Take afternoon tea on the terrace at this former Victorian tweed mill and you hear nothing but birdsong and the plash of the Gynack Burn that once powered the looms.

In the vast, remote, elemental landscape of Assynt, a 19th-century coaching inn overlooking Loch Glendhu has moved with the times to become a relaxed modern hotel.

Wildlife spotters are in their element at this 18th-century lodge in ‘a beautiful setting’ on the shores of Loch Sunart.

Decorated in cool Scandi-Scots style, this former crofter’s house on the shores of Loch Dunvegan is a celebrated restaurant showcasing local produce, with, across the courtyard, spacious, split-level bedrooms painted in restful shades.

In a wooded estate on Loch Torridon, this baronial-style hunting lodge appeals to sybarites and sporty types, with luxurious bedrooms, tasting menus sourced from the kitchen garden and farm, and a brasserie.

Close to Loch Shiel, this old coaching inn has hosted travellers along the Road to the Isles since the 17th century.

'In a beautiful position' on the shores of Loch Na Dal, in the lee of a wooded hill, this former hunting lodge offers 'comfortable bedrooms and public rooms and excellent food'.

A single-track road leads to this remote and intimate Skye ‘black house’, with simple, chic bedrooms, glorious views and a restaurant serving a four-course set menu of local produce.

‘Staying in the inner courtyard of a 13th-century castle was always going to be unforgettable,’ writes an inspector, on a visit to Colin Nicolson and Jessica Thompson’s restaurant-with-rooms.