Kimkim Trip Reviews for Scotland

Our trip to Scotland planned by Rachel exceeded our expectations and became the trip of a lifetime for us! With very little lead time, she planned a two week trip filled with wonderful experiences and excellent accommodations. We were fortunate to have excellent guides to drive us from one location to another. Their commentary and insights helped us to appreciate what we were seeing. We especially enjoyed Neil McLeod, who did a fantastic job of finding interesting sights and stops for us, and... read more

Our trip to Scotland planned by Rachel exceeded our expectations and became the trip of a lifetime for us! With very little lead time, she planned a two week trip filled with wonderful experiences and excellent accommodations. We were fortunate to have excellent guides to drive us from one location to another. Their commentary and insights helped us to appreciate what we were seeing. We especially enjoyed Neil McLeod, who did a fantastic job of finding interesting sights and stops for us, and we loved his stories! We had such a good time together and he made our trip filled with special moments.

We asked Rachel for some quiet times to sit by the fire or read, and we loved being able to do that at The Haven Guest House and Monachle Mohr. The DunstaneHouse was also memorable and in a great location.

Hotel Reviews

The Dunstane

Edinburgh

We had a comfortable room and loved the location. The food was amazing and the staff went out of their way to be friendly and provide excellent service.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

the biscuits provided, modern luxurious bathrooms

Monachyle Mhor

Lochearnhead

This is a dream come true kind of place! In a gorgeous setting. Our room was super clean and comfortable. The staff was outstanding and the food was the best we had on our trip. Don't miss staying is this unique and wonderful place.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Edinburgh Private Walking Tour

Edinburgh

This was not the ordinary walking tour! Our private guide took us to several places in the city that were off the beaten path and so interesting! She had a wonderful presentation!

Quality of Experience

Visit Inverarary Castle

Scotland

Great trip overall. Every day something new.
The good:
Edinburgh hotel
Stirling castle
Scotch tasting tours in general
Kings hotel in Glencoe was stunning
Restaurant in Portree for tasting menu was phenomenal. 40 min drive but worth it.
Guide at Bannockburn was amazing. Super knowledgeable and a good sport.
Portree northern loop drive and hikes fantastic. One of the main hikes was closed though which was disappointing
Hike near the hotel with a hiking guide was terrific and guide was... read more

Great trip overall. Every day something new.
The good:
Edinburgh hotel
Stirling castle
Scotch tasting tours in general
Kings hotel in Glencoe was stunning
Restaurant in Portree for tasting menu was phenomenal. 40 min drive but worth it.
Guide at Bannockburn was amazing. Super knowledgeable and a good sport.
Portree northern loop drive and hikes fantastic. One of the main hikes was closed though which was disappointing
Hike near the hotel with a hiking guide was terrific and guide was very good

The disappointing
Edinburgh guide was not from Edinburgh, had only lived there two years and was 15 minutes late.
Would have preferred a more well know whiskey set of tours. Ones we went to were either brand new or not single malt focused.
Staff at hotel in xxx didn't have our dinner paid for and didn't apologize or make up for it when our trip planner proved them wrong
Hotel in Portee was two star at best. Cold, small, run down.

Hotel Reviews

Eden Locke

Edinburgh

Good location. Tiny rooms. Great staff

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Atholl Palace Hotel

Pitlochry

It's run down and staff are not local

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Not friendly.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel is running down. Probably very nice 20 years ago. Feels like it's run from far away with eastern European staff

Rosedale Hotel

Portree County

Run down. Small. Cold. No heat at night...needed a plug in heater. No closet. Very hard to find a parking spot.

Authenticity & Character

Kind of a dump

Location

On Harbour but limited parking was an issue

Staff

Bar and kitchen staff very friendly. Less so front deck.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Too small to be a hotel room.

Kings House Way Inn

Glencoe

Amazing location and building and views and staff

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Moxy Hotel Edinburgh Airport

Newbridge

Only stayed there for location to airport

Authenticity & Character

Trying way too hard to be cool.

Location

Staff

Waited for 7 minutes before anybody came to front deck to check us in

Cleanliness & Comfort

Beds hard a rocks and for some reason the pillows are so big that both our necks hurt the next day

Activity Reviews

Private walking tour of Edinburgh with a top local guide

Edinburgh

She showed up late. Not from Edinburgh so it was authentic

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Exceptional Visit and Tasting at Blair Atholl Distillery

Pitlochry

Good tour although it's mostly there to produce a blend and not enough variety of single malt. Nor do they sell in duty free so we couldn't but anything.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Isle of Skye Whisky immersion at Torabhaig

Scotland

Stunning location and buildings but they are new so not sure why we even were there. Only one wiskey to try in the "tasting". Also doesn't sell in duty free

Quality of Experience

Too new. Only one to taste

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Phd level guided tour of Bannockburn

Stirling

Get Dr David if you can A PHD in archeology and super knowledgeable about Bannockburn 3 hours tour. Lots of walking. It was great.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

6 to 7 courses culinary experience at The Three Chimneys, Isle of Skye

Scotland

Awesome food. Chef tablets way to go. Book well well in advance

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Middle of nowhere and 40 minutes drive so someone has to be designated driver in the dark and rainy drive home

Private guided walk in Glencoe

Scotland

Great guide. Good hike mostly uphill but perfect if in shape but still not a hiker.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Just back home after more than 40 days walking and touring around Scotland. This trip was originally planned for 2020 but was delayed until this year due to COVID. We travelled to Inverness, Orkney, Shetland, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Isle of Skye, and Fort William. We used car hire, trains, and ferries to get around and it was great fun. What was special, was that William provided us with walking itineraries at each place we visited so we had a choice of 5 or 6 hikes of varying durations whenever... read more

Just back home after more than 40 days walking and touring around Scotland. This trip was originally planned for 2020 but was delayed until this year due to COVID. We travelled to Inverness, Orkney, Shetland, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Isle of Skye, and Fort William. We used car hire, trains, and ferries to get around and it was great fun. What was special, was that William provided us with walking itineraries at each place we visited so we had a choice of 5 or 6 hikes of varying durations whenever we stayed anywhere for a few days. It turns out that there are no bad places to hike in Scotland. We really liked the Fife Coastal Path which we walked over seven days, and hiking in the Highlands near Torridon during what felt like a gale was even more fun. William suggested a guide lead us up Ben Nevis when we were in Fort William and it was an excellent suggestion. David was exceptional and even though we experienced rain, hail, and snow on the ascent, this was the highlight of our trip. I must also mention our accommodation which was all very different from one another but uniformly excellent. The very best place we stayed at was Corbies Rest in Inverness, not so much for the facilities, which were very good, but because of the owner Eilidh Gilchrist. She is a marvel. Friendly, outgoing, and has an amazing amount of information in her head about where to and what to see.
Throughout our time in Scotland we were in contact with Stephen who works with William. There were a couple of minor glitches that came up during our trip and Stephen took care of them right away. I would recommend this company to anyone wanting to visit Scotland. They know their product!

We couldn't have been happier with our self-guided walking tour in Scotland. We were able to experience the Highlands up close and personal. As a solitude lover, I was in heaven on the long walking trails -- very few people, immense vistas, and silence except for the sound of running water. Stephen, our support team, was fabulous -- always answering questions quickly and making on-the-fly adjustments as needed. David, my guide for the hidden valley hike, was absolutely delightful. All of... read more

We couldn't have been happier with our self-guided walking tour in Scotland. We were able to experience the Highlands up close and personal. As a solitude lover, I was in heaven on the long walking trails -- very few people, immense vistas, and silence except for the sound of running water. Stephen, our support team, was fabulous -- always answering questions quickly and making on-the-fly adjustments as needed. David, my guide for the hidden valley hike, was absolutely delightful. All of the lodgings met or exceeded our expectations. We particularly liked the Kings House in the Highlands. The four-person walking tour of Edinburgh was top notch -- our guide was extremely knowledgeable, providing us with background and context that we would not have otherwise had as we enjoyed this historic city.

We started planning this trip a few years ago in 2020. When the pandemic hit we had to pause for two years. As a result the trip had to be planned again. Kate and Alex did a remarkable job both times to create a memorable experience for my mom's 80th birthday. We flew into Edinburgh and explored that city for a few days, then travelled up into the Highlands and back down into Edinburgh. The hotels and attractions they booked were exactly what we wanted. Our trip then shifted into... read more

We started planning this trip a few years ago in 2020. When the pandemic hit we had to pause for two years. As a result the trip had to be planned again. Kate and Alex did a remarkable job both times to create a memorable experience for my mom's 80th birthday. We flew into Edinburgh and explored that city for a few days, then travelled up into the Highlands and back down into Edinburgh. The hotels and attractions they booked were exactly what we wanted. Our trip then shifted into Ireland as we flew into Belfast and then drove around Ireland staying in a different place every night or two. Again, the hotels, restaurants and attractions were all booked for us, met the precise needs we had and were spaced very well.

I couldn't have built a better trip myself! They customized it for us and it fit us like a glove. There is no question that I would use KimKim again to plan a trip. They saved me so much planning time before the trip and during the trip I didn't have to worry about anything because they had given us such detailed plans. Also, we were able to reach out for support if we needed them.

Alex proactively checked in with us a few times to make sure all was going according to plan. The personal touch was so appreciated.

- Some very basic and explicit briefing notes provided by me at inception were ignored in the initial trip plan. That set the tone for what felt as an off-the-shelf standardized pre-packaged trip planning experience.
- In general the quality of the guest houses was below par. I do not require luxury, just professionalism. As an example in the Edinburgh hotel No32 I was "welcomed" by a lady that had a hard time finding my reservation, which was one of the 2 paper slips she held in her hand.... read more

- Some very basic and explicit briefing notes provided by me at inception were ignored in the initial trip plan. That set the tone for what felt as an off-the-shelf standardized pre-packaged trip planning experience.
- In general the quality of the guest houses was below par. I do not require luxury, just professionalism. As an example in the Edinburgh hotel No32 I was "welcomed" by a lady that had a hard time finding my reservation, which was one of the 2 paper slips she held in her hand. During check-in there was a young lad that just stood up close to us watching the process unfold while avoiding eye contact. Clearly, it was someone ostensively providing some sort of personal protection to the lady. It was the first time I was treated as a potential threat in the hospitality industry. The lady was not able to answer some basic questions as "the manager was not there". She asked me to ask someone else the following day.
- My concerns around being able to complete the hikes were brushed off with a picture of general guidance material spread over a table and a photo of stephen and a colleague smiling in the hike.
- I was only provided with the actual hiking guidance material in paper format (?) once I arrived in the hotel. After examining the material my concerns about my ability to do the hike increased materially. These concerns coupled with very bad weather motivated me to forego the hike in the first day. I tried to do the hike on the second day but gave up on the first 10% of the itinerary as I did not feel I was fit or skilled enough to complete a 7-hour hike.
- No one asked me how many pieces of luggage I was carying and I was provided with only one luggage tag for the baggage transfer that was supposed to happen during the hike. I was not given a timely solution for the problem and decided to take one of my carry-ons with me along the hike, which certainly also contributed to cut it short;
- Last but not least, I was provided with incomplete transportation information and vouchers for the loch ness cruise. I raised the issue with High point Holidays but they do not work or answer messages during weekends, which left me to my own devices to re-work the transportation plan for the activity. When finally I received a message from them on Monday, they completed ignored the issue and wished me a good time in edinburgh as if nothing had happened.

Despite a very short notice we managed to organise our tour to Scotland in the best conditions. Rachel has been very helpful and professional. Thank you! read more

Despite a very short notice we managed to organise our tour to Scotland in the best conditions. Rachel has been very helpful and professional. Thank you!

Hotel Reviews

Beadnell Towers

Chathill

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Marmalade Hotel

Portree

Staff rude and not respectful of the clients.

Authenticity & Character

Impersonal. It could be in any city in the world. Skye deserves better.

Location

Staff

Service is rude and absolutely non professional. I have been called after 10 PM when sleeping for asking me what time I wanted to have breakfast. Staff is not trained and disfunctional.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Dream Variations

Edinburgh

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

The owner is very kind

Cleanliness & Comfort

Kingsmills Hotel

Inverness

Very nice restaurant and food

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel du Vin

Glasgow

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Fonab Castle

Pitlochry

Good hotel but the service at the breakfast was disfunctional and not very professional.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Cameron House

Alexandria

Wonderful location but a little artificial.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Sightseeing Hop On, Hop Off Bus Tour

Edinburgh

Portree Boat Trip

Isle of Skye

Amazing

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Alnwick Castle

Alnwick

Edinburgh Castle

Edinburgh

The Potter Trail Tour

Edinburgh

Visit Scone Palace

Scotland

Sheep Dog Demonstration

Inverness

Very interesting for kids and adults

Loch Ness Boat Cruise

Inverness

We had the best trip to London, Northern Scotland, and Ireland! Kimkim connected us to William and Stephen who created an itinerary for us. They listened closely and added well-coordinated experiences around our interests. We combined: time in London, hiking in Northern Scotland, visiting Isle of Skye, and spending time in the South East coast of Ireland. We worked closely with Stephen, and he was knowledgeable and created a great trip for us. We loved taking the overnight train from... read more

We had the best trip to London, Northern Scotland, and Ireland! Kimkim connected us to William and Stephen who created an itinerary for us. They listened closely and added well-coordinated experiences around our interests. We combined: time in London, hiking in Northern Scotland, visiting Isle of Skye, and spending time in the South East coast of Ireland. We worked closely with Stephen, and he was knowledgeable and created a great trip for us. We loved taking the overnight train from London to N Scotland! We loved our accommodations in Isle of Skye! Every one of the drivers that was part of the trip was also a tour guide, and taught us so much about the areas we visited. Stephen suggested the West Highlands Way for hiking which was perfect! We also really enjoyed where we stayed in Wicklow, and then a swim rise in Greystones. We appreciated communicating with Stephen throughout the trip . They made it super easy: air flights, trains, accommodations, bag transfers. I think Kimkim, William, and Stephen did a great job. We are extremely pleased!

Our trip was the trip of a lifetime! After our long day of flying we were met at hotel du vin by the unbelievable staff! Ben actually parked our car in their disabled parking for us so that my mom wouldn’t have to walk back and forth from the qpark. He was an exceptional human and I hope to pass on his kindness!
Our driver guides, Stuart for Edinburgh and Ian for The Isle of Skye were nothing short of amazing! They were so kind and knowledgeable and generally good people. I highly recommend... read more

Our trip was the trip of a lifetime! After our long day of flying we were met at hotel du vin by the unbelievable staff! Ben actually parked our car in their disabled parking for us so that my mom wouldn’t have to walk back and forth from the qpark. He was an exceptional human and I hope to pass on his kindness!
Our driver guides, Stuart for Edinburgh and Ian for The Isle of Skye were nothing short of amazing! They were so kind and knowledgeable and generally good people. I highly recommend them both for anyone wishing for a guided tour of the area! Stuart took us to Blackness Castle, where part of Outlander was filmed and Ian went off of his way to take us to Skye Skyns. It was the best!
Driving through Edinburgh was a bit rough just due to the unbelievable amount of people and traffic, but eventually we got the hang of it!
Owen was wonderful during this entire process and really planned a trip tailored to us! He even had a Scottish history book sent to our hotel! It was a wonderful heartfelt surprise!
I will absolutely use Owen and KimKim for all trips we plan in the future!

Absolutely one of the best family vacations we have had. Extremely organized and excellent communication before and during the entire trip. We will absolutely use Kim Kim for our next adventure. read more

Absolutely one of the best family vacations we have had. Extremely organized and excellent communication before and during the entire trip. We will absolutely use Kim Kim for our next adventure.

Our trip to Scotland in April 2022 was certainly very well organized. The people scheduled to pick us up from the airport, along with the guides and chauffeurs were timely in their pick up and drop off each day we were there. Our guide Keith was very knowledgeable and prompt and dressed each day in a kilt which added to the flair of the trip!
The walking tour guide in the cities of Edinburg (Jenny) and our city guide in Glasgow ( Caron) were both excellent. We especially liked our... read more

Our trip to Scotland in April 2022 was certainly very well organized. The people scheduled to pick us up from the airport, along with the guides and chauffeurs were timely in their pick up and drop off each day we were there. Our guide Keith was very knowledgeable and prompt and dressed each day in a kilt which added to the flair of the trip!
The walking tour guide in the cities of Edinburg (Jenny) and our city guide in Glasgow ( Caron) were both excellent. We especially liked our guide Ruari in Aviemore who was patient, polite and extremely knowledgeable about the wild life of Scotland.
Inverness is hands down the prettiest place to see. You will not want to miss that city!

Our hotels were all bed and breakfast places that were well sought out, very comfortable and in upscale neighborhoods. We did have one hiccup upon arrival in our hotel in Edinburgh. The check-in clerk told us we had to pay for the hotel before handing us our keys. A quick phone call to the travel agency and our dilemma was handled expeditiously.

If I had one complaint, it would be that our schedule was a little too hectic. We packed in way too many tours, sightseeing, and buzzing around to get to as many places as possible. I did feel we were just driving around too much get from point A to point B . We never got to linger in any one city long enough to absorb the culture, local cuisine, shopping , arts & crafts and street performers.

Maybe, if you plan a trip like ours take at least 1 day in each city to sit at a small cafe with a coffee. Stroll down the cobble streets, take in the sights and sounds and just talk to the local people. Scotland is extremely scenic and picturesque!

Overall we were extremely pleased with our travel arrangements and would highly recommend you using this agency for your future trip to Scotland.

Hotel Review

Hapimag Resort Edinburgh

Edinburgh

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Private walking tour of Edinburgh with a top local guide

Edinburgh

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We had the trip of a lifetime with the help of William and Stephen. They tailored the trip to the things we liked and took out all the stress of planning the trip. We particularly liked all of our tours, the wildlife tour, riding bikes in Callander, and the tour of islands in Oban. All of our guides were knowledgeable and kind. There was not one activity we did not love, and the team checked in to make sure things were going smoothly. The accommodations were also amazing. Our favorites... read more

We had the trip of a lifetime with the help of William and Stephen. They tailored the trip to the things we liked and took out all the stress of planning the trip. We particularly liked all of our tours, the wildlife tour, riding bikes in Callander, and the tour of islands in Oban. All of our guides were knowledgeable and kind. There was not one activity we did not love, and the team checked in to make sure things were going smoothly. The accommodations were also amazing. Our favorites were the Dunstane Houses and Hotel du Vin. We miss Scotland already and are already thinking about when we can come back- and we know we will use KimKim again!

Hotel Review

The Dunstane

Edinburgh

The place to stay in Edinburgh. An old house that was updated but kept the integrity of the house. You feel transported.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Slightly farther from town center for those that can not walk long distances

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Electric Mountain Bike Hire in Callander

Callander

Incredible views you can take in at your own pace. Very little energy expenditure with E-bikes but a large reward with epic views as you ride through the woods.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We had a fantastic 12-day trip touring Scotland. William and Stephen at High Point Holidays were very helpful throughout the process. Early on in planning, they worked through several iterations of our itinerary making sure if fit our needs. When it came to the trip itself, we had some travel challenges, including a cancelled flight that delayed our trip by a full day, and a positive COVID test making us unable to travel back on the date intended at the end of the trip. William and Stephen... read more

We had a fantastic 12-day trip touring Scotland. William and Stephen at High Point Holidays were very helpful throughout the process. Early on in planning, they worked through several iterations of our itinerary making sure if fit our needs. When it came to the trip itself, we had some travel challenges, including a cancelled flight that delayed our trip by a full day, and a positive COVID test making us unable to travel back on the date intended at the end of the trip. William and Stephen worked extra time to rebook transfers, hotels, tours, etc., to help us adjust to these challenges. Their support was so valuable, especially in this time when travel is riskier than in the past.

The trip itself was spectacular. We were mostly in the highlands. Some of our favorite parts:
-The PhD level tour of Bannockburn with Dr. Cook. This gave us a fantastic historical foundation at the outset of our trip. We had four hours with Dr. Cook to explore the battlefield and ask a wide array of historical and cultural questions about Scotland
-The West Highland Way. We loved doing the West Highland walks - we felt this was a great way to get immersed in the nature of the highlands. All details of the walk and the logistics of securing lunch, etc., were made very clear to us making it easy and fun for us to do.
-Kinloch Lodge on Isle of Skye. This was our splurge hotel of the trip, and it was well worth it. The food was fantastic, the service was unbeatable. This was a part of our trip we will never forget.

We felt like the selection of all the hotels was on point, and the details of the trip were put together well. We always had enough time to get from place to place, and there was a wealth of information and detail shared with us to navigate the trip as we toured.

Thank you William and Stephen - we appreciate you!

Hotel Reviews

Bridge of Orchy Hotel

Bridge of Orchy

This was our first hotel, and it was one of our favorites, second only to the Kinloch Lodge in Skye, which is much much more expensive. The hotel has an old inn and some modern buildings that also have rooms. The rooms were very modern, clean, welcoming. The food at the restaurant was some of the best we had on our trip. Very easy access to the West Highland way trail - it is right along the path.

Authenticity & Character

The food at the restaurant, the proximity to the trail, the wonderful views

Location

Right next to the trail

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Room was very clean, efficient use of space, bright

Nevis Bank Inn

Fort William

This hotel was clean and the staff was friendly, but there was nothing special about it. It felt very bland, and in a town like Fort William, it seems like there would be a better option for a similar price. The restaurant was not very good, and there was little character. However, as mentioned, it was comfortable and clean.

Authenticity & Character

Location

It was a bit of a walk to the center of town, positioned on one of the main roads.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The bed was comfortable

Kinloch Lodge

Isle of Skye

The hotel is pricy, but it is totally worth it. This was one of the highlights of our trip. The hotel itself was gorgeous, with wonderful views and very comfortable drawing rooms where you could read, play chess, have a drink, generally relax. There were some small walks you could do from the property which we enjoyed as well. Our room had a fantastic view, and the bed was very comfortable. The service was impeccable. We had dinners at the restaurant, which is also pricey, but well worth it for the food and overall experience. As we spend more days on Skye after our stay at Kinloch, we heard of locals that would come to this restaurant for special occasions (birthdays, anniversaries, etc). There are not many customers staying at the hotel, which gives is a relatively private feel, but you still have the energy of other guests around you and with whom you can socialize.

Tips for future travelers

Book the hotel restaurant ahead of time - there aren't many other options nearby, and it is well worth it. We typically like to explore local restaurants, but Skye doesn't have a ton of options so go with the on-site option this time.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Some of the best service I've ever experienced

Cleanliness & Comfort

Cairngorm Hotel

Aviemore

The staff was very friendly, and there was a bustling restaurant and bar downstairs that had a great energy. The food was pretty good, nothing exceptional, but decent. The room itself was the same - pretty good, nothing exceptional. The view out our window was of a roof with some trash on it so not ideal. However, it does seem like this hotel is likely one of the better options in Aviemore, and we enjoyed our stay.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Tailrace Inn

Kinlochleven

The Inn has a wonderful tavern below, which we enjoyed after a long day's walk on the West Highland Way. The staff were very friendly, and the vibe at this place was really great. Four stars because the bed was not so comfortable, so we didn't sleep that well here. However, overall we enjoyed the experience here. It is definitely a more rustic Inn, which did not bother us. There is another hotel in town called Macdonald Hotel which had a restaurant with a great view that I may have preferred to stay at, but my husband doesn't agree so there you go :)

Tips for future travelers

If you're cool with eating pub food, this one is as good as any other. If you'd like dinner with a view, reserve Macdonald Hotel ahead of time. Can't speak to the food, as it was booked when we tried to go there, but the view of the Loch is exceptional.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Six Brunton Place Bed and Breakfast

Edinburgh

Wonderful room, very beautiful and comfortable. And very helpful staff. Central location in Edinburgh, walkable to the main sites. My husband unfortunately learned he was positive for COVID during our stay at this hotel, and the woman working at the hotel was very understanding and helped us figure out how to get dinner/breakfast and let us check out an hour late as we figured out our self-isolation plan.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Cuillin Hills Hotel

Portree

The view from this hotel alone makes it worth a stay. The restaurant was also very good - we ate in the restaurant one night, and ordered room service the other. Both were very good. The restaurant has fantastic views of the Cuillin Hills. The room itself was pretty cookie-cutter, but very comfortable.

Tips for future travelers

Recommend at least one night at the hotel restaurant to enjoy the view.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Kings House Way Inn

Glencoe

Great hotel - really fun to finish the day on the West Highland way and end up at this isolated hotel seemingly in the middle of nowhere in the Glencoe Valley. Great views. The restaurant was just okay.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Phd level guided tour of Bannockburn

Stirling

Dr. Cook led us around Sterling and Bannockburn for four hours telling us the history of the Battle as well as answering any and all questions about Scottish history and culture. He was extremely knowledgeable. As a bonus, the walk was beautiful, we really got to explore those two towns.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

First day on the West Highland Way

Glen Coe

We thoroughly enjoyed the two days we did the West Highland way. Clear walking notes, and such a great way to immerse in the beauty of Scotland.

Quality of Experience

Transport

Bag transfer was seamless

Salmon and Sea Trout fishing on the Snizort River with a ghillie (fishing expert)

Scotland

Danny was very knowledgeable and a great teacher. I have almost zero fly fishing experience, and my husband very little, and he did a great job teaching us the foundations. We didn't catch any fish, but what can you do. Location was great, right next to the Old Man of Storr

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Cairngorms National Park Wildlife tour with a specialist

Scotland

Safari Steve was a hoot. We didn't really know what to expect with this tour, but we knew we wanted to get out and explore the park. Steve took us to some beautiful, off the beaten path spots that would have been difficult to find on our own. He helped us see and learn about the birds and other wildlife in the area as well. We saw a pair of Osprey in their nests, some red grouse, and many other things. The Walkers shortbread and coffee was a nice touch!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Isle of Skye Whisky immersion at Torabhaig

Scotland

We enjoyed learning about the process of distilling. The tour was good, and the whiskey was good. It did not absolutely blow us away. I think we would have liked to go to the older distillery on the island more (Talisker), but it is also not as conveniently located. Overall we enjoyed the tour and it fit into our itinerary well.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Invigorating full body massage in Skye

Scotland

Very relaxing and welcome after several days of long hikes. The massage therapist was very friendly and did a good job. She was a bit too chatty at the beginning, but quieted down after a bit. It generally felt very good, but there were a few times when she would use a roller directly on the spine which didn't feel great. However, overall, we thoroughly enjoyed the experience and it added to our relaxation at Kinloch Lodge.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Skyeskyns Tannery visit

Scotland

It was fascinating learning about the tannery trade, and it also helped us get context for sheep farming in Scotland and the UK. The tour itself was really great. We did end up buying some awesome sheep skin slippers. There was less merchandise from the actual tannery than we were expecting. The location of the tannery was beautiful and worth the trip to see on its own. We also appreciated the eco-friendly practices that the tannery uses.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

18 holes at a Championship Course in the Spey Valley

Aviemore

My husband really enjoyed his round of golf. There was almost no one on the course, and the scenery was beautiful.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The trip was kind of a cluster because of the COVID regulations, but some of the restaurants or destinations were closed on the day we were scheduled to see them. Our rental was a nightmare, we didn't fit in the cars and the car seat was unavailable, so we had to use a different one that was not functional that we had to makeshift into working. The tour guide/driver was just a driver. He didn't know the schedule and asked us where we were supposed to be going and seemed confused with the... read more

The trip was kind of a cluster because of the COVID regulations, but some of the restaurants or destinations were closed on the day we were scheduled to see them. Our rental was a nightmare, we didn't fit in the cars and the car seat was unavailable, so we had to use a different one that was not functional that we had to makeshift into working. The tour guide/driver was just a driver. He didn't know the schedule and asked us where we were supposed to be going and seemed confused with the whole thing. He also didn't provide any information on any of the places. It was just quite odd. Otherwise, it went smoothly. Though I would suggest, if possible, Kim Kim add some sort of background audio that you could listen to on your way to the next destination so you get the background before you get there.