The rugged, romantic Scottish landscape takes centre stage in The Traitors, filmed at Ardross Castle, a privately owned 19th-century estate in the Scottish Baronial style. Spread across 100 acres of parkland north of Inverness along the River Alness, its imposing facade, grand staircases and turrets set the moody tone of the TV show. Since the first series aired in 2022, the show has delivered an estimated £21.8 million boost to the Scottish economy, according to the BBC’s economic impact report.
Scotland’s tourism surge
During each episode, Google searches for “Traitors Castle” and for Edinburgh or Highlands tours surge, and the show’s global reach has boosted international tourism to Scotland. The long-awaited new season of The Celebrity Traitors arrives on 1 October. To mark the occasion, the best Scottish hotels to book now range from storied castles to remote hunting lodges and loch-side retreats.
Top Scottish hotels to book
The Gleneagles Hotel in Perthshire, opened in 1924 and conceived as the “Riviera in the Highlands”, has hosted everyone from world leaders to Queen Elizabeth II and, most recently, Justin Bieber. Guests can try falconry, dine at Michelin-starred restaurants, cycle or hike scenic trails, ride horses, try off-road driving, or play golf. One review noted: “This Scottish grande dame is both the ultimate country playground and a portal to a more refined era.”
The Fife Arms in Braemar, a rumoured favourite of King Charles, is home to two Picasso paintings, a sketch by Queen Victoria, and the annual Highland Games. Part-museum, part-art gallery, the hotel offers tartan-clad walls, tweed curtains, roaring fires and plush patterned sofas. Its drinking holes include the themed Elsa Schiaparelli-inspired bar, the Flying Stag pub, and Berties Whisky Bar, while ghillie guides know the Cairngorms National Park well.
Loch-side and castle stays
Hope Lodge in Sutherland, part of the Wildland portfolio, is a historic hunting lodge turned boutique hotel. The main house and two standalone cottages sit on the shores of Loch Hope, with mountain views and quiet, coastal landscapes. Wildland pairs each design-led project with long-term rewilding and conservation projects.
Dalhousie Castle, just outside Edinburgh, is among Scotland’s oldest inhabited castles. The 35-room hotel was the former seat of the Ramsay clan, with stone walls, deep-set windows and turrets offering contemporary comforts. Norton House, set behind a stone gatehouse and surrounded by 55 acres of parkland, was built in 1840 for the Usher family of whisky and brewing fame. It is minutes from Edinburgh airport and the city centre, and offers an autumn Champagne afternoon tea and complimentary upgrade deals.
