NO. TEN GUESTHOUSE ★★

"We had a fantastic stay at Number 10 Guest House and would highly recommend it to anyone looking for a comfortable and stylish place to stay. The self-check-in on arrival was quick and easy, making the whole process completely hassle-free. Our room was very spacious, beautifully decorated with modern touches while still retaining the charm and character of a traditional house. All of the furniture and amenities were of a very high standard. A particularly nice touch was the steamer provided in the room instead of the usual iron and ironing board — a simple but very useful addition. The bathroom was also excellent: large, modern and well equipped, with a lovely walk-in shower and everything you could need. The continental breakfast was fabulous. There was a great selection of fresh fruit, cereals and pastries, all beautifully laid out. Although breakfast was self-service, everything was presented really well and there was plenty of choice. Overall, we were extremely impressed with Number 10 Guest House. The attention to detail, quality of the accommodation and excellent breakfast made for a very enjoyable stay. We would highly recommend Number 10 Guest House and would happily stay here again!"

The Glenmorangie House ★★★

"This country house is set on beautiful grounds and was completely redone recently with an eclectic but luxurious style that reflects some of the branding of Glenmorangie whiskey. I suspect that LVMH manages this property as a kind of flagship for the whiskey brand rather than as a standalone hotel. And they do it well. We were a little hesitant about the "country house party" concept with communal dining, but it worked wonderfully. We were there for three nights and really enjoyed the opportunity to spend evenings with the other guests, who hailed from five countries. Our hosts, Charlotte and Amy, were very engaging and worked long days to make our stay comfortable. They checked us in, helped arrange activities, served cocktails, served dinner, led us through whiskey tastings, and joined us in the living room after dinner. Their warm and informal hospitality really made it feel like we were at a friend's home rather than a hotel. The four course dinners and wine pairings were creative and among our best meals in Scotland. We stayed in a couple of "cottages" just across the newly re-landscaped courtyard in the back of the house. These were comfortable with a bedroom and small sitting room. It was a short but sometime wet walk to the main house, but there was a room at the rear entrance literally full of boots, rain jackets, and umbrellas available for guest use. There is a lot to do in the area. In addition to castle and distillery tours, there are many outdoor activities. We worked with Kurt at Connell Outdoor Pursuits and Phil and the Highland Shooting Centre for archery and clay shooting. Both were great to spend time with and would make it easy to set up hunting or fishing as well."

The Royal Hotel Tain ★★★

Shore Hotel

"Went with family for a meal. Location and interior Nice view over small harbour, no issues with parking . Neat, tidy and clean inside which you'd expect from a new place. Acoustics not great when lots of people probably due to too many hard surfaces. Not easy to converse up and down a table Service : Needs improving, had to ask to order drinks and also for a jug of water. Nobody came to check if we were OK mid meal. Food Menu a bit limited, quite meat based with a couple of veggie options. Was surprised by limited seafood items (fish and chips) although oddly you could have half a lobster as a side with you steak even though it's not a distinct item on the menu plus the day we were there no specials - can't comment if this is usual. Quality of starters was good but mains less so as meat in pie wasn't edible and I think there had been complaints by other diners nd it was taken off bill. Pricing was acceptable Overall I'd give it another go but they do need to sort a few pretty fundamental ssues out"

Stunning Highland Retreat in Peaceful Glen Near Dornoch Golf Courses and NC 500 ★★★

Mansfield Castle Hotel ★★★★

"A lovely little castle hotel a bit off the beaten path (which is not a problem, because you need a rental car to get around, anyway). Friendly and very helpful staff. Great evening restaurant!!! Breakfast was okay. And there‘s a cute three-legged hotel cat. The bar didn‘t have any cocktails and the TV was on too loud, but they had several types of Whisky. So, there‘s that. ;) We enjoyed our stay very much."

Springfield Guest House ★★★

"Spent a night in a lovely comfortable bed with decent breakfast in morning. Main downside was a very poor electric shower with low water pressure and erratic temperature control. Some of the other fixtures and fittings need attention as well - TV sound distorted, bathroom extractor fan doesn't work properly, bathroom mirror appeared to have a built-in light but it didn't work or wasn't connected up. This was the ground floor room at the front. Was also surprised to see in the online listing that the place has a tennis court and a billiards room, perhaps it does but I didn't see info in the room about where they were."

Morangie Hotel Tain ★★★

"Great location, and the room was well-equipped. The decor was traditional and the food was good."

Bayview Cottage Portmahomack - Lovely Highland Cottage, Wonderful Coastal Views ★★★