Travel: Lochside Cottage, Taymouth Marina, Kenmore

Budget or boutique?

This lovingly renovated cottage and its tranquil setting offers sheer luxury.

Room service

It is classy and homely with rooms decked out with nautical and Scottish baronial flourishes: antler chandeliers; tartan soft furnishings; natural-coloured throws; sea-inspired pictures and ornaments. It is anything but twee, with flashes of modern times – a funky phonetic alphabet picture, under floor heating and that hot tub outside. There is a real log fire, dishwasher, washing machine and drier.

The loch and mountain views from virtually every room are breathtaking and the large, long dining table with plush comfy seats hosted our lazy breakfasts. The two giant sofas in the open plan living and dining area were the comfiest I’ve come across. With digi TV channels, DVDs, games, books and free wi-fi on offer it would be easy to visit and never leave this stunning cottage. The patio area outside has a huge table and chairs and a BBQ and there is a large private driveway and garden area. Then there is the all-important hot tub.

Wining and dining

The family-friendly Taymouth Marina Restaurant is seconds from the cottage. With indoor and outdoor seating overlooking the loch and hills it is a glorious spot. Open for coffee, lunches and dinner it has a laid-back feel. Though clearly very popular with locals and tourists it is laid out in a way that you don’t feel cramped. The food was lovely. My sirloin steak was perfectly medium rare and the hand-cut fries were crisp and tasty. My vegetarian friend enjoyed courgette, feta and aubergine tian with a sweet chilli sauce, which was beautifully presented and fresh. Another pal devoured his seafood platter with prawns, smoked salmon, peppered mackerel, pickled rollmops and king prawns – and ate half of my steak it was so big. Even so, he still had room for a coffee crème caramel which was close to perfection. The wine list was lengthy and well priced and we enjoyed pre- and post-dinner drinks outside.

Worth getting out of bed for

Right next door to the marina is the Crannog Centre. Showing what Iron Age life was like with a reconstructed prehistoric loch-dwelling, it is a fascinating living museum on the water.

The conservation village of Kenmore, bordered by Tay Forest Park on one side and the River Tay on the other is beautiful and compact. You can sit by the water’s edge at various spots and enjoy breathtaking views. As for walks, you can stroll peaceful tree-lined paths at Taymouth Castle Estate or, if you’re feeling more adventurous, head to Glen Lyon, dubbed one of the UK’s most beautiful glens. And for experienced walkers, Ben Lawers offers a very challenging walk with magnificent views.

There are lots of quaint small towns nearby, such as Aberfeldy and Pitlochry, with endless attractions. We headed to the award-winning artisan Highland Chocolatier in Grandtully to buy some Cocoa Dusted Velvet Truffle favoured by Michelin star chefs – they were for presents, honestly. And to The Watermill in Aberfeldy, named one of the world’s top 100 bookshops, where we had a lovely lunch and a quick look at a modern art exhibit.

Guestbook comments

Spending two hours in the hot tub looking at a picture postcard perfect Perthshire landscape was by far our highlight.

Natalie Walker

Prices start from £680 for a two-night break and from £2,310 for a week at Lochside Cottage, which sleeps six. www.taymouthmarina.com

Taymouth Marina Restaurant is open seven days, www.taymouthmarinarestaurant.co.uk, 01887830216