Kilmeny Country House

The scent of garden roses drifts through open windows, and somewhere beyond the stone walls a burn murmurs its way through Islay pasture.

Kilmeny works for couples after a proper bed and solo travellers who want a countryside base without the full hotel rigmarole — there's a guest house for those chasing comfort, but also camping pods if you fancy something closer to the outdoors without wrestling tent pegs. Dogs are welcome by arrangement, so worth asking when you book if you've got a four-legged companion in tow. You're deep in whisky country here, with distilleries dotted across the island and coastal walks that feel like the edge of everything.

Inside there's wifi if you need to surface briefly, and the year-round opening means you can visit when the crowds thin and the light turns silver over the Sound of Islay. Campfires are a maybe — check when you arrive, as it'll depend on conditions. The vibe is quiet, unhurried, the sort of place where you actually hear birdsong at breakfast.