Loch Tay Highland Lodges: a different kind of bubble break

Quick guide:

• Right on the edge of Loch Tay, the Highland Lodges and Glamping site has beautiful views and plenty of on-site activities 
• Accommodation ranges from glamping pods to the best lodges with hot tubs in Scotland to entire houses with all their own facilities 
• On-site there’s a putting green, a marina and activities centre where you can book adventures for all the family 
• Kids and pets are welcome at this gorgeous glamping and lodge site in the Scottish Highlands 
• The lovely woodland cabins with hot tubs start from £450 for three nights

Why should I book a hot tub lodge holiday in Scotland? 

With complicated rules and restrictions making travel during the pandemic increasingly difficult, a self-catering break in Scotland is the smoothest solution. Pair your self-catering cottage or lodge with its very own hot tub – the ideal retreat on a chilly evening – and you’ve got the perfect escape from the daily grind.

Simple and safe check-in procedures make Loch Tay Highland Lodges and Glamping the ideal destination – social distancing on the site is easy, and there are plenty of outdoor activities for Covid-safe fun.

Fancy something a bit more luxurious? Try one of these top spa hotels in Scotland instead.

Where is Loch Tay?

Sitting in the shadow of Ben Lawers in the Scottish Highlands, Loch Tay is 15 miles long and bookended by two lovely towns – Killin to the west and Kenmore to the east. It’s a perfect base for anyone planning hikes in Loch Lomond & The Trossacs National Park, but it’s also a veritable adventure destination in its own right, with Tay Forest Park on its doorstep and, of course, the huge loch for watery pursuits.  A car is essential here, as there’s no train station nearby. It’s a two-hour drive from Edinburgh [link] and 90 minutes by road from Glasgow. As ever, the drive through the Scottish countryside is a real pleasure, so don’t be put off by the journey time. 

What are the accommodation options at Loch Tay Highland Lodges & Glamping? 

The Loch Tay Highland Lodges site has a range of hot tub lodges and glamping options to suit all budgets and support bubbles. We stayed in a Woodland Cabin with its own hot tub. The tiny octagonal homes are a cosy bolthole for a long weekend, with ample living space including sofas and a dining table, a small, well kitted-out kitchen and comfortable double bed (twin set-up also available). The log burner is the perfect touch to top it all off inside. 

Outside each Woodland Cabin is a fire pit, picnic bench and some have their own private hot tubs. They take a little while to warm up, but once hot enough it’s the perfect way to spend an evening, glass of wine in hand, watching the incredible stars above.

Elsewhere on the site, there are glamping domes and wigwams with wood-fired hot tubs (from £210), loch-view hideouts with fire-powered tubs (from £375) and larger houses and lodges with their own electric hot tubs (from £540), too. 

What are the on-site facilities like? 

You could spend a week at Loch Tay Highland Lodges and Glamping and not leave the site – there’s everything you need and plenty to do. The main amenity for all visitors is The Bistro, an Italian restaurant run by Ciro, who hails from Naples and cooks up veritable comforting feasts. You can dine-in, or enjoy takeaways and eat in the comfort of your hot tub lodge. 

For glampers and campers there’s a shared kitchen and an amenities lodge, which has private showers, a washing-up area, laundrette and common room with sofas, games and a wood burner. You can spend evenings around the communal campfire, or cook up your own dinner on the barbecues. 

A play area will keep the kids busy and a putting green will satisfy golfers (the nearby Killin Golf Club is a good bet, too). In the activities centre you can book archery, gorge-walking or Segway trips, and off-site there are great walking routes, cycling trails and even Highland wildlife safaris. 

What should I do nearby? 

If you can tear yourself away from the lodge and out of the toasty hot tub, there are plenty of day-trips to see more of Scotland’s gorgeous Highlands. Head into Loch Lomond & the Trossacs National Park for sensational hiking with truly breathtaking views of its glassy waters and the chance to spot red deer wandering amid its grassy slopes. Visit the Falls of Dochart in Killin, then pop into the Breadalbane Folklore Centre to learn more about the area’s history. 

To the east, the small village of Kenmore is great for stocking up on local produce, and the nearby Scottish Crannog Centre offers an insight into the region’s Iron Age history. Slightly further afield is the city of Perth and Scone Palace, both well worth a day out.