Ballathie House Hotel - Stanley

The prospect of serious fishing and hunting brings hordes of devotees to this baronial mansion surrounded by a 1,500-acre sporting estate on the banks of the Tay. If that's not your bag, then croquet, putting and other typical country-house pastimes are also on the cards.

Salmon from the river often finds its way in the grand dining room, along with an assortment of dishes with modern overtones. Start with a terrine of foie gras accompanied by peppered pineapple relish or steamed mussels with penne pasta and Thai spices, before refreshing the palate with ruby grapefruit granita. Centrepieces on the fixed-price dinner menu could range from fillet of beef with a gratin of woodland mushrooms and cracked pepper sauce to breast of guinea fowl with lemon oil, creamed white beans and sage dumplings.

Desserts might include white chocolate tart with dark chocolate sauce and ginger ice cream, as well as poppy seed and cinnamon parfait with spiced apple and sultanas, while the lengthy wine list makes a feature of vintage clarets (around 60 in all).