From a beachside bothy to a Highland bunkhouse and lochside inn, Scotland's bonniest boltholes offer unforgettable escapes. The sturdy stone bothy on the Ben Damph estate, with its cherry-red tin roof, sits on a 5,868-hectare family-owned estate near Loch Torridon. Built from the ruins of an old black house, it has two rooms sleeping four, log burners, and furniture made from estate timber. There is no electricity, but running water and a gas-powered hot shower are available, with a compost loo in the garden. Prices start from £342.50 for two nights.
On the banks of the River Spey in Aviemore, the Old Bridge Inn is a gastropub with hip hostel rooms. It features a roaring fire, folk music sessions, and a riverside beer garden. The bunkhouse has seven en suite rooms and dorms, with a kitchen available. Dorm beds start from £30, doubles from £85. For outdoor enthusiasts, Glen Coe's Kingshouse hotel and bunkhouse offers panoramic views of the valley. The smart wooden hostel with a charcoal-grey tin roof is popular with Munro-baggers and hikers on the West Highland Way. Bunks start from £44.
On the car-free Hebridean island of Ulva, Bearnus bothy is an off-grid cottage perched above a beach. It has a tin bath heated by a wood-burning stove, games, and novels. Sleeps two, from £121 for two nights. The Stein Inn on Skye's Waternish peninsula, dating from 1790, offers five rooms with sea views. Fresh langoustine, lobster, and crab are landed nearby. B&B from about £80. Finally, the eco-friendly Loch Ossian hostel on Rannoch Moor is powered by wind and solar. It offers comfortable accommodation in a remote wilderness setting.
