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Perth used to be the capital of Scotland and it still retains a swathe of regal grandeur, with elegant stone buildings and the iconic Scone Palace on the city’s fringes, where Scotland’s monarchs used to be crowned for centuries. Traditionally Perth is more of a gateway to the Highlands, with the main road north to Inverness setting off from the city, and the rail line too. But in recent years, more and more tourists have been choosing to stay in Perth. The city is a great wee place in its own right, but the real knockout appeal comes when you use it as a base for exploring the rest of the beguiling Perth and Kinross region. Outside the city there are a swathe of excellent places to stay. There is real variety too, from modern abodes, through to old country houses and even the chance to sleep in Scone Palace itself. Rogue City Hotels are opening in Perth city centre in 2026, another sign of a city on the up with the improved hotels to match.
For more hotels in Scotland, see our guide to the best family-friendly hotels in Scotland and the best spa hotels in Scotland.
“Many visitors to Perth don’t realise there is so much beyond the city in the wider Perth and Kinross region. There are myriad hotels throughout this wonderland of rugged hills, surging glens and soaring river, as well as a sweep of things to see and do. Any trip that moves beyond this great city to explore the region will be all the better for it.”
Best hotels in Perth 2025
At a glance
- Best hotel for couples: Murrayshall Country Estate hotel
- Best hotel for families: Leonardo Boutique Hotel Huntingtower Perth
- Best city centre hotel: Radisson Blu Hotel, Perth
- Best luxury hotel: Dunkeld House Hotel
- Best budget hotel: Mercure Perth Hotel
1. Mercure Perth Hotel
Not many hotels in the world have a bone fide old-school water wheel running their way through reception. The handily central Mercure Perth is one of them. This seriously historic hotel sits right on the old lade network that used to help power the city, with water flowing right through. The 76 bedrooms are mercifully more modern with all mod cons; the Privilege and Superior rooms also boast Nespresso coffee machines, robes and slippers. The eclectic restaurant surprises with everything from myriad burgers, through to Korean rice bowls, and on to lasagne and curry. Then again nothing should really be surprising at a hotel with a water wheel in its lobby.
Address: W Mill St, Perth PH1 5QP
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2. Parklands Hotel
This smooth operator peers out over the centre and South Inch Park and is just minutes from Perth’s railway station. Fashioned in 1840 as an elegant Georgian home for the Lord Provost of Perth, it has seamlessly pivoted into a quietly luxurious 15-bedroom four-star boutique hotel. Relax in the plush bedrooms or head for the restaurant, bar, private dining room or lounge; one of Perth’s few beer gardens which tempts on a sunny day. The park where soldiers were once banned from playing golf by King James II as it was disrupting their archery practice, lies outside. A deserved winner of the Prestige Hotel Award for Best City Hotel, Scotland, in both 2019 and 2022.
Address: 2 St Leonard's Bank, Perth, PH2 8EB
Read more: The best hotels in Edinburgh to make the most of the city
3. Radisson Blu Hotel, Perth
If you’re arriving in Perth by train just ease out the station and straight into reception. You’ll be glad to have arrived with complimentary tea and coffee, plus free cookies too. The Radisson is also handy for the bus station and the rest of the city centre. Most of the 75 rooms and suites in this old stone building are a decent size. Public spaces abound with an on-site restaurant and a brace of bars to choose from. The garden’s picnic benches are the place to be on a warm day. Other facilities include the Read It & Return Lending Library and a compact fitness centre.
Address: 1 Leonard St, Perth PH2 8HE
Price: Doubles from £194
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4. Salutation Hotel
This is a bit of a Marmite hotel. Yes the Salutation looks the part, with a grand facade, and it swims in history (dating back remarkably to 1699), but this three-star hotel might not be enough if you’re looking for somewhere slick and fancy. It may look like it’s crammed into a city block, but it’s a tartan Tardis with 84 bedrooms – book a room with a four-poster bed for a real treat. Some bedrooms peer out over Perth too. The Adam Restaurant certainly exudes drama, with its original barrel vaulted ceiling and the glorious neoclassical 24-pane Adam window that is the restaurant’s undoubted focal point.
Address: 30-34 South St, Perth PH2 8PH
Read more: The best luxury hotels in Scotland for fine dining, spas and castle stays
5. Leonardo Boutique Hotel Huntingtower Perth
Far more characterful than Leonardo’s more prosaic city centre hotels, this historic oasis, a Tudor Revival country house, lies just west of the city and reclines in six acres of landscaped grounds. There are only 34 rooms woven into this old dame. They have pet-friendly rooms amongst them. The restaurant is worth staying in for, a grand affair replete with wood-panelled walls and hanging chandeliers. In summer the conservatory and the beer garden are the places to be for al fresco dining. When it’s cooler, retreat inside for a lavish selection of single malt whiskies. You’ve even got your own castle. Well, sort of – Huntingtower Castle is just an arrow’s shot away.
Address: Crieff Road, Huntingtower, Perth PH1 3JT
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6. Murrayshall Country Estate hotel
This sprawling country house and estate occupies the strategic high ground just outside Perth, a stone’s throw from Scotland’s most historic palace at Scone. The owners have ambitious aspirations to match Perthshire’s most luxurious resort, Gleneagles, and they’ve certainly thrown money at Murrayshall. There is a new spa and leisure centre with eight treatment rooms, pools and impressive fitness facilities. That backs up the 25 holiday lodges and 22 luxury glamping pods that arrived for summer 2025. With their outdoor pursuits area, improvements to the existing golf course and the gorgeous hilly scenery, Murrayshall is well on its way to matching Perthshire’s finest.
Address: Murrayshall Rd, Scone, Perth PH2 7PH
Read more: Fairmont St Andrews, Scotland, hotel review
7. Ballathie House Hotel
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If you’ve dreamt of escaping to a grand country house in the Scottish wilds Traitors-style then this is it. Head north of the city and the modern world slips further and further away as you follow the mighty River Tay. This grand old dame dates from 1880 and there are records showing that the Queen Mother came here to party in her younger days. It’s easy to see why they won the Country Sporting Hotel of the Year award, as the hotel has its coveted fishing beats on the River Tay just outside. The sprawling estate is also ideal for walking around, cycling and clay pigeon shooting. A decadent afternoon tea is a must, as is a sumptuous dinner taken, of course, after a wee drink in the lounge. Enjoy the likes of local trout, beef and venison. End the evening in the style a 22-year-old Queen Mother would no doubt have approved of – with a dram by the fire.
Address: Kinclaven, Perth, PH1 4QN
8. Scone Palace hotel
Did you even know you can stay the night at the most famous palace in all of Scotland? That’s right, you can join Scotland’s monarchs – who were crowned at Scone Palace for centuries – in this lavish palace just a few miles from the city. The Balvaird Wing lets you play king or queen along with five family or friends, with a trio of beautifully decorated, en-suite bedrooms: The MacGregor Room, Colonel Andrew’s Room and the suitably elegant Lady Carnegie’s Room. Scone Palace is a great base for exploring Perth, where the famous Stone of Scone – where Scotland’s monarchs were crowned - is the centrepiece of the recently opened Perth Museum. You’ve got the immense grounds to explore too, with after-hours access to them once the day trippers are gone.
Address: Perth, PH2 6BD
Price: £1,200 (for six guests staying in three bedrooms)
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9. Pine Trees hotel
A brilliantly reborn hotel to the north of Perth in the Highland Perthshire resort town of Pitlochry, it’s a 45-minute drive from the city and even quicker by train. This is a hotel that harks back to Pitlochry’s emergence as a tourist honeypot in the days when Queen Victoria was on the throne, eulogising her beloved Highlands. Originally opened in 1892, the £5 million restoration has been impressive with 18 unique rooms in the main house. Book into the Scandi-Scot chic main house, or one of the houses or cottages in the grounds. The 2025 revamp – expertly overseen by legendary hotel manager David Lapsley - has really pushed this hotel to the top of the Pitlochry tree and made it one of the best places to stay in Perthshire. Sip a Scottish gin cocktail in their swish Flora bar, then linger over dinner in their Fauna restaurant next door. A great base for the magical Enchanted Forest sound and light show, which brings Perthshire alive every autumn.
Address: Strathview Terrace, Pitlochry, PH16 5QR
Read more: The best spa hotels in Scotland – perfect for a relaxing country getaway
10. Dunkeld House Hotel
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This gorgeous slice of Highland Perthshire lies just a 15-minute drive north of the city. This seriously plush luxury hotel is a real retreat, with 280 acres of grounds spreading their rich bucolic tentacles around the sweep of the River Tay. The suites – with their four poster beds – are really something special. Sleep like a laird before living like one the next day, heading out clay pigeon shooting, wandering the grounds or fishing on the Tay. They also have a leisure centre with a swimming pool and hot tub, as well as a well-equipped gym. There’s an excellent variety of eating and drinking venues too.
Address: Blairgowrie Road, Dunkeld PH8 0HX
Read more: The best budget hotels in Glasgow for location, style and heritage
Why trust us
The hotels featured in this list have been carefully selected by The Independent's expert travel writers, each with a deep knowledge of the destinations they cover. Robin McKelvie has been travel writing his way around his native Scotland for over two decades and has stayed in over 500 Scottish hotels. When picking which hotels to include, Robin considered his own experience staying in the hotels and evaluated location, facilities, service and all the other details that make for an exceptional stay for all types of traveller.
FAQs
When is the best time of year to travel to Perthshire?
Compared with other countries, the weather in the UK is not usually the main attraction; however, the British summertime, with the sunniest days occurring between June and August, is likely the best bet.
What is Perth most famous for?
Perth is known as the Fair City, named after a novel by Scottish novelist Sir Walter Scott due to its beautiful backdrop on the banks of the River Tay. The city and its surrounding areas are well regarded for their natural beauty, making it an attractive place to walk, hike and bike.
How to spend a day in Perth?
Perth is teeming with history, much of which can be discovered at Perth Museum, at the heart of which sits the Stone of Destiny, one of Scotland’s most important historical objects, returned to the country in 1996 by the UK government. It has been used in the coronation of Scottish, English and later British monarchs. Kinnoull Hill Woodland Park, the Black Watch Castle & Museum and Scone Palace are also all historical sites worth a visit.
Biking around the Highlands is also a popular activity, and Perth makes a perfect starting and ending point, with some bike tour companies are also located. There are also plenty of places to walk in and near the city, including the River Tay Way and Quarrymill Woodland Park.
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