Details
Day One
Your honeymoon starts in Edinburgh, Scotland’s capital and one of Europe’s top city holiday destinations. Visitors from all over the world are drawn here by the wealth of historic sites, galleries, museums, shops, restaurants and bars – not to mention the spectacular sight of Princes Street Gardens and the castle rock. Yet it’s still perfectly possible to avoid the crowds and find quiet cobbled streets, peaceful cafes and, above all, to simply soak up the ambience of this most scenic of cities. With our personal knowledge we are ideally placed to give you plenty of suggestions, including the more unusual, off the beaten-track, hidden gems that only a local would know.
Your Hotel in Edinburgh
Set on the corner of the Royal Mile, just a few minutes’ walk from the castle, your hotel in Edinburgh is a five-star gem we never tire of visiting. Stepping off the street in to the dazzling reception area, you’re greeted by friendly, attentive staff ready to see to your every need.
Each of the handsomely appointed rooms is individually styled, the task given to some of Scotland’s top interior designers, and whose touch is plain to see throughout the accommodation. Handmade soft furnishings, luxurious bedding and sumptuous bathrooms make your room a rare joy to return to after a long day on the cobbled streets of the capital city, and many enjoy views of Arthur’s Seat through vast picture windows. Downstairs, the subterranean, sky-lit restaurant is abuzz from breakfast until dinner, serving the very best local and seasonal produce and, at breakfast, even honey from the hotel’s very own bees.
The popular and lively bar features more superbly styled décor and a quite staggering array of gins – treat yourself to one of many tempting cocktails as you plan your evening out.
Day Three – to Loch Ness
Your route today brings you through the heart of the Highlands past the Cairngorm National Park and on to the shores of Loch Ness, the most famous loch in Scotland.
Your Hotel
This privately owned and personally managed small luxury hotel has a beautiful setting overlooking the famous and evocative Loch Ness. The design blends the traditional with the contemporary and takes its inspiration from the natural environment of the Highlands. Each bedroom is individually styled and most have spectacular views across the loch to the hills beyond. The theme continues into the drawing rooms and dining room where understated elegance and antique furniture is punctuated with more contemporary style and artwork. The steeply sloping grounds of the Lodge have been skillfully landscaped into beautiful gardens with a small bridge across the pond, a feature which is attracts a variety of wildlife. The perfect spot for a late afternoon drink.
What to see and do
You are perfectly placed to explore the myths and legends of the most atmospheric loch in Scotland – perhaps taking a boat trip from the nearby jetty, or visiting Castle Urquhart. Inverness, capital of the Highlands, is a short drive away, as are the distilleries of Speyside and the beaches of the Moray Coast. You might simply choose to relax and soak up the scenery, or use the hotel’s spa facilities.
Day Five – A Private Island in Argyll
Your journey now brings you to the west coast of Argyll, your rather unique island destination.
Your Hotel
What could be more romantic than staying on your own private island? Cross the rickety bridge from the west coast mainland to this idyllic hideaway and you enter a different world – a world of luxury, seclusion – and not a little eccentricity! You’ll discover intriguing contrasts and pleasant surprises at every turn.
The castle-style hotel sits proudly as the centrepiece of the sprawling estate, with an atmosphere of intimacy and informality belying its five-star status. If the weather is a little inclement, there’s nowhere cosier to relax and enjoy afternoon tea or your favourite tipple by the fireplace in the wood-panelled lounge. On bright days, take time to explore the island – you’re free to roam. What really makes this place special is the child-like pleasure of wandering along secret woodland pathways, past lichen-covered trees and discovering rocky coves where you’re unlikely to meet another soul save for a few playful otters or seals swimming out to sea.
At the end of a busy day of joy and relaxation, unwind further in the acclaimed restaurant where the head chef creates a daily-changing menu boasting much local produce: salads, herbs and vegetables from the kitchen garden, fish and seafood from surrounding waters and meat and game from nearby estates. Whatever you do, leave room for some cheese from the famous farmhouse trolley, which simply must be seen to be believed.
What to see and do
Your stay includes free use of the golf course and driving range, gym, sauna, steam-room and swimming pool. Massage and beauty treatments are available subject to an extra charge – just let us know and we can pre-book these for you. If you want to venture further afield, the bustling harbour town of Oban, gateway to the islands, is less than half an hour away, with easy day trips possible to Mull and Iona, amongst others.
You are also perfectly located to visit a number of garden, including Kinlochlaich House, with its nursery, Ardchattan Priory and Barguillean Angus Garden, or a little further south the National Trust garden of Arduaine. There are also numerous castles to visit nearby, including Dunstaffnage, as well as the infamous, and quite stunning valley of Glencoe.
Day Seven
Today you return to Edinburgh or Glasgow with the chance to enjoy some more classic roads as you cross the West Highlands.
Pricing
£1150 per person for February & November, £1200 per person for March, £1260 for April & October, £1325 for May & September, £1355 for June & July, £1455 for August.
Prices are for 6 nights in 5 star hotels on a bed & breakfast basis. A bottle of chilled champagne will await your arrival in Edinburgh.
For that extra special touch, room upgrades are available at all hotels from around £30 per person per night.
Before your departure, you will receive personalised holiday information including full directions, recommended routes, and suggestions on places to visit depending on your interests and our local knowledge to ensure you get the most from your honeymoon.
All holidays and room types are presented subject to availability at specific hotels.
