The ultimate guide to family-friendly spa breaks: Scotland

Get away from it all with a holiday to this west coast island. At Auchrannie Resort you can choose between spa resort rooms and self-catering luxury lodges. The rooms and suites include a range of options such as separate kid’s rooms, hot tubs and private balconies. Dogs are welcome too, so the whole family can relax together.

In the games hall, you’ll find everything you need for a range of ball sports, with or without the kids. The gym offers an excellent range of classes, including yoga to help you wind down. Continue relaxation at the spa, or opt for one of the island’s seven golf courses if that’s more your thing.

The Isle of Arran is perfect for a family adventure. Visit Brodick Castle, Garden & Country Park for its beautiful walks and excellent wooden play area. It might seem like a small island, but the opportunities for family fun are endless – you can fill your days with disc golf or crazy golf, sweeping beaches, boat tours, 4×4 safaris and pony trekking.

This five-star luxury hotel will certainly tick a lot of boxes. The Gleneagles Hotel in Perthshire is famously home to three championship golf courses as well as an award-winning spa and exquisite restaurants, including Andrew Fairlie, the only restaurant in Scotland to be awarded two Michelin stars. It’s possible to request a free cot or add an extra bed to your luxury room or suite.

There is plenty to do with the whole family in the surrounding area. Take a trip to Stewart Tower Dairy to try the Italian-inspired gelato, meet the freisian cows and other farm yard animals including pygmy goats and mini Shetland ponies. Or step back in time at Castle Campbell, which is dramatically located in the lush Dollar Glen and is perfect for kids who love a good fairytale.

At Fairmont St Andrews you’ll find luxury rooms that feature a dash of tartan and excellent views of either the sea or over the famous golf courses. Cots and spare beds are available and you can request connecting rooms. There are also manor homes for larger parties.

Keen golfers will want to play a round while in St Andrews, The Home of Golf, so book into the Fairmont’s own courses The Kittocks or The Torrance Course – the latter was a qualifying course for the 2010 Open Championship. While you play golf or relax in the spa, you can book your child into the babysitting service.

The town of St Andrews is perfect for a seaside holiday. Kids will love paddling, sand castle building and indulging in ice cream or fish and chips. Join Blown Away on the beach for a family landyachting or stand-up paddle boarding experience to create long lasting memories. Or head to St Andrews Ladies Putting Club, where the undulating course will give the kids a fun taste of golf. Other local delights include St Andrews Cathedral, Craigtoun Country Park, St Andrews Aquarium and the Fife Coastal Path.

Located in the heart of the Cairngorms National Park, Hilton Coylumbridge is surrounded by a spectacular pine forest, jagged mountain peaks, peaceful lochs and will promise both a relaxing a stay and excellent access to the great outdoors.

If you choose a family suite you’ll benefit from having a separate room for the kids, where they can have their very own bunk beds and a TV. Cots, high chairs and bottle warmers are available for your youngest ones.

Make use of the free evening kids club or arrange for a partner or friend to supervise while you have some time to yourself in the spa, gym or hairdresser, hit the bar, which is adults-only after 8pm, or head for an adults-only swim session.

Aviemore is the perfect location for snowsports enthusiasts – kids can even have a go on the resort’s School of Snowsports dry slope and you can all hire equipment and even get your passes before heading to the real deal at nearby CairnGorm Mountain. Other attractions nearby include the Highland Wildlife Park, Cairngorm Reindeer Centre, RSPB Osprey Centre, Landmark Forest Adventure and Strathspey Railway.

Select from family rooms for two adults and two children, or the apartments which can sleep between four and eight at Macdonald Forest Hills Resort in Aberfoyle. You’ll find a spacious living area and fully equipped kitchen, including a Nespresso machine, and some rooms also feature a private sauna. Dining options include the Garden Restaurant and more relaxed Rafters Bar and Bistro. The swimming pool, sauna, steam room, gym and spa treatments will help you to relax and rejuvenate.

Situated in Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park, this hotel is the ideal base for active family fun, spectacular views and historic attractions. On the doorstep you’ll find Go Ape Aberfoyle, where you and your family can test your head for heights on an aerial assault course through the trees and keep an eye out for local wildlife. You’re also ideally placed for Stirling Castle, which is an exceptionally family friendly castle where your kids can play at dressing up as members of the court.

The glorious country setting of the Bowfield Hotel & Country Club will set a relaxing tone for your break. Book one of the recently refurbished family rooms and make full use of the pool, spa and gym, which includes a spin and dance studio. Perhaps your idea of pampering would be afternoon tea in the Plumpy Duck restaurant, or taking to the nearby New Howwood Trout Fishery for a spot of angling and returning to The Stables Bar & Lounge for a drink after.

The hotel is handily located 20 minutes from the city centre of Glasgow so you can take a day trip and enjoy the amazing free attractions such as Kelvingrove Museum & Art Gallery or the Riverside Museum. The area is also perfect for country walks, with Rouken Glen Park, Pollok Country Park and RSPB Lochwinnoch Nature Reserve all nearby. Local indoor activities include go karting and laser tag at The Experience, and snowsports, including sledging, on real snow at Snow Factor.