Personalized trips to Scotland
for independent travelers

A wonderful hotel with great decor at a great location with riverfront bar, etc. in quaint village of Dunkeld. We enjoyed our stay very much.

This is a spacious 2-bedroom cabin with a large kitchen. It was a comfortable place to stay.

A quaint hotel in the quaint village of Plockton. The room was very comfortable and the staff was very friendly and helpful with my food allergy.

We loved this cottage so much that we cut a few things from our schedule to stay at the cottage, walk around the neighborhood, chat with wonderful host and hostess. This cottage was our fondest place to stay!

The small pod is cleverly designed and very functional with a great view.

Absolutely beautiful hotel with amazing decor. Our room was very spacious looking over the Oban Bay. We could really relax in the room looking at the beautiful view.

This is a great cottage on the quiet side of Loch Lomond. The cottage was well designed and functional.

This is an intimate and quiet place with an amazing host.

What a modern and stylish distillery with beautiful views everywhere! We really enjoyed the tour incorporating audio and visual, highly stylish tasting room, followed by a fabulous lunch spread!

Our riding guide was such a character and we were definitely entertained!

While not huge like King's castles, or as grand as Duke and Earl's castles it was genuine and authentic, more like a baron's castle. The hosts were welcoming and the chef was remarkable. We were treated to the best meal we had on the entire trip there. Besides the restaurant, there is a separate bar which has a different menu. Our room had a four poster bed and a large, very modern private bathroom. I would caution you to read the room descriptions carefully as you can stay in everything from servants quarters, which are very small, to a grand two bedroom suite. This is one hotel where you will get what you pay for. There is a small family museum on premises which remains locked, but you can get a key if you are interested. I highly recommend the Tullock Castle and would definitely return if I'm ever near Dingwall again.

Most certainly opulent!! Line skipping was nice, guide was knowledgeable but excessively wordy. It was very, very hot and very very crowded so we were stuck listening to someone drone on forever we oft could not even see. The tour itself was great, but our guide not so much so. We were supposed to have 4 hours there, but 2.75 of that was listening to the guide get off track and tell personal stories, leaving us only 1.25 hours to explore the rest of the palace, find some place to eat, visit the gardens, the grand and petit trianon and Marie-Antoinette's hameau. We did get fed, saw some of the gardens but missed the rest which I was really wanting to see.

It's a long day from Paris, especially with the number of traffic issues we experienced. The beaches, bunkers and memorials we were allowed to see were great, but we were hurried along and told not to read the signs; they were supposed to provide links instead, but never did. The cemetery was sobering but pristine. The lunch stop was good and since lunch was included in our tour it was a treat.

It got cancelled due to lack of people signed up.

The Tower of London tour turned out to be a highly unexpected experience complete with a stunning discovery. Our entire trip was historical in nature as we were tracing some of Mark's family history roots. Edward Seymour (brother to Jane and Lord Protectorate for Edward VI who was Henry VIII and Jane's son) and John Dudley who served as the de facto regent and ruler of England after he orchestrated the downfall of Edward Seymour were both beheaded during those turbulent times. Edward and John were Mark's 12th and 13th great grandfathers from different lines of his family. In the Tower of London prison, the largest and most elaborate etching on the wall carved in by various prisoners, belonged to John Dudley! It was one of the top two highlights of the entire trip! As if that wasn't enough, our version of the Changing of the Guard was extreme. Instead of a few, we got to see 100s of uniformed guards, military members, musicians and horsemen rehearsing for the King's Birthday. We had a front row seat for their practice parade at its inception so we could see the pre-staging as well. That was unexpectedly precious. St. Pauls was a nice surprise due to its ornate interior, the American Memorial Chapel and knowledgeable guide. Then end this tour, the river cruise included seeing the raising of the Tower Bridge so a sail ship could pass through. Remarkable day.

HUGE museum and was initially surprised it was arranged by country. However, considering at its peak, the British Empire ruled over 23% to 24% of world lands it's understandable. It houses an impressive display of artifacts from all over the world (over 100 countries). You would need two or three weeks to see it all. I will admit I came away feeling, "wow, those should be returned to the Iroquois," and "I wonder why Greece and Iraq haven't asked for their artifacts back?"

Westminster Abbey serve as the coronation site for British Royals. It is a soaring, magnificent, gothic church which cannot be experienced by simply looking at pictures. It also serves as the resting place for over 3000 notables, including kings and queens. It is a must do at least once in your lifetime.

What an incredible day. Gorgeous scenery, Bolton Castle and the Wensleydale Cheese Factory were the highlights. It was an 8 hour tour and I wish it had been 10 so we could have stopped more to take pictures. The Wensleydale cheese really was extraordinary.

What stands out is its significant historical status. It is way more immersive and engaging than other castles. It has seen extensive restoration and is rich in royal history sitting at the heart of Scottish history. It not only served as a primary residence for the Stewart/Stuart dynasty, it was also a critical military stronghold.

The West Highlands were delightful. Being on the bonny, bonny banks of Loch Lomond, Inveraray and Doune (Outlander) Castles and the Rest and Be Thankful Pass with its stunning views and interesting story were the highlights.

The Stonehenge and Bath Day Tour was impressive. I was warned Stonehenge was a free for all, but those folks had visited many years ago. Today it is well managed, traffic and parking is not an issue and the Visitor's Center is a gem. If you go, make SURE you see the 360 degree short film on Stonehenge before you go out to the site. The new displays, showing huts which would have been similar to what the workers would have stayed in enhanced the experience. Bath itself and the Roman Baths are intriguing. I especially enjoyed going underground and seeing the old Roman structures. The little interpretive stops were great in explaining how the old plumbing worked. It is another definite must do.

Such an interesting place, very crowded but still worth the time to enjoy. To fully appreciate it, you need to take the time to see it all, the military fortress and batteries, the tradesmen quarters, royal palace and crown jewels, the tribute to Scottish warriors, St. Margaret's Chapel, prisons, museums etc.

Interesting to be in the Isle of Skye and see Eileen Donan Castle. It was a day full of history and sites. Getting to drive through valleys where actual battles took place made it easy to see how they would have developed. The Donan Castle is different in that the exterior was re-created to be as close to the original as possible complete with dropping streaks. The interior is modern and a destination house for a family. The stop in Portree and getting to see several Highland "Coos" was a special treat.

Two of our top five activities were included in this day trip, Clava Cairns and Culloden. The sheer intrigue and age of Clava Cairns left a permanent impression. The visitor's center at Culloden was well done from both perspectives. The dramatic change to Scotland's future path was handled well. Walking the battlefield and finding various clans brought the battle to life. We were also finally able to make a connection as to why Tullock Castle was "lost" to our family in 1746.

Bus ride to the boat ride, plus stopping and getting off the boat to see the castle, time for the visitors center and bus ride home was well planned and a great deal of fun.

Already reviewed the Tullock Castle Hotel, but the town was delightful as well. They have a really nice local museum