Perle Oban Hotel

Oban, on the west coast of Scotland, found fame in the Victorian era as a stop on the way to the Hebrides, where travelers would pause at the end of the rail line before boarding a ship for the Outer Hebrides. But the unofficial capital of the West Highlands has plenty to recommend it as a destination — if it’s dramatic landscapes and seascapes that you’re after, you’re in the right place. And in the Perle Oban Hotel, it’s got the most unexpected thing: a totally modern luxury boutique hotel.

The rooms are contemporary in style, with just the right amount of rugged Highland influence. And there’s nothing at all rugged about the comforts, which include Nespresso machines, Bose sound systems, Egyptian cotton bedsheets, and spa-like bathrooms with high-pressure rain showers (which are among the particular strengths of Scotland’s high-end hotels). And there’s a proper spa as well, called Mara, for the Scots Gaelic word for “sea.”

The restaurant, BAAB Meze & Grill, has earned a Michelin Plate for its menu of dishes from Greece, Turkey, and the Levant, made with fantastically fresh Scottish seafood, meat, and produce. (You won’t have to walk far if it’s typical Scottish fare you’re after.) Meanwhile Brew & Co is the more conventional café and bar, serving cakes and pastries along with coffee and a dizzying array of beer and whisky.