TRAVELLERS these days want to experience as much as they can when the visit a country.

Whether it’s sampling the local cuisine or learning about the culture, immersive travel is a massive trend.

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And in the latest Condé Nast Johansens Awards for Excellence one Scots luxury hotel has landed a top gong in this department.

The 2025 shout out for Best Immersive Experience went to Inverlochy Castle.

The stunning hotel is based in a 19th century castle – just three miles outside of Fort William in the Highlands.

The surrounding area is breathtaking places with sites including the falls at Glen Nevis, the monument at Glenfinnan and the mountains of Glencoe.

During a trip to Balmoral in the 1800s, Queen Victoria spent a week at Inverlochy sketching and painting.

And she wrote in her diaries of the trip: “I never saw a lovelier or more romantic spot.”

The travel experts at Condé Nast say the hotel is now run to perfection, with the guests’s comfort at the heart of everything they do.

The team said: “Today, the mighty castle is one of Scotland’s finest hotels managed with passion and professionalism by David Robertson and his team who make every effort to put each guest completely at ease in this most grandiose of settings.

“The imposing reception room displays Venetian crystal chandeliers and a Michelangelo-style ceiling, and leads to three elaborately decorated dining rooms.

“Dining at Seasgair by Michel Roux Jr is a culinary experience you’re unlikely to forget. The unique set five-course dinner is a showcase of incredible, local ingredients designed to be savoured, shared and enjoyed.

“Everyone dines at the same time, which allows you to enjoy your meal in the company of your own party or share with others by dining at the Mary Shaw Table, named after the Castle’s wonderful cook who worked here when it was a private house.”

The 2025 awards were marked with a ceremony at Kimpton Fitzroy London, with winners from across the globe attending.

Charlotte Evans, Group Publishing Director at Condé Nast Johansens, said: “We are delighted to celebrate new and returning establishments across the globe.

“The 2025 Condé Nast Johansens Awards for Excellence continue to acknowledge, reward and honour luxury hospitality from our carefully chosen collection of recommended properties.”

There was only one other Scottish hotel which took a gong – for the best value experience in the whole of the UK.

The Perthshire resort was praised for its variety of activities and mixing luxury with affordability,

Some of the other properties that won awards across the UK include the Best New Property, which went to The BoTree in London while the Best Recently Renovated Hotel gong went to Sopwell House in Hertfordshire.

And the hotel which won Best for Romance was the Plas Dinas Country House in Gwynedd, Wales.

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