The Gleneagles Hotel

There are few places in Britain that blend old-school elegance with such effortless warmth as Gleneagles. Tucked into the rolling hills of Perthshire, this grande dame of Scottish hospitality has been welcoming guests since 1924 — from royals and golfers to weary Londoners in search of crisp air (and yes, the air really does taste different) and a slower pace. A century on, it remains a unique destination: part country playground, part five-star sanctuary and part time machine to a gentler, more gracious era.

- 

Best of all, you can take a train from King's Cross straight to Gleneagles station, which is a short journey from the hotel. The drive up the long, tree-lined approach sets the tone — the lawns immaculate, the bagpiper stationed at the entrance on certain afternoons and the grand façade rising like a stately home from another century. Yet inside, Gleneagles feels surprisingly alive. Families tumble through the revolving doors, golfers stride purposefully towards the pro shop and couples in cashmere linger over coffee in the Glendevon Lounge.

The 232 rooms and suites at Gleneagles feel tailor-made for country weekends — all tartan touches, plush fabrics and beautifully deep bathtubs designed for long soaks after long walks. Interiors are refined but never stiff: soft heathers, warm woods and windows that frame the Perthshire hills like oil paintings. It's luxury with restraint: indulgent but never showy.