The Four Seasons hotel in St Fillans is the perfect location for rest, relaxation and delicious Scottish food. And it’s equally fabulous for those who prefer a more active break. Find out more in my review of this cosy Scottish hotel.
If you’re in search of beautiful scenery and clear fresh air, then the Trossachs National Park in Scotland is definitely the place to head to.
And the Four Seasons hotel in St Fillans is the perfect base for your holiday, whether you want rest and relaxation or have something more energetic in mind.
I was recently invited to spend a night at the hotel to celebrate St Andrews Day on what turned out to be a fabulously relaxing weekend.
Read on to find out what I thought of the Four Seasons, and why the hotel has a connection with one of the biggest bands in the world.
About the Four Seasons
The Four Seasons is a small hotel in the town of St Fillans on the shores of Loch Earn. It offers comfortable accommodation and locally-sourced food, as well as stunning views over the Loch.
The hotel is very dog friendly, and it’s ideally located for anyone who is keen to explore the local area.
But it’s also the perfect place to get away from it all, without doing anything more strenuous than lift a glass of whisky in one of the hotel’s two bars.
So it was the perfect location when the Beatles were looking to escape their hoards of screaming fans at the height of Beatlemania. The Fab Four spent two nights at the hotel in October 1964, enjoying the crystal clear air and delicious local food.
How to get to the Four Seasons, St Fillans
St Fillans sits on the banks of Loch Earn, on the east edge of the Trossachs National Park in Scotland.
It will take you around 1 hour 15 minutes to drive from Glasgow, and 1 hour 40 minutes from Edinburgh.
Travelling by public transport to the Four Seasons is more complicated, requiring a combination of trains and buses. The journey will take around 2.5-3 hours from either Glasgow or Edinburgh.
I drove up from Shropshire the day before my visit to the Four Seasons, stopping overnight in Glasgow.
The next day I drove up via the National Wallace Monument, dipping briefly into the Trossachs National Park on the way to the hotel.
There is plenty of free parking in front of the hotel, so I parked the car and headed indoors.
The scent of a log fire filled the air as I stepped inside to a warm welcome to the Four Seasons by Susan, the hotel’s manager. Once we’d checked in, I headed upstairs to take a look at the bedroom.
A Room at the Four Seasons
The 19-bedroom Four Seasons hotel has three types of bedroom. These range from standard and deluxe rooms to the four poster room which I would be staying in.
The room was a good size with a large chest of drawers and plenty of wardrobe space for storing your clothes.
The space is dominated by a large four poster bed, complete with plump pillows and towelling bathrobes.
All of the rooms have the sort of facilities you would expect in a hotel of this standard. There’s a TV, Bose radio, hairdryer and WiFi, although the signal may fluctuate due to the hotel’s location.
There’s a small selection of books in your room, and there are more available in the Library. More about that later!
There was also a small seating area with comfy chairs near the window, and a hospitality tray with a selection of hot drinks tucked away in one of the cupboards.
A complimentary bottle of water is provided, together with a plate of crumbly, buttery shortbread biscuits.
And just look at the view from my window…
Dusk falls early in Scotland in late November. So although I arrived at the hotel at 3pm, the sun was already sinking below the hills around Loch Earn.
But if you visit the Four Seasons earlier in the year, you’ll enjoy a stunning sunset from this window.
The bathroom was fairly standard, with a shower over the deep bath. It was squeaky clean with complimentary toiletries, and even a rubber duck!
The room was very cosy, but with the night-time temperature hitting -6C, I was glad to see a small portable heater in the room. Extra bedding was also stashed in the wardrobe.
As well as the hotel bedrooms, the Four Seasons has cute little woodland chalets which are perfect for family holidays. There’s also a self-catering apartment which sleeps up to four.
After photographing the bedroom, I headed down to the hotel’s bar for a drink.
A cosy loch-side hotel
The hotel’s ‘wee bar’ had a real log fire burning and a very cosy feel. It was the perfect place to catch up on a bit of work next to the fire.
The bar is open from 3pm and it’s well stocked with wines, beers, spirits and soft drinks. Or you can also order hot drinks if you’re in the mood for a pot of tea or a hot chocolate to warm you up!
More guests soon entered the bar, along with a rather gorgeous black Labrador.
The rooms at the front of the hotel have large windows which really let you take in the gorgeous view.
This bar is a lovely place to sit and relax after a day’s walking, catch up on emails or just read the day’s papers.
But if you’re looking for more reading material during your stay, there’s another little cubby-hole that’s absolutely perfect.
When Susan told us that there was a library half way up to our room, I was expecting a bookcase or maybe a little converted airing cupboard.
But the Four Seasons’ Library is a wonderfully cosy room, decorated in rich shades of purple, and with the walls lined with bookshelves.
The low light and relaxing tones make this a great room to hide away with a book and a whisky.
Just imagine snuggling up in here with a good book on a cold winter’s afternoon. Perfect!
Dining at the Four Seasons
The Four Seasons’s two AA Rosette ‘Meall Reamhar’ Two Rosette Restaurant is open for dinner between May and September. They use local produce to create a menu that looks amazing. I’ll just have to go back in the summer to try it out!
There’s also the Tarken Bar and Bistro which is open throughout the year for lunch and dinner. It has a pet-friendly area which is perfect if you’re on holiday with your pooch.
Breakfast at the Four Seasons
The next morning, I headed downstairs to the restaurant for breakfast. I’d been looking forward to indulging in a full Scottish breakfast, and the Four Seasons lived up to my expectations!
The restaurant’s large windows look out over Loch Earn, which was beautiful on this frosty morning.
After ordering coffee and toast, I took a look at the breakfast menu. It’s fairly small, but the varied selection of options will please most palettes.
There are traditional options like porridge or Arbroath Smokies, as well as more modern favourites like avocado toast. And of course, there’s a full Scottish breakfast!
And while you wait for your cooked breakfast, you can tuck into a continental selection. The options include yoghurt, fruit and cereals, plus a range of juices.
You could go for porridge, which seemed like a good choice on a day when the mercury was down at -6C!
But the Four Season’s porridge is nothing like the breakfast that I cook up on winter mornings at home. It’s a much more luxurious affair.
A steaming bowl of porridge, arrived with a jug of double cream, a mini bowl of honey and even a tot of Drambuie. The resulting dish was absolutely delicious.
Yes, I have to admit that I was a little jealous, but then I was going to be tucking into this delicious plateful.
As well as the usual sausage, bacon and eggs cooked however you prefer, the Four Seasons breakfast includes both haggis and local black pudding as well as a tattie scone. All that was missing was a slice of square sausage, but even so, this was a fine start to the day.
Things to do near the Four Seasons
The Four Seasons in St Fillans is perfect for anyone who loves walking, as it lies right on the edge of the beautiful Trossachs National Park
Loch Lomond quite rightfully gets a lot of attention for being a stunning location, but there’s much more to the Trossachs than just one beautiful loch.
So whether you’re looking for a gentle stroll along the shore of Loch Lubnaig (pictured above), or a more challenging walk through the hills in the area, this hotel provides a perfect base.
Or perhaps you’re a Munro bagger?
A Munro is a Scottish mountain that is higher than 3000ft (914m), which are so-named after Sir Hugh Munro, who produced the first list of these mountains in 1891. There are several of these in the Trossachs National Park, so you could easily ‘bag’ one or two during your stay at the Four Seasons.
If you plan to do so, please do take sensible precautions. Be sure to let the hotel know your plans and estimated return time.
But there’s more than just walking in this area. You could go visit one of the local distilleries, play golf at the local club or even go sky-diving!
And if you fancy a drive, you are only an hour or so away from the National Wallace Monument at Stirling or the Kelpies at Falkirk.
My Verdict
Whether you’re looking for an active break or some rest and relaxation, the Four Seasons in St Fillans is a wonderful place to stay.
From the moment you walk through the door, you’ll be welcomed by friendly staff into this cosy three-star hotel.
Its stunning location makes it a great place to get away from it all, and it’s an ideal base for exploring the Trossachs National Park. If you’re planning to head on up to the Highlands, this is a great place to break your journey.
I felt very comfortable and relaxed throughout my stay, and although I didn’t get chance to sample dinner in the two-rosette restaurant, the food I did have was absolutely delicious. And of course, you can take a wee dram into the Library if you fancy cocooning yourself away from the weather outside.
My one slight criticism is that the mattress could have been a little more supportive. But that’s a tiny quibble in what was otherwise a fantastic visit. It’s easy to see why the Fab Four came up to the Four Seasons to get away from it all!
My stay was complimentary but prices start at around £88 for a classic double room with breakfast for two people. The four poster room would usually be around £140 per night including breakfast for two people.
The Details
The Four Seasons Hotel
St. Fillans, Perthshire, PH6 2NF
Tel: 01764 685 333
www.thefourseasonshotel.co.uk