The Meikleour Arms

Our aim is to search out the best places to stop within 15 minutes of motorways and main roads, but occasionally a place is so special we allow our self-imposed limit a little flex – the Meikleour Arms is one such place.

Once a coaching inn in the absurdly pretty village of Meikleour, a convenient stop on the journey between Inverness and Edinburgh, the country pub has been revamped into a gorgeous boutique hotel. The style reflects the owners’ Franco-Scottish heritage, with heavy drapes and floral wallpapers against slate floors and stone walls.

Much of the food in the restaurant comes from the estate – vegetables and herbs grown pesticide-free in the walled garden, scallops collected by hand on the west coast and venison from the nearby forest. Non-drivers can also sample some quirky finds from the lesser-known vineyards of Bordeaux.

The village grew to notoriety in 1966 for its impressive Meikleour Hedge, officially the tallest and longest on earth, so take a quick look if you’re stopping here.