Ballathie House Hotel

About Ballathie House Hotel

Ballathie House stands above its own bank of the River Tay near Kinclaven, about twelve miles north of Perth, and has the turrets, crow-stepped gables and baronial scale typical of a nineteenth-century Perthshire country house. It has been in the same family's hands as a hotel for decades, and the interiors keep the original character - fine plasterwork ceilings, a sweeping staircase and log fires in the public rooms - without feeling like a museum piece.

Bedrooms in the main house are traditionally furnished with antiques and good fabrics, several with views down to the river; a separate riverside wing offers more contemporary rooms closer to the water, popular with anglers who want to be near the beat first thing in the morning. The hotel holds its own salmon fishing rights on the Tay, one of Scotland's premier salmon rivers, and can arrange rods and ghillies for guests.

The restaurant has a strong reputation built on Scottish produce, much of it from the estate and the surrounding area, with game in season and fish from the river and nearby coast. The gardens are formal and well kept, running down towards the water, and the grounds are good for a quiet walk regardless of the weather.

It suits couples looking for a country escape and anglers drawn by the fishing, and works well as a quieter alternative to staying in Perth itself for anyone touring Highland Perthshire or Royal Deeside beyond.