HOTEL REVIEWS
Natural selection
Scotland is renowned for its diverse wildlife, and this month Scottish Field’s subscribers are spotting the best of the country’s fur, feather and fin from some great places to stay
Little Boreland, Gatehouse of Fleet Reviewed by Ben and Clare Lorimer from
Hilton Grand Vacations Club at Craigendarroch
Suites, Ballater Reviewed by April & George Noble from Skirling, The Borders This holiday resort is set on the wooded banks of the River Dee on the outskirts of Ballater and just eight miles from Balmoral Castle. Following a £4.1 million investment, the suites here are available for sale on a timeshare basis but can currently be rented nightly. We stayed in one of the new large, stylish suites with fridge, microwave, toaster and kettle, dining area, lounge, separate bedroom, flat screen TV, internet access and balcony. Self-catering lodges are also available. The Hilton Grand Vacations Club at Craigendarroch Suites is a luxurious base
from which to explore the beautiful surrounding area of Royal Deeside and the Cairngorms National Park. The suites have easy access to several wildlife reserves and guided wildlife safaris by 4x4, by bike or on foot, where you could see black grouse, golden eagles, red deer, ptarmigan, otters and mountain hares. There are three communities of red squirrel living within the resort grounds, with feeding stations making viewing more likely. Fishing, shooting and stalking are also available locally, with Balmoral just along the road. For those who enjoy skiing, the Lecht is just 25 miles away. Other outdoor activities on offer include quad biking, horse riding, off-road driving and Highland safaris. After a busy day come back and relax in one of the two pools, whirlpool spa, sauna or steam room, have a treatment in the spa or even a game of squash, tennis or snooker or hit the gym. The adventure playground and kid’s pool with slide mean that younger guests are well catered for too. We ended our day with a lovely meal in the new Keiller Brasserie within the club serving local, seasonal produce at reasonable prices £20-£25 pp excluding drinks. This restaurant is small so booking ahead is essential. The larger lounge and bar also serve snacks and light meals. The breakfast menu offered reasonable choice for £8.95. This is a great place to go if you want to have a good chance of seeing
the wide variety of wildlife that the Cairngorms has to offer, but also want your base to offer some of the finer things in life. Prices from £165 per suite per night
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Edinburgh We spent two wonderful nights staying at Little Boreland, a whitewashed former farmhouse, within walking distance of Gatehouse of Fleet and a short car journey from Castle Douglas. The house is surrounded by gardens and not far from the front door is a delightful hill walk where you can spot wildlife. We saw red squirrels, birds of prey and deer on a glorious afternoon walk. We also saw deer in the garden. The house is extremely comfortable and warm with two
open fires. Cups of tea and cake were never too far away. This delightful farmhouse has five bedrooms so there is ample space. The kitchen is a generous size and there is a table in the dining room where you can all enjoy family meals together. Prices from £411 for seven nights
Glencoe House, Glencoe, Lochaber Reviewed by Richard Bath, Edinburgh
This recently renovated five-star mansion in its own secluded grounds just outside Glencoe village and with glorious views down Loch Leven is made up of seven stunning one- and two-bedroomed suites, all with gorgeous period detail and most of them the size of a small house. This is luxury accommodation, with breakfast and dinner taken in your suite’s dining room. All suites have wi-fi, while the surrounding area is a haven for wildlife, with photo safaris and seal-watching boat trips with Integrity Voyages the perfect way to spend a day. Highly recommended. Prices from £300 per suite per night, inc breakfast
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