12 of the best family-friendly hotels in Scotland

If you're looking for family lodges & spa hotel on Arran, then an island holiday is the perfect family adventure.

Take the Calmac ferry over to Arran and get away from it all at the Auchrannie Resort where you can choose between the child-friendly spa hotel and self-catering luxury family lodges. Dogs are welcome too, so everyone can join in the fun!

At the hotel, there’s a choice of two pools with spa treatments available, a gym and games room, a Playbarn for the kids, as well as a selection of delicious restaurants.

The island might seem small, but there are endless opportunities for explorers on west coast of Scotland holidays. Head to Brodick Castle, Garden & Country Park, explore miles of beaches, or enjoy 4×4 tours with Mogabout Safaris.

At Gretna Green, there are three family-friendly hotels to choose from: Gretna Hall Hotel, Smith’s at Gretna Green Hotel, or Greens at Gretna Hotel.

With accessibility for buggies and prams, a play park and a courtship maze, it’s easy to enjoy lots of quality family time at Gretna Green. The family boutique hotel, Smith’s at Gretna Green, is home to a AA rosette restaurant with fine dining menus and a cocktail bar.

Discover excellent shopping at the retail outlet and make sure to visit the fascinating Famous Blacksmith’s Shop Museum, where you can see where young couples have been getting married for generations.

Crieff Hydro is a child-friendly spa in Perthshire with all the ingredients for a fun getaway! You and the family will love this excellent resort, one of the best hotels in Perth.

Hotels with childcare? Yes please! The hotel offers two hours of free childcare which you can use to your advantage to enjoy some of the facilities, including the spa or hair salon. From soft play and a games room, to crazy golf and biking, the kids will be over the moon, too.

If you can drag yourself away from the hotel and its incredible offerings, Perthshire will not disappoint with beautiful forest walks all over, including Lady Mary’s Walk. Or take the kids to say hi to the wild cats and lemurs at Auchingarrich Wildllife Centre.

What about a 5-star hotel in Perthshire for your next getaway? Gleneagles is famous for its golf, with three championship courses, but the resort also has an award-winning spa and an exquisite restaurant.

The luxury resort has a children’s pool and a family chill-out area called The Den, where you’ll find games consoles, board games and a cinema room. Keep the wee ones busy in the outdoors, with mountain biking, segways and pony-riding experiences to enjoy in the grounds of this family-friendly hotel.

Make memories in Perthshire. Try gelato at the Stewart Tower Dairy near Stanley, and meet the farm animals, including pygmy goats and Shetland ponies!

A visit to St Andrews and a stay at the Fairmont St Andrews is a treat for all ages. This golf course and seaside hotel in St Andrews has rooms overlooking either the golf courses or the sea and is one of the best family hotels in Scotland.

Kids will love the indoor pool, games room and family cinema. The resort also has not one but five places to eat, with plenty of yummy options for the kids to choose from.

Whether it’s fish and chips on the beach, a visit to the St Andrews Aquarium, or putting at the St Andrews Ladies’ Putting Club, there’s never a dull moment in this glorious seaside town.

Enjoy a Scottish Highlands retreat in the heart of the Cairngorms National Park at the Macdonald Aviemore Resort, surrounded by beautiful Highland landscapes with pine forests, mountains and lochs.

A family suite in this resort offers relaxation for adults with a choice of restaurants and an 18-hole golf course on site; and fun for the kids with a swimming pool with flume, soft play and the Spey Valley cinema.

With snowsports in the winter at Cairngorm Mountain and an array of family attractions to enjoy in the summer, including Landmark Forest Adventure Park and Highland Wildlife Park, there’s always something exciting to discover in this corner of the Highlands.

There are plenty of options at the Macdonald Forest Hills Resort with family rooms or apartments on the bonnie banks of Loch Lomond.

Your options for dining are the relaxed Rafters Bar and Bistro or fine dining at The Garden Restaurant. Take some time for yourself with a few hours at the pool, sauna and steam room to help you relax and rejuvenate. For the kids, there’s outdoor tennis courts and cycling trails on site, and a seasonal kids club.

If you’re after activity hotels for families, look no further! Down by the loch, continue the fun with a range of watersports with Go Country or test your head for heights at Go Ape Aberfoyle.

Handily located just 20 minutes from Glasgow, Bowfield Hotel & Country Club is the perfect place for a Glasgow City Break, or a relaxing stay where you can choose a country retreat.

For Glasgow hotels with a pool, the Aura Spa is one-of-a-kind with its outdoor hydrotherapy pool, sauna, steam room and waterfall shower buckets, all looking out onto peaceful garden views. Kids can enjoy the hotel pool or the Fun Factory soft play. Enjoy an afternoon tea the Plumpy Duck restaurant and enjoy a drink at the Stable Bar & Lounge.

In Glasgow, there’s plenty of exciting attractions to enjoy, from the Riverside Museum and Kelvingrove Art Gallery & Museum. Or stick with the countryside vibes and explore walks around Rouken Glen Park, Pollok Country Park or RSPB Lochwinnoch.

For one of the best family places to stay in Edinburgh, choose a glamourous break at Waldorf Astoria - a boutique family-friendly hotel in the West End of Princes Street. You only live once!

One of the most luxurious hotels in the city, it is home to the only Guerlain Spa in the UK and most of the hotel’s rooms have dramatic Edinburgh Castle views. This is an Edinburgh hotel with a pool the kids will love, as well as the chance for them to order pancakes and waffles at breakfast.

Head to the city to enjoy some of the Edinburgh’s exciting new experiences, including the St James’ Quarter, a shopping centre and food hall which teenagers will adore.

The Apex City Quay Dundee is the ideal location for enjoying the delights of Dundee.

The kid-friendly hotel has a fun pool and spa, and the rooms also each feature artwork from The Beano.

On the waterfront, enjoy family friendly attractions, including the historic ships RRS Discovery and HMS Unicorn, or explore the pretty Slessor Gardens. Head to Wild Shores Dundee, and find the ideal activity for any adventurous members of the family, with cable wakeboarding lessons and a water park to enjoy. There is also a new city beach here too, so you can play, relax and feel the sand between your toes.

Enjoy Meldrum House Hotel’s sophisticated grandeur with a special stay in a baronial mansion.

This luxury hotel in Aberdeen is famed for its dining, including the Cave Bar and Pineapple Grill. The little ones can enjoy the cuisine too, with afternoon tea for kids under 12 available to book. There’s even Dome Dining so you can eat outdoors in your own private pod.

Take the kids castle hunting! This hotel is close to lots of Aberdeenshire’s castles, including magical Fyvie Castle and perfectly-pink Craigievar Castle. Lochter Activity Centre is just minutes from the hotel, if you’re looking for something a wee bit more energetic. Here, try out go karting, archery and clay pigeon shooting.

Set in gorgeous Perthshire surroundings, you and the family will feel very grand indeed as you drive up to Dunkeld House Hotel with the River Tay flowing past the entrance.

This luxury family hotel in Perthshire has two restaurants and a cosy bar lounge with grand piano. Dunkeld House Hotel is a child-friendly spa hotel, so book yourself in for some relaxation, or spend time exploring the grounds along the Dunkeld House Tree Trail which loops around the grounds and features several ancient and spectacular trees.

Nearby, explore The Hermitage, with magnificent waterfalls, plenty of picnic spots, and river swimming opportunities. You can try out more watersports and adventure activities with Nae Limits.

Please be mindful of others when visiting The Hermitage and park responsibly, avoiding parking busy or dangerous roads, including the A9. There's a car park on site, but if it's full please consider coming back another time or exploring elsewhere in Big Tree Country.