If Celebrity Traitors has you thinking about visiting rural Scotland, here’s a beautiful country estate that offers a perfect mix of countryside, cosy and entertainment
With Celebrity Traitors sparking interest in Scottish holiday spots, we visited a country estate that’s a blend of Center Parcs and a five-star hotel. Nestled in 27 acres of Perthshire countryside, Wyndham Duchally Country Estate has nine hotel rooms and 55 self-catering lodges, rivalling the grandeur of the Highlands.
The lodges, all two or three bedrooms with matching bathrooms, are as well-equipped, if not more so, than what you’d find at Center Parcs. The kitchens are kitted out for a proper self-catering holiday – no mini fridges here! Expect a toaster, kettle, oven, hob, dishwasher and microwave, plus a full-size fridge and freezer.
Despite the chilly weather outside, our lodge was kept cosy and warm thanks to efficient electric radiators with individual controllers (though do keep an eye on these if you’re travelling with little ones – they can get hot), reports OK!.
Complimentary WiFi is available in all the lodges and the main hotel, and we found it worked a treat. You can connect up to four devices per room or lodge.
Many of the lodges are currently being upgraded to top-of-the-range new buildings. We didn’t notice any signs of the works, but it might be worth ringing the Estate to check on timelines.
There are often deals to be had if you book direct, such as 25% off lodge stays between 1 December 2025 and 21 March 2026.
Restaurant and bar
There are two on-site options for food and drinks – the a la carte Monteath’s Restaurant, and The Gatehouse Bar.
The latter serves a light menu from 12.30pm to 9pm, and you can also order from the restaurant between 5pm and 9pm. A tip – we can recommend trying the Estate’s very own Gatehouse Gin – and our bartender made a mean espresso martini.
The restaurant has a solid menu, with traditional Scottish fare like smoked salmon pate (£10) and haggis pakora (£10) on the starter menu (we can vouch for the haggis pakora although be warned – the portions were generous!), and fish and chips (£18.50), mac and cheese (£17) and 8oz sirloin steak (£39) on the mains.
The steak was particularly good, and despite emptying our plates, we still had room for a delicious sticky toffee pudding (£9) for dessert.
Is it child-friendly?
Yes, very. There’s lots of safe spaces for young ones to run around, plus a separate kids’ pool in the Leisure Centre.
Our lodge had a retractable stair gate downstairs, useful for keeping both four-legged and small children on one floor. The pub has a large outdoor area with lots of tables – and if you’re lucky with the weather, a selection of things to entertain large and small kids, including an inflatable slide and a giant Connect 4 game.
The Beauty by Brenda spa also offers a Little Miss Manicure for ages seven to 12 (£15), which we thought was a sweet addition to the menu.
Spa and pool
The spa area is complimentary for Estate guests, you just need to ring ahead to reserve a slot, or turn up and cross your fingers. Towels were supplied and we could store our clothes in electronic lockers using a pin number, so there was no need to fret about keeping tabs on wristbands, which is always a plus.
In addition to the heated indoor pool, there’s also a hot tub, sauna and steam room – not forgetting a gym, for those more committed than us.
The leisure centre’s Beauty by Brenda spa appears to have something of a cult following around these parts, and while we didn’t encounter Brenda herself, we can vouch that our head and shoulders massage, and our 30-minute luxury facial, lived up to the buzz. There’s one treatment room, so booking is crucial.
We were particularly fond of the range of treatment durations (and prices) available – from a half hour aromatherapy massage (£50) up to a 90-minute Top to Toe massage (£90).
Is Wyndham Duchally Country Estate dog friendly?
This is one of the benefits – it’s a dog-friendly site and a maximum of two dogs are permitted in selected lodges. Just a heads up, you need to book a pet space in advance, and they’re not allowed in the main hotel rooms, Monteath’s restaurant or hotel bar.
The location is an ideal base for walkers and their well-behaved dogs (we felt a bit sorry for the bloke in chest-high pond water trying to retrieve his overexcited duck-chasing dog!).
What is there to do around Wyndham Duchally Country Estate?
This is the perfect spot for those who love the great outdoors (though snuggling up in a lodge for the weekend is equally appealing), with an abundance of countryside, public footpaths, fishing spots and mountain bike trails to explore.
It’s just a half-hour drive from Perth, and you’ll find Drummond Castle and Scone Palace nearby.
For those with children (or animal lovers), Blair Drummond Safari Park is also about 30 minutes away by car, and Estate guests receive a 10% discount on the entrance fee.
The renowned Gleneagles hotel and golf course is just a stone’s throw away, as is Auchterarder Golf Club. So if you fancy a round of golf without splashing out on hotel prices, Wyndham Estate is a win-win.
A Murder Mystery evening
As avid fans of all the Traitors series, we were over the moon to partake in our very own murder mystery night at Wyndham Estate. Hosted by Spirit of Glasgow company, we were treated to a thrilling live-action murder mystery play – The Dalliance – complete with a three-course dinner and plenty of chances for some real detective work.
The cast members remain in character and occasionally mingle in the dining area to converse with each other and answer guest’s queries (not that it aided our team…).
Regrettably, our team performed about as well as the current batch of Celebrity Traitor devotees, failing to correctly pinpoint the killer… However, it was a fantastically enjoyable evening, with a blend of singles, couples, mates and a hen do.
Find out more about the Estate and book at Wyndham Duchally Country Estate.
