Scotland
The Balmoral gets five stars from Forbes
THE 2023 Forbes Travel Guide has awarded a five-star rating to The Balmoral hotel in Edinburgh. The Balmoral became the first hotel in Scotland to receive five stars from the guide and has retained the accolade for the past three years. Forbes magazine has published its travel guide since 1958, with anonymous inspectors spending at…
Read MoreDram good time in the glen
Two powerhouses of Perthshire tourism have combined to produce a whisky tour quite unlike any other I’ve been on, writes editor Richard Bath. STRALOCH ESTATE has joined forces with Spirit of Perthshire to produce a whisky-soaked weekend that combines stellar drams with some of the most stunning scenery in Highland Perthshire. Spirit of Perthshire is…
Read MoreOutdoor breaks return on Mach a Seo
PRESENTER Ramsay MacMahon returned to the gogglebox last night with a sixth series of Mach a Seo, the BBC Alba show that features weekend breaks in Scotland. Locations starring in the new series include: the Angus coast; Ayrshire; Comrie and Crieff; Eigg; Eriskay; and Ullapool and the Coigach peninsula. “The new six-part series of Mach…
Read MoreHostelling Scotland wants diverse trustees
DIVERSITY sits at the heart of a recruitment campaign for trustees launched today by Hostelling Scotland. The charity, which runs nearly 60 hostels throughout the country, wants trustees “with skills and experience in managing operational change, charity or corporate governance, law, risk management, and youth travel and hospitality”. It said the posts are open to…
Read MoreKelso wants to be ‘Scotland’s wellbeing capital’
TOURISM body Visit Kelso wants to attract travelers interested in wellbeing to the Borders town. The group asked people who work in some of the town’s shops, cafes, restaurants, and visitor destinations to become “wellness warriors” as part of Kelso’s efforts to be recognised as “Scotland’s wellbeing capital”. The Schloss Roxburghe Hotel – which opened…
Read MoreThe Majestic Line adds motorboat to fleet
THE Majestic Line has added a motorboat to its fleet of five small ships. The Glen Rosa – which can sleep up to six people in an ensuite double cabin and two ensuite twin cabins – will join the company’s flotilla next year. The motor cruiser will sail around the Inner Hebrides – including Mull…
Read MoreScottish trio triumphs at Walpole awards
THREE Scottish brands came away with prizes last night from the Walpole British Luxury Awards. The Gleneagles Hotel was named “British Luxury Brand of the Year”, which – for the first time in the award’s history – was decided by a voting academy comprised of 250 Walpole member chief executives. The “Made in the UK…
Read MoreGlasgow’s Custom House is turned into a hotel
IRISH hotel brand Clayton has opened its first site in Scotland inside Glasgow’s Custom House. The category-A listed building on the banks of the River Clyde was built in 1840 and was later used as the procurator fiscal’s office. The old custom house has been turned into the hotel’s reception, ballroom, and events spaces, while…
Read MoreNevis Range signs Andorra snowsports deal
NEVIS Range has today unveiled a reciprocal deal with Andorra. Under the agreement, Nevis Range’s 2022-23 season pass holders will get a free day of skiing at the Pal Arinsal and Ordino Arcalís ski areas in Andorra, while season ticket holders from all Grandvalira Resorts Andorra ski areas can enjoy a free day of snowsports…
Read MoreBrace of honours for Fingal
FINGAL, the floating hotel in Leith docks, has done the double with a brace of honours. Pride of Britain Hotels named the venue as its “hotel of the year”, while the Automobile Association (AA) crowned Fingal as “one of the top 25 five-star hotels and restaurants in the UK”. Re-launched as a luxury hotel in…
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