A touch of Brooklyn comfort in the Scottish Highlands at a Perthshire hotel that will delight foodies, fishing fanatics and anyone with a penchant for NYC vibes

With pints in hand and nets and rods leaning against a wall, I arrive to see a small school of fishermen outside the Grandtully Hotel.

In a small town of the same name (meaning ‘rocky hill’), the hotel is situated along the River Tay, Scotland’s longest river, where salmon mingle with kayakers while red squirrels scurry about in the nearby trees.

Apart from the sound of the water, it’s a quiet place – a bus an hour accounts for most of the traffic that passes this Victorian-era hotel.

In 2018 it was converted from a backpacker hostel by the family business of Andrew, Chris and Rachel Rowley when they moved from London and Edinburgh to this beautiful part of Perthshire.

It’s cozy in a very stylized way, including corners with books. Upstairs, eight bedrooms have vintage furniture, cast iron bathrooms and comfortable seating, along with electric kettles and fresh milk. There is also a bar serving Negronis, which Andrew makes and bottles himself, local beers, and the hotel’s signature gin, which is made with local ingredients.

The trio connected food-based projects in the region. Ballintaggart Farm is a small business that combines luxury holiday accommodation and event space with a popular cookery school and there is a grocery store in nearby Aberfeldy. But at Grandtully it all comes together.

With dark colors and understated decor, it exudes an air of Brooklyn comfort, and the hotel fills up on a Sunday night. As well as the fishermen here, a group for a wedding and some locals are all immersed in the food.

No-nonsense: Sarah says the decor has “a touch of Brooklyn comfort.”

There are eight bedrooms, furnished with vintage furniture, cast iron bathrooms and comfortable chairs

The hotel was converted from a backpacker hostel in 2018 by the family business of Andrew, Chris and Rachel Rowley

Andrew is in charge of the kitchen and while there is some fermentation and food on the menu, there is also discipline. Formerly at the luxury boutique hotel Dakota Edinburgh, he strives for up to three key seasonal ingredients. The results can be seen in a Coley Kiev with wild garlic and parsley emulsion – a delicious twist on the more common chicken version – along with kale from the garden.

There are tasting menus for meat eaters, vegetarians and vegans. Here’s a destination to whet your appetite – and it’s not that hard, with white water rafting right outside the door on the River Tay and plenty of cycling and walking routes.

Surrounded by Perthshire’s wonderful farmland, the Grandtully Hotel can pick its own produce, from game from the nearby Murthly Estate and fish from the east and west coasts of Scotland to soft fruit in summer.

The hotel’s menu is based on seasonal produce, reveals Sarah. “Andrew is in charge of the kitchen,” she explains, “and while there is some fermentation and food on the menu, there is also discipline.”

The hotel’s owners have linked food projects in Perthshire. Ballintaggart Farm (pictured) is a small business that combines luxury holiday accommodation and event space with a popular cookery school, and there is a grocer in nearby Aberfeldy

There are many high-end shops in nearby Dunkeld, while the Highland Chocolatier is next to the hotel, offering handmade truffles.

The Grandtully also has a shop selling groceries, including its own sticky, delicious sourdough bread, jams and chutneys, and ready meals – a measure introduced during the pandemic and continuing by popular demand.

Open windows to the Scottish sky, I slept like a baby. In the morning, the groom’s family try to calm wedding nerves with jokes as we enjoy smoked salmon, Katy Rodger artisan dairy yoghurt, venison salami and Glen Lyon roast coffee – and I can’t help but sip and enjoy this slice of Perthshire when I come home