06/03/2026
"The refined side of the Highlands....
This flagship of the charitable MacRobert Trust is magnificently sited on a hillside north of the Dee, complete with an infinity lawn bordered by magical gardens adorned with sitooteries (comfortable shelters for sitting “oot” in and admiring the view). These are the only RHS-endorsed hotel gardens in Scotland.
Douneside has a compelling backstory. Sir Alexander MacRobert had started out sweeping floors in Aberdeen before making it big in India. He met his second wife, an American, on the boat home in 1909 and they had three sons despite a 30-year age gap. Two of the boys died in action while serving in the RAF during the Second World War and the other died in a civil flying accident before the war. The baronet’s widow, Rachel, built up the charitable trust in their memory, originally opening the house to servicemen and their families.
These days it’s a manicured, full-service, five-star hotel with spa. Family memorabilia covers the walls, with pictures of visiting royals in the former library, which is where we sit down to a quite excellent seven-course tasting menu (£90). It starts with lamb tartare tartlets, moves through sea bass ceviche to duck with artichoke, and frankly it is as good as anything I’ve tasted anywhere in the UK, never mind along my favoured west coast."
Our sincere thanks to travel writer Andrew Eames, for staying with us during his recent visit to magnificent Royal Deeside. You can read his full thoughts in his recent article featured in
The Times.
