The castle
A castellated Gothic mansion designed by James Playfair, built for the 1st Viscount Melville from 1786-91 on the site of an earlier tower, hosting George IV, Sir Walter Scott and Queen Victoria; restored and reopened as a hotel in 2003, refurbished again under Original Collection in 2021.
Why stay here
20-hectare wooded estate on the River North Esk close to Edinburgh, popular for its afternoon tea and ghost tours.