The Fortingall: a hotel in one of Scotland’s most beautiful glens

Nestled in one of Scotland’s most beautiful glens, and with countless opportunities for country pursuits on the doorstep, this luxury hotel is well worth a visit, says Felix Petit

Don’t miss: Estate tours taking in the rugged landscapes of Glen Lyon in the comfort of the Fortingall Land Rover or renting e-bikes to explore the local trails. High teas, whisky tastings and gourmet picnics are also on offer.

Good for: Highland charm, sporting options, enviable interiors.

The Fortingall

Tucked away at the foot of Glen Lyon stands The Fortingall hotel, in a picture-perfect village of the same name, amid fertile grazing a few hundred metres from the River Lyon. Wrought-iron, Victorian street lamps line the narrow road through the settlement, heralding the style of welcome that lies ahead. Although the hotel feels off the beaten track, it is only a two-hour drive from both Edinburgh and Inverness, and even offers helicopter transfers to convey you from the former in just 25 minutes.

Bang up to date

This 10-bedroom hotel was built by the shipping magnate, politician and philanthropist Sir Donald Currie, who bought the village in 1885 and commissioned the celebrated architect James Maclaren to design the hotel. Thoroughly renovated under the direction of new owner Charlie Ramsay, whose family owns the South Chesthill estate, and in partnership with British luxury interiors brand Anbôise, it reopened to the public last summer. Everything at The Fortingall is now top spec and bang up to date (more hot water than you can shake a loofah at) without losing any of its old-world charm.

Stepping over the threshold, one is greeted with the welcoming decor of a traditional hunting lodge and the warmth of one of the four crackling log fires that occupy the downstairs. In the hallway there are rows of Barbour wellies for those who can’t bear to unpack the car to find their boots when stopping off on the way north, and croquet mallets and picnic blankets for summer visitors. The covetably comfortable bedrooms are individually styled and populated with classic yet contemporary design touches from Anbôise. Several are also dog-friendly. Our berth for the evening is the Lyon Suite, the hotel’s signature room.

It is filled with antique hardwood furniture (including a leather-topped writing desk), cable-knit blankets, a roll-top bath and an expansive bed that delivers occupants to the land of nod with ruthless efficiency. The bathroom boasts a wonderful rainfall shower and a broad Burlington sink. Pleasingly, if you take a particular shine to anything adorning the hotel, from eye-catching Kensley amber jugs to rich merino throws, you can buy it all online from the Anbôise website.

The Fortingall sits on the 7,000-acre South Chesthill estate and offers access to a full range of premium sporting experiences, whether this be stalking stags in the summer, hinds in the depths of winter or casting a fly in hope of a salmon on one of the 11 pools of the Culdaremore stretch of the River Lyon.

Before dinner guests are encouraged down to the drawing room to enjoy a cocktail from the bespoke list, which included favourites such as an Aberfeldy Old Fashioned or a Smoky Bloody Mary. The aesthetic created by elegantly curated furnishings, well-placed taxidermy and a mixture of vintage sporting and pastoral oil paintings imparts a deep sense of contentment.

The food is spot on. Smoked trout and delicious modern takes on haggis are followed by scrumptious lamb and venison sourced from the South Chesthill estate, both of which we wolf down under the watchful gaze of a sardonic portrait of Bonnie Prince Charlie. For a less formal dining experience, the Ewe Pub at the other end of the hotel is perfect for a post-hill pint and a burger, and often hosts live music in the evenings.

The Fortingall has thought of everything, from complimentary miniatures of Aberfeldy 12 in the rooms to the 22kW Monta chargers available to those arriving by electric vehicle. After a breakfast of haddock with a poached egg we stroll 30 yards to the churchyard to see the oldest tree in Scotland: the 5,000-year-old Fortingall Yew. This hotel is rooted in the traditions of Scottish Highland hospitality. Under its new ownership it offers a fresh iteration of what guests to Perthshire need: good sporting opportunities, compelling interiors, real character and absolute comfort with a hefty dose of charm. It’s a vision that has created an instant classic.