Luxury Hotels Scotland

Scotland is truly diverse, from the bustling metropolitan centres of Edinburgh and Glasgow to the unspoiled natural beauty of the Highlands. A beautiful and varied country of sandy beaches, sparkling lochs, ancient forests, rocky peaks and luxury hotels Scotland boasts a long and eventful history. From pre-Roman times through to the Picts who successfully resisted numerous Roman attempts to invade and on to William Wallace and Bonnie Prince Charlie; from Robert Burns to Iain Rankin, there are plenty of sights for the keen tourist to see and experience to gain a true flavour of the authentic Scotland.

Scotland has a healthy economy and is a centre of excellence for electronic technologies, resulting in numerous business visitors to the major cities.

Heavy industry has long underpinned the economy, with major shipbuilding centres in Glasgow, whilst the energy industry is also vitally important, with thousands of jobs centred on the extraction and refinement of North Sea oil and gas since the 1970s.

Yet for all the heavy industry in the region, there has been an increasing shift towards service sectors, with financial services performing particularly well. Edinburgh is, in terms of the quantity of funds managed, the sixth-largest financial centre in Europe and is home to a number of major firms including Lloyds and RBS. Another significant source of income to the country is shopping Scotland being home to a wide range of exclusive designer labels.

In addition to business travel, tourism and other leisure activities are major contributors to the economy. There is a widely held belief that golf was invented in Scotland in the 12th century, the game originating with shepherds knocking stones into rabbit holes on what is now the site of the Old Course at St Andrews. Perhaps as a result of this, Scotland is home to a range of championship golf courses, not least of which is Gleneagles which will host the Ryder Cup in 2014. Other significant courses include Royal Dornoch in the Scottish Highlands and Blairgowrie in Perthshire where Greg Norman picked up his first European Tour title. Such tournaments are always major events and bring a substantial number of visitors to the areas surrounding the championship golf courses, with many locals renting out houses and spare rooms to visitors, whilst the players stay in some excellent luxury hotels Scotland thus being a great choice if you are looking for a memorable golfing holiday.

Scotland is also long-established as a base for extreme sports. The rugged terrain of the Scottish Highlands lends itself particularly well to a wide range of active pursuits, from snowboarding and skiing to rock climbing, abseiling and white water rafting. The highest mountain in the British Isles, Ben Nevis, at 4,409ft, offers unparalleled views of the surrounding countryside, whilst being a relatively easy climb for even inexperienced climbers. For those of a more active nature, "the Ben" also offers the challenge of the Ben Nevis Race - an annual event wherein competitors run up and down the mountain in the fastest possible time. The 1984 record of 1 hour 25 minutes 34 seconds to complete the fourteen kilometre course is a remarkable feat.

For those keen on skiing, Scotland resorts include Nevis Range, Glencoe, Glenshee and Cairngorm. Each resort has its own particular facilities and challenges. Cairngorm, for example, has a reputation as one of the most beautiful - and challenging - places to ski in the UK, but is also just a short distance from the A9 between Perth and Inverness and features Scotland's only funicular railway, in addition to Scotland's highest restaurant. The ski resorts also offer a number of other benefits, including luxury hotels Scotland now being one of Europe's premier ski destinations.

If you're more interested in shopping Scotland is most definitely going to be of interest. You'll find all the usual high street brands in cities such as Edinburgh, Glasgow or Aberdeen, but those prepared to go off the beaten track in search of something a little different will be rewarded with some exclusive and truly unique shopping Scotland being particularly highly regarded for its wool, tartan and other goods.

Scotland is thus a diverse country and, given its size, it is perhaps unsurprising that Scotland resorts are equally varied, with different locations offering equally different activities, sights and focus to a trip.

Keen cyclists, for example, may wish to spend time exploring the Scottish highlands or making the five-day trip through the historical wilds of Galloway.

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