The River Forss loops around this late Georgian Highland retreat in wooded grounds, today a dog-friendly hotel that is ideal for anglers, with shooting, stalking and hiking also on offer.

Once a Victorian hunting lodge, this ‘unpretentious’ hotel makes the most of both its history and its West Highland geography on the banks of Loch Gairloch.

In a ‘lovely position’ by Beauly Firth, this handsome 17th-century mansion stands in large grounds that lead into woodland laced with walking paths – look out for the brown hares and roe deer who like to visit.

In sweeping lawns within acres of woodland, this secluded baronial mansion is a ‘little jewel’.

One of Scotland’s first country house hotels, this turreted 1920s mansion in tranquil, ‘elegant’ gardens is owned by Mark and Christopher Forrester, grandsons of two of the original founders.

Luxe details such as a copper roll top bath, add to the romance of The Dunstane Houses, a luxurious get away in Edinburgh where beautiful details are accompanied by exceptional service - ideal for mini breaks, minimoons or a Valentine's Day retreat.

‘A stiff walk from Portpatrick along the cliffs’ brings you to Sian and David Ibbotson’s Victorian hunting lodge overlooking the Irish Sea.

You need to take a ferry crossing before traversing a mountain pass and a deep glen to arrive at this ‘superb country house in a remote and extraordinary setting’ with a private beach on a loch shore with mountain views.

There are few more remote hotels in the Guide than this Georgian former manse, in a ‘spectacular’ setting between a white-sand beach and heather-clad mountains.

With views to take the breath away, this former hunting lodge owned by Lord and Lady Macdonald stands on the shores of Loch Na Dal at the foot of densely wooded Kinloch hill.

Wrapped in parkland, this gleaming white country house that is only ten minutes from the city centre takes luxury to hedonistic levels, with lavish decorations and indulgent service.

Far-flung Torridon hosts an extreme Scottish triathlon, but there are gentler pursuits for guests at this resort hotel, a ‘baronial pile’ on a wooded estate at the head of Loch Torridon.

Eddrachilles Hotel is currently closed.

In the remote north of Skye, a whitewashed stone crofter’s cottage overlooking Loch Dunvegan, with views to the peaks of Harris and North Uist, is home to an ambitious restaurant-with-rooms.

The phrase ‘in the middle of nowhere’ takes on real meaning when you step down from the overnight sleeper for a stay at Scott and Stephanie Meikle’s remote restaurant-with-rooms.

John and Sylvia Matthews’s keen ‘eye for detail’ has lifted this convivial restaurant-with-rooms to the ‘top range of small establishments’ since they took it over in 2015.

Pitlochry’s renowned Festival Theatre was born in 1951 in the grounds of this Victorian mansion, run today as a welcoming hotel by Struan and Louise Lothian.

If the annual Braemar Gathering had not put the village on the map, this dramatic reinvention of a many-gabled coaching inn by Swiss art dealers Iwan and Manuela Wirth would surely do so.

Seafaring readers anchored at Arinagour to seek a shower and dinner at the social hub of ‘a beautiful island with spectacular beaches, dark-sky park and wonderful wildlife’.

‘Thoroughly recommended’, Sean and Karen O’Byrne’s light, bright, super-modern, eco-friendly house is all Scandi style, with ‘lovely views’ of Loch Creran to boot.

Remote and romantic, Clare Winskill and Iain Roden’s peaceful restaurant-with-rooms is reached down a single-track road through wild croft land, past grazing sheep.

In landscaped gardens, overlooking the island’s main harbour town, this refurbished Edwardian country house has a coolly contemporary interior and views that stretch to the bay.

In mature grounds just beyond the city centre, this sympathetically restored baronial mansion takes in reaching views over Dundee’s Botanical Gardens.

Romantic turrets and towers add to the Scottish country house experience at Murdo and Beth Macleod’s listed baronial building by the shores of Loch Long.