Peebles Hydro

Rooms are traditional in style, with a light colour scheme and the essentials you'll actually use on a golf break: free Wi-Fi, tea and coffee, TV, heating and a toiletries-stocked bathroom. If you can, go for a view across the Borders countryside. It's a great backdrop to breakfast.

Many rooms look out over the Scottish Borders, and you'll find the same outlook from the dining room. The main restaurant focuses on Scottish produce and local flavour, with breakfast and dinner served in-house. The kitchen leans on local suppliers and seasonal ingredients, and the setting makes it a pleasant spot to finish the day. If you're here with a group, the hotel can accommodate larger parties and has the space to handle societies comfortably.

The hotel caters well for golfers who want to stay active or unwind between rounds. There's a gym and swimming pool if you want to keep moving, and a spa for when you'd rather put your feet up. The facilities are well-maintained and give you options whether you're recovering from a hilly round or just filling time before dinner.

The 1881 Distillery experience is worth booking if you're staying more than a night or two. The three-hour sessions walk you through the gin-making process and let you taste the range, including the award-winning Rafters, which carries a gentle smoke note that nods to the hotel's history. It's a nice counterpoint to a day on the course and gives you something different to do as a group. The distillery sits right above the original pool, so you're not leaving the property, which keeps things simple if you're on a tight schedule.

Dining is straightforward and Scottish-focused. The restaurant serves breakfast and dinner with valley views, and the menu reflects what's in season locally. It's not fine dining, but it's honest cooking with good ingredients, and after a day walking the Borders hills, that's usually what you want. The hotel has the capacity to handle larger groups without feeling stretched, so if you're organising a society trip, they'll look after you properly.