Commissioned by the Caledonian Railway Company and opened in 1924 to designs by Matthew Adam, the sandstone palace set against the Ochil Hills in Perthshire represents one of the great acts of Edwardian-era confidence in Scottish hospitality — a building conceived to arrive at by train and to feel, once inside, like a private estate of considerable standing. Gleneagles Hotel carries that ambition through 232 rooms spread across its five floors of dressed golden stone, mansard rooflines, and formally clipped grounds, the approach drive flanked by topiary yew and seasonal bedding in a composition that has changed remarkably little in a century. The interiors seen here reflect the property's phased renovation under the direction of Ennismore and designers working across different room categories — one bedroom deploys a darker masculine palette of ebonised four-poster frames, leather upholstery, brass lantern pendants, and plaster panel detailing in deep grey-green, while another shifts entirely to soft silver, pale blue, and weathered oak, with a Gustavian-inflected four-poster and an antique chandelier of wrought iron and linen shades. The bar and lounge, with its curved leather banquette and parquet floor, frames the King's Course through floor-to-ceiling glazing in a gesture that makes the Ochil Hills as much a design element as any piece of furniture. Jack Nicklaus's PGA Centenary Course, host to the 2014 Ryder Cup, extends the estate's identity far beyond architecture into landscape itself.

1hr drive from both Edinburgh airport (EDI) and Glasgow airport (GLA)

When Gleneagles first opened its doors in 1924, this magnificent countryside estate in the heart of Scotland was described as a "riviera in the Highlands". Today, as a member of the Leading Hotels of the World, Gleneagles continues to offer an unrivalled array of attractions, including luxury hotel accommodation, a range of bespoke suites, three championship golf courses, an award-winning spa, and Restaurant Andrew Fairlie, the only restaurant in Scotland to hold two Michelin stars.