Charming Stays in Scotland: Hidden Gems Revealed

My best kept secret places to stay in Scotland and much more!

Earlier this week, we returned from our much-anticipated annual friends' holiday! Every year, just two weeks before Christmas, we team up with our close friends, Eddie and Amy, to escape to the breathtaking north of Scotland. Together, we rent a unique place—a house, a cottage, or sometimes something truly out of the ordinary—to immerse ourselves in the season's magic.

There’s something wonderfully thrilling about being a tourist in the country you live in. It’s convenient - duh! - and yet Scotland always manages to feel like an adventure. Sometimes, I’m struck by how easy it is to take for granted the sheer beauty of where we live. This trip served as a reminder: Scotland is pretty magical. Its dramatic landscapes, from sprawling glens to glistening lochs, rugged bothies, and majestic mountains, never fail to captivate.

This year’s retreat was no exception. Crisp winter air, frost-dusted hills, and cosy nights by the fire with good company made it unforgettable. As we explored hidden trails and took in the raw beauty of the Scottish West Coast, I couldn’t help but feel a renewed sense of gratitude for this incredible corner of the world we call home.

There’s a Scottish poet and writer named Nan Shepherd who wrote a mountain memoir about our longing for high and sacred places. I can’t help but bring it with me on every trip. Even though I might not read it cover to cover, there’s something profoundly moving about pausing to read a couple of passages from Nan’s book while overlooking the rugged sea and watching otters swim by. This quote is especially moving:

Yet often the mountain gives itself most completely when I have no destination, when I reach nowhere in particular, but have gone out merely to be with the mountain as one visits a friend with no intention but to be with him.

I’m feeling sentimental, so let’s move on! :D Still, it got me thinking—I’d love to share some of my favourite places in Scotland with you, including a few magical spots to stay. Below, I’ve compiled a wee (as the Scots say, means small) list of unique stays and must-visit locations, in no particular order.

Now, I’ll admit I’m not a "pod with a bathtub" kind of gal—unfortunately, or fortunately, depending on how you look at it! Instead, these places have a charm all their own, offering something truly special. I rarely share these hidden gems because I’ve always wanted to keep them as Scotland’s best-kept secrets. But today, I’m making an exception—what’s mine shall be yours!