Fancy Hotel w/ Hiking

Sligachan hotel.....Skye.

Are you looking for a hotel where you can walk out the door and get to trails? Or would you like a good base from which you can drive out for day trips? If the latter, then I would suggest looking into Strathpeffer. I've stayed there many times for walking holidays. Basically, the advantage is that in about 60-90 minutes you can be on the west coast, or down in the Cairngorms. It's also easy to get to Glen Affric and other areas near Loch Ness. The other advantage is that the weather can really vary from coast to coast and north to south. It's very odd for those of us who grew up with continental weather to see the variation over so very few miles! That's not to say that a big black cloud or the very bright sun can't descend over all of Scotland at once--it just doesn't happen all that often. :) So, when you stay in Strathpeffer you have the flexibility to follow the appropriate weather.

So, with that in mind, there are two hotels in Strathpeffer that come to mind. There others, but they tend to be used by big coach tours filled with pensioners. The Richmond Hotel is a hotel that I have stayed in. They are under new management, but I think the reviews are good. I liked the rooms. Although, they don't have their pub anymore which is too bad. A second option is the Ben Wyvis, which is definitely more upscale. I saw the local pipe band perform there one stormy night, and I have heard good things about it.

All that said, there is a hotel in the Trossachs that I would love to stay at someday and it's near some trails. It's the Monachyle Mhor Hotel. It's just re-opening. It is located up the glen from Balquhidder where Rob Roy was buried. It's a stunningly beautiful area and easy access to walks in the Trossachs.

And, many people know that I love Perthshire and Aberfeldy and the Dunked areas. There are lots of walks in Perthshire. In Aberfeldy, I stayed at Ailean Chraggan and really like it. This one looks good too. in Dunkeld I usually stay in a B&B, but Hilton has a nice property there. You can also day trip up to the Cairngorms from here.

Pam

We recently stayed at the Hilton property that Pam mentions , and it was lovely , Dunkeld is truly a storybook place and the trails are right outside the front door

Steven,

Did you get into town to The Taybank? Were you able to hear any music sessions?

Pam

Pam , unfortunately not . We did spend a fair amount off time walking around in the village and got some wonderful photos . A return there is certainly a must for us .

You might also enjoy these Guardian newspaper listings, though they don't all fit both bills.

http://www.theguardian.com/travel/2014/oct/29/top-10-hotels-bed-breakfast-hostels-walkers-scotland

http://www.theguardian.com/travel/2014/aug/20/-sp-top-10-scottish-castles-budget-camping-hotel

http://www.theguardian.com/travel/2013/nov/28/scottish-highlands-hideaways-holidays

Flodigarry Hotel on Skye is lovely. You can even stay in Flora's MacDonald's cottage. While it isn't a hotel, you might want to check out Tigh na Bruach which is a very luxurious B and B directly on the banks of Loch Ness. It is located between Invermorriston and Fort Augustus.