Knockendarroch Hotel & Restaurant

This grand old house on a hill was built in 1880, then sold in 1910 for £100! It is also the birthplace of the Pitlochry Festival Theatre, the plays originally performed in the garden. These days it’s simply a lovely place to stay with views from the front that shoot across the valley to forested hills. Inside, you find original tiles in the hall, a double sitting room with two fires, a whisky bar for a wee dram, a wallpapered restaurant with views of Ben Vrackie and plenty of original contemporary art. Good paths lead up through forest and moorland for big Highland views, not a bad way to work up an appetite for some very good food, perhaps fillet of hake with chilli and lemongrass, Perthshire lamb with parsnip purée, elderflower panna cotta with pear sorbet. Bedrooms are lovely, it really doesn’t matter which you choose, though the big ones at the front do have exceptional views. You’ll find comfy beds, smart fabrics, tartan throws and padded headboards, perhaps a cushioned window seat or a sofa if there’s room. Two have balconies, most have binoculars to scan the hills. There’s a drying room for wet gear, too.