Cringletie House

Victorian mansion-hotel in a serene rolling landscape, 30 minutes south of Edinburgh. Thirteen individually decorated accommodations come in a variety of shapes and sizes, but all offer luxurious furnishings and baths with Molton Brown toiletries. Spacious Junior Suites feature king-size beds and separate showers. Public areas are decorated in a skillful mix of old and new, and include a handsome main hall, bar-lounge, library and conservatory. Spectacular dining room with exquisite trompe l’oeil painted ceiling serves contemporary cuisine, with most produce coming from the house’s 16th-century walled garden. The region offers woodland walks, salmon and trout fishing, 21 golf courses (including Peebles and Cardrona) and innumerable historic buildings and castles, including Sir Walter Scott’s home at Abbotsford and the enigmatic Rosslyn Chapel.