Restaurants with Rooms

Scotland’s restaurants with rooms range from Michelinstarred fine-dining establishments to more traditional inns serving high-quality pub meals prepared using the best local ingredients. The ones that have picked up awards or received good press tend to be extremely popular, but an overnight booking will usually guarantee you a table for dinner. And of course there’s the added bonus of breakfast the next morning, which will usually be served either in your accommodation or in the restaurant.

Visiting a restaurant with rooms feels different to staying in a hotel. First and foremost, the food is the star of the show and the main reason to visit for most guests. They are typically smaller than a hotel, with only a handful of rooms, so you can expect a more personal level of service during your stay. The guest experience is often also carefully curated to reflect the chef’s or proprietor’s singular vision or ethos. By overseeing everything from how guests are welcomed, to the decor and, of course, the food, this experience begins the moment you set foot on the property. 

According to Matilda Ruffle, who runs Killiecrankie House with her chef husband Tom Tsappis, allowing diners to stay overnight means that instead of arriving, eating and rushing off into the night, guests have time to explore the local area, visit a distillery, take a stroll around the kitchen garden, or participate in a whisky tasting at the bar. “Each of these experiences helps set the scene for the meal you are about to eat,” Matilda explains. “It means that you are not just going out for dinner, you are heading somewhere and immersing yourself in it.”

Jason Davidson, whose parents Clive and Anne established the Champany steakhouse with rooms near Linlithgow almost 40 years ago, says that guests choosing to spend the night are treated as if they are part of the family. “We want them to enjoy the comfort of a home away from home, with fantastic food, wine and whisky,” he explains. “They can arrive early so there’s time for a bath before getting ready for dinner. Everything slows down and it makes for a truly special evening that will last longer.” 

After a challenging couple of years for the hospitality industry, most of Scotland’s restaurants with rooms are now fully operational once more and are looking forward to a busy summer as regular customers return and new ones seek out unique places to eat and stay. So, whether you’re interested in escaping to a beautifully isolated restaurant with coorie cabins on the shores of Loch Fyne, or dining by candlelight before retiring to one of Edinburgh’s most indulgent suites, why not book in for a special meal and an overnight stay to enjoy Scottish hospitality at its finest?

Inver 
inverrestaurant.co.uk 

Although its location on the shores of Loch Fyne is only about 90 minutes by car from Glasgow, Inver’s isolated setting and warm welcome make an overnight stay feel more than a little tempting. Fortunately the restaurant run by chef Pamela Brunton and co-owner Rob Latimer offers accommodation in the form of luxury bothies and shepherd’s huts that are kitted out with homely touches including hand-woven cushions, sheepskins, classic paperbacks and record players. In the dining room, Pamela serves up modern versions of traditional Scottish dishes using the best local, wild and farmed ingredients. And in the morning a picnic hamper filled with breakfast treats will be delivered to your room for you to savour while gazing out at the loch.

Killiecrankie House 
killiecrankiehouse.com 

Chef Tom Tsappis and his sommelier wife Matilda took over the iconic Killiecrankie House in the Cairngorms National Park after the sad passing of previous owner Henrietta Fergusson in 2020. Tom has devised an elaborate tasting menu featuring plenty of home-grown and locally sourced produce. Some of the imaginative courses include squid stewed in its own ink, drippingfried porridge, and Wagyu beef with green tea, onions and pickled pine. The meal can be accompanied by Matilda’s diverse drinks pairing, which includes beer, wine, sake and cocktails. For the ultimate indulgence you can stay overnight in one of five unique bedrooms, each of which features a four-poster bed and standalone roll-top bath. Overnight guests receive a gourmet breakfast as well as the option to try a guided whisky tasting.

The Bridge Inn 
bridgeinn.com 

Situated just seven miles to the west of Edinburgh, The Bridge Inn at Ratho offers quality pub food and homely accommodation overlooking the Union Canal. The restaurant holds a AA Rosette Award and chef Tyler King works with local suppliers to produce a menu that reflects the changing seasons, featuring pub classics like homemade pies or ham with Ratho Hall eggs. The wine list is top drawer and the inn sources traditional ales from local brewers. A canalside terrace provides an ideal spot for alfresco drinks, while the four double or twin rooms all look out onto the canal. The bedrooms feature ensuite bathrooms, with breakfast served in the restaurant.

The Taybank 
thetaybank.co.uk 

Local entrepreneur Fraser Potter took over The Taybank restaurant with rooms in the picturesque Perthshire village of Dunkeld just before the pandemic, transforming its tired interior into a coorie haven filled with sheepskins, Scandi-style furniture and ceramics made by local potter Ellen Macfarlane. The ground-floor bar is known for live music (it was previously owned by Caledonia composer Dougie MacLean), while the upstairs restaurant serves hearty meals including epic Sunday roasts in a bright yet cosy dining room overlooking the River Tay. A large beer garden right on the riverbank serves drinks from a bar in a converted Citroën H Van and food cooked in the outdoor kitchen. At the end of the day you can retreat to one of five stylish en-suite rooms featuring calming decor that retains many of the historic building’s original details.

The Three Chimneys 
threechimneys.co.uk 

The Three Chimneys has been serving up some of the finest food to be found on the Isle of Skye for more than three decades. The restaurant headed by chef Scott Davies is well worth the drive to the remote and picturesque hamlet of Colbost on the shores of Loch Dunvegan. Those wishing to spend the night will be accommodated in one of six luxurious bedrooms in The House Over-By – a modern extension next door to the traditional crofter’s cottage housing the restaurant. With some of Scotland’s most majestic scenery on its doorstep, a hike before dinner is highly recommended.

Champany 
champany.com 

The Champany steakhouse specialises in Aberdeen Angus beef, which is hung, butchered and grilled on the premises. Carefully chosen wines, including many from co-founder Clive Davidson’s home country of South Africa, provide the perfect accompaniment to the juicy steaks. Alongside the main restaurant is the Chop and Ale House, serving more casual dishes including burgers made by an in-house butcher. Champany also offers 16 spacious and elegantly decorated bedrooms featuring bay windows overlooking the gardens. If you’re not too full in the morning, the cooked-to-order breakfast menu includes delights such as locally smoked bacon, fresh farm eggs, and homemade Lorne sausage. 

The Peat Inn 
thepeatinn.co.uk 

The only restaurant on this list currently holding a Michelin star, The Peat Inn offers modern Scottish dining in a relaxed and stylish setting. Located near St Andrews, Fife, the restaurant headed by chef proprietor Geoffrey Smeddle elevates seasonal ingredients to the highest level. Just like the food, the decor in the Peat Inn’s dining room and its eight luxury suites is simple yet refined. For the ultimate indulgence you can purchase a package including a night in a king or twin suite with breakfast served in your room, as well as dinner from the sixcourse tasting menu. 

The Newport 
thenewportrestaurant.co.uk 

Masterchef winner Jamie Scott and his wife Kelly opened their restaurant in the village of Newport on Tay in 2016. Scott’s zero-waste approach to cooking and passion for fresh Scottish produce informs a menu that sees him reinterpret classic recipes by giving them a modern twist. Panoramic windows lining the relaxed two-storey restaurant allow diners to enjoy views of the River Tay while they feast on a four- or seven-course tasting menu. After dinner, guests can head upstairs to one of four unique bedrooms themed around countries with historic ties to Scotland. 

The Ship Inn 
shipinn.scot 

The Ship Inn offers excellent pub grub made from locally sourced ingredients in a stunning location overlooking Elie Bay. The cosy bar with its open fireplace is perfect for relaxing with a pint, while the beer garden on the sea wall is great for watching what’s going on down on the beach. In the summer this can include cricket matches involving The Ship Inn’s own eleven, which is the only pub team in Britain to play all of its fixtures on sand.  The inn was refurbished by owners Graham and Rachel Bucknall in 2017 to include six bedrooms, four of which have sea views. 

The Witchery 
thewitchery.com 

The Witchery by the Castle serves high-end cuisine in a former merchant’s house dating back to the 16th century. Dining by candlelight in the original oak-panelled Witchery is a unique experience, with head chef Douglas Roberts and his team cooking up a seasonal Scottish menu alongside classic dishes such as Omelette Arnold Bennet and Lobster Thermidor. Guests can spend the night in one of nine indulgent suites including the flamboyantly gothic Vestry or the opulent Library with its book-filled bathroom. The Witchery might not be the cheapest place to stay in the capital, but its spectacular interiors and the views across the city from some of its suites are priceless.

words // Alyn Griffiths - photography on this page // Alexander Baxter