Welcome! This all-new guide is here to give you very up-to-date descriptions of Scotland's best accommodation [hotels, best guest houses, serviced apartments, select exclusive use places] with lots of big images, review summaries by researchers and judges, and a new recommendation rating system. Pink links at entries link to hotels' latest offers and availability / online booking. 

The Scottish Hotel Guide is written by The Scottish Hotel Awards team and is brand-new - although it's now about 9 years since we founded Scotland's "flagship hotel awards" scheme and event (The First Minister). The hotel awards site, which we publish and which is top-ranked by Google, has received 1,000s of votes and nominations since going live back in 2003.

We're all well-travelled yet Scotland-based, independent-minded hotel, food and tourism writers. We do this work as we expressly want to guide consumers - Scots or visitors to our country - to the most suitable and best hospitality experience for each individual. We go and stay at hotels and do so as a normal guest would, but later check out everything with thorough inspections and interviews. We're very much in-the-loop for tips, trends and news in the Scottish hotel scene.

For the hotel industry we have worked to the motto 'Encouraging, Recognising & Rewarding Excellence' in Scotland's hotels since starting the process. And now we are thrilled to have a brand-new hotel guide in which we can publish all the inside information we get while researching the national hotel awards.

Do please just drop us a quick e-mail if we can be of any help. We hope you enjoy the site - and your stay in a Scottish hotel! There's a FeedBack section at every hotel review entry page. Thanks.

The team

Gary McLean-Quin, Chairman of Judges & Editor, The Scottish Hotel Awards & Guide
Gary founded Scotland's national hotel awards in 2003 and chairs them for the 9th time in 2012. He's a qualified travel editor with a committed interest in the Scottish hospitality and hotel industry having reviewed hotels for other publications for over 25 years. Gary studied divinity and politics at Glasgow and St Andrews universities and is a Chartered Designer (1997). He comes from a farming and business background in the rural west of Scotland and writes in several leading sites and magazines about Scottish hotels, food and tourism.

Vivien Devlin, Deputy Chairman of Judges & Researcher, The Scottish Hotel Awards & Guide
Viv is deputy chairman for the 9th year of The Scottish Hotel Awards in 2012. Vivien worked as a producer for BBC Scotland for many years, which saw her travel internationally on an arts agenda. Several years ago Viv become a freelance arts and travel writer and is a Member of the prestigious British Guild of Travel Writers who contributes to a wide range of magazines and sites, specialising in luxury and independent travel experiences. Viv's partner Ken Scott is also a researcher & judge as well as being one of our best photographers.

Lea Harris, Senior Food Judge & Researcher, The Scottish Hotel Awards & Guide
Lea is one of the most passionate of all writers about the Scottish food scene. From farm to plate, she follows everything and has an outstanding knowledge of producers, outlets and chefs. She's a great cook, too. As food editor of Instant magazine for many years she gained critical insight into the restaurant scene in Scotland. Today she is a writer for guidebooks, is a judge with The Scottish Hotel Awards and reviews food-led hotels in Scotland. In 2011 Lea starts working with FoodStars.co.uk as senior food researcher as is pictured left on a deer farm!

William Gorol, Vice-Chairman - Industry, The Scottish Hotel Awards
*Text to follow in July

Scott Thornton, Judge & Researcher, The Scottish Hotel Awards & Guide
Scott has travel experience in over 40 coutries, gained as a correspondent with Reuters. He is a PR specialist, director of Hotel PR, with past experience leading PR for both VisitScotland and one of the country's leading hotel groups. Living is Glasgow Scott has a love of the west coast and is frequently on an island - somewhere. He is passionate about good food and food provenance, having eaten at some of the world's best ("and worst!") restaurants.

Harry Saluja, Judge & Researcher, The Scottish Hotel Awards & Guide 
*Text to follow in July 

Donald Thomson, Food Judge & Researcher, The Scottish Hotel Awards & Guide
*Text to follow in July

Lynda Paton, Researcher, The Scottish Hotel Awards & Guide
Lynda is a successful businesswoman based in Angus, the north-east county between Dundee and Aberdeen. She has been a judge for The Scottish Hotel Awards for many years and brings her passionate interest and academic skills, as holder of a BA in Hospitality Studies, to both the awards and guide. With an experienced eye for design and quality, Lynda looks with perception and experience for quality hospitality performance in all departments.

Colin Thomson, Spa Judge & Leisure Researcher, The Scottish Hotel Awards & Guide
*Text to follow in July

Arthur McGough, Researcher, The Scottish Hotel Awards & Guide
Arthur, at home in Glasgow's West End, has a strong design background and this interesting career brought him into close contact with members of the Royal Family for whom he provided work. Today he's a valued member of our reviewing and judging team where not only his designer's eye but warm personality and listening ear makes him a superb talent-spotter for outstanding individuals - often 'rising stars' - within the Scottish hotel industry.

*This list is being updated in July 2011

We also have the benefit of peer reviewing by a considerable number of hotel managers, chefs and sector-specific industry experts. In general this is done quietly so we cannot list names on this page but are enormously grateful to the dozen or so general managers and chefs who have carried out research and judging visits in the past 12 months for The Scottish Hotel Awards & Guide.




















Updated: July 2011
(c) Hospitality Research Organisation