Traditional as Burns Night and bannocks, the McMenemie family's Victorian country-house hotel in gardens leading to the shores of Loch Faskally is popular with its largely elderly clientele, who love its 'comfort, caring staff and delicious food'. Readers point out that while at first glance it resembles a European grand hotel stuck in time, if you look closer, there are modern touches, such as twin USB ports in the gilt sockets. Guests forget the scurry of modern life when they come for an 'activity' break – be it painting, cryptic crosswords, bridge, or Scottish music. Most of the bedrooms have a loch view, with some in the sympathetically designed Tower Wing and Garden Wing extension. Single rooms are available. Your dog (or, indeed, your cat) is welcome to stay in your room but should not set paw in public rooms. From about 11am, a sideboard is laid with biscuits, tea and coffee, while homemade cakes arrive in the early afternoon. Binoculars are on hand for wildlife spotters, and there are books and nooks for a quiet read or jigsaw. At dinner, dishes might include sirloin steak or guinea fowl, accompanied by an extensive wine list with 'remarkably modest drink prices'. (Stephen and Pauline Glover, Marian Lampert)