Portpatrick Restaurant Guide

It’s “just a treat to stay and dine” at this 19th-century country-house hotel “in a secluded area and private bay”. It “has its formula and it works” – that formula being a vibe that’s “very Scottish baronial” plus a tasting menu that “leaves you time for conversation”, having “a manageable number of courses” (four or five) all showcasing an “emphasis on local ingredients”. Add in its impressive guestbook (Churchill and Eisenhower plotted the D-Day landings here, and it also features in Buchan’s adventure romp ‘The Thirty-Nine Steps’) and it’s “worth the extra two hours’ drive after turning off at Gretna” – though, if feeling lazy, one can also avail oneself of the helipad.