With international arrivals seeking out everything from city experiences like the Royal Mile and Edinburgh Castle to the majestic Highlands that have inspired literature for centuries, Scotland continues to see a spike in tourism numbers across spending categories.
The 4.4 million international arrivals who came to Scotland in 2024 and the last year for which numbers are available are an increase of more than 25% from pre-pandemic numbers in 2019.
Luxury spenders, which in the industry is typically defined as the top 10% or those spending over $25,000 USD per trip, pumped in over £3.6 billion ($4.79 billion USD) into the Scottish economy in previous years.
New Edinburgh Grand is the first Marriott Luxury Collection hotel in Scotland
With the number of high-spending tourists continuing to grow, a number of luxury hotel chains have set their sights on the country for their expansion plans. Marriott just opened the doors to the first property under its Luxury Collection brand in Scotland with The Edinburgh Grand.
The 50-room property has been reconverted from a building that once housed the original Royal Bank of Scotland by real estate investment company Chris Stewart Group.
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The underground section that once held the vaults full of money have been converted into a dry spa lined with with three treatment rooms. The space plays into the vault look with walls made of oak and stone while the treatments were designed by prestigious Spanish skincare brand Skeyndor.
The cosmetic technology facials and body therapy treatments have already launched at St Pancras Hotel spa in London in 2025 as the brand sets to make more of a footprint in the United Kingdom.
“Together, they developed purpose-built treatment rooms that embody a carefully considered, peaceful atmosphere, enabling us to deliver a truly intentional and exceptionally relaxing experience for our guests,” The Edinburgh Grand head of spa and wellness Catriona Ross said in a statement.
Over in the Scottish Highlands, the new five-star luxury hotel Dun Aluinn is also opening later in April. Converted from a private estate that was mostly used to host exclusive events, it will now host individual guests to the Tay Valley in Perthshire starting at £2,500 per night.
The Edinburgh Grand
LVMH distillery Ardbeg steps into hospitality scene, private estate converted into Highlands luxury hotel
Another new property, the 12-room Ardbeg House on the Islay island, opened its doors in the summer of 2025 and ended up quickly landing on lists of the best places to stay in Scotland.
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Ardbeg is a Scottish whiskey distillery that was founded by local Islay resident John McDougall in 1815 and is now under the LVMH portfolio; it is the whiskey brand’s first entry into the hotel space with a very unique design full of red and brown colors, nautical references and bespoke rooms built in a spooky vibe in reference to local island legends.
Artwork from more than 20 Scottish artists and makers are also spread throughout the space that bridges that aesthetic gap between distillery and hotel.
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