwina Williams, and others)