“We are from Germany and we stayed at the B&B of Reta McLennan (Violet Bank House) in Edinburgh. It was fantastic. The landlady Reta and her husband was very lovable hosts. The B&B was very clean and very comfortable. The breakfast was very good. Every day fresh fruit and many different things. The table was always beautifully set. When we had a wish or a question always we got help - the more so as my English isn't so good. For us it was a perfect Holiday in Edinburgh and we are sure to come back to Edinburgh and back to Reta and John McLennan in Violet Bank House. Stefan and Gudrun Werner from Berlin ”

“The smartest decision we made in preparing our Spring 2008 visit to the Highlands was clicking on the Secret Scotland site. It turned agonizingly difficult touring options into an easy to follow, precisely informed and perfectly indicated road book that even we were able to follow... while driving on the wrong side of the road. We would strongly encourage future visitors to Scotland to save time, money, energy and anxiety by buying an itinerary from Mike and Aurelia at Secret Scotland. If you know what you want to see, they know where it is and how to get there.”

“Among the many great places to stay that were recommended to us in our itinerary, prepared by Secret Scotland, Glendavan House stands out. Moira Milne and her daughter Rebecca, the owners of this ultra-comfortable B&B near Dinnet, in Deesside, are exemplary hosts, and set our highest definition of Scottish hospitality. When we return to Scotland, Glendavan House will be our Number One stopover destination... and not only for the red squirrels and the porridge.”

“A wonderful place to stay at on Skye. The rooms are amazingly grand, and the owner, Hugh MacDonald, is most obliging in giving his guests a guided tour of the family portraits and trophies. A word to the wise : in the Great Hall, the stuffed bird called a "Croatian Chocolate Vulture, killed by Bolshevik artillery in 1914" is a Golden Eagle. Mentioning the historical discrepancy earned me an introduction to the best single malt of all : Highland Park 18 years-old, a nectar from the Orkney Islands. And a fitting tipple for a most magical island.”

“I recently sent a group of journalists along to Boogie Woogie as part of their three day trip touring the North of Scotland. On meeting them at the end of their trip, I heard nothing but praise from the great welcome they received when they visited Boogie Woogie for a lunch stop. Not only did they feel welcomed from the moment they stepped in the door, they raved about the lovely fresh food and said it was one of the highlights of their trip. The only regret was that they didn't have more time to browse and spend money in the lovely gift shop! ”

“Just back from a magnificent day skiing on the Cairngorms. Exhausted as conditions are brilliant with overall snow cover and there are no queues. The facilities are now unrecognisable from my skiing days in the 60's,70's and 80's and the staff all went out of their way to make it a terrific experience. Congratulations to Cairngorm Mountain who have kept going through lots of hard times and have created a great visitor experience.”

“I visited The Bean Shop in George Street, Perth for the 1st time on Friday. Wow, what a great shop! My friends and I were offered a free (delicious) espresso coffee while we decided which of the amazing teas and coffees we wanted to buy. John Bruce, the fantastically enthusiastic and knowledgable owner explained he had been born in Darjeeling on a tea plantation and had been a tea and coffee lover from a very early age. This small shop certainly exceeded my expectations with the friendly service, free sample of coffee and superb products. I expect to become a regular!”

“This stunning log cabin (Saorsa is Gaelic for freedom) was the perfect setting for our relaxing Easter holiday. The cabin was located right on the loch in Lochinver, and had everything you would need during your holiday. We were greeted by a tray of tea and homemade fruit cake when we arrived. Roy & Suzi have worked hard on this log cabin, and I daresay on their other holiday properties too. As soon as I arrived my stresses melted away and we had a relaxing but active week in the stunning highlands. Other guests obviously agree as their visitor book (from 1997) is packed with wonderful comments and tips for walks, boat trips, places to eat etc. The information (walks, days out, maps) provided by Roy & Suzi allowed us to make the most of our time in Scotland. I can highly recommend this log cabin for those who just want to stay in and relax or as a perfect retreat after a busy day exploring the wildlife and mountains. The views of Suilven are lovely. I cannot wait to go back.”

“We had to make a late(ish) journey from Newtonmore, 37 miles to Spean Bridge to collect our son after a climbing trip. Arriving at 10.15pm in the Little Chef car park we saw that the lights were still on and we thought a cuppa would go down very nicely. The young man who was cleaning up came to the door, apologised for being closed and offered to get us a 'carry out' cup of tea saying that he was really sorry he couldn’t do us any food as everything was switched off and had been cleaned. He produced two cups of piping hot tea. Top quality service, above and beyond the call of duty, he could easily have told us to b----- off. Well done, that man.”

“We just had a weekend family get-together staying in Cologin chalets, just south of Oban. Oban is a very nice town, easy to walk around and bustling with the ferries coming and going to the islands. Cologin is a great venue for such a family or group occasion. Once settled you can forget the car and take various walks through the woods to many vantage points with dramatic views over the countryside. In the evening we had a great time in the Barn, a pub/restaurant, on the grounds of Cologin and therefore no need to drive. Jim, the owner of Cologin, booked a band and organised food for the evening and went the extra mile to make an evening that was enjoyed by all.”