Family friendly acommodations in Scotland

When E was about 3 months, we went to Scotland for my cousin's wedding (which took place at the top of a mountain at this beautiful monument). Although we had planned to only go for 10 days at first and go to Italy for another 10 days, we ended up saving Italy for the future (i'm still waiting) and spending the full 3 weeks for a complete road trip, north to south. Along the way we came across some great places, and some not-so-great places - the type where the people who own the b&b say "oh... you have a baby" in the same way one would say "oh... you have the measels" and then would say "well... we don't have any cribs" and then I would explain that at 3 months E would be sleeping with my husband and I anyway and then they would look at m in a funny way... but enough about them!!! Here are some of the good ones:

Islay was one of our favorite places we went to. This small island off the west coast of scotland offers amazing landscapes, great whiskey (there are 8 distilleries on this small island including Ardbeg, Lagavulin, Laphroaig, Bowmore, Bruichladdich,  Lochindaal (owned & operated by Bruichladdich) Bunnahabhain, Coal Ila, and the microdistillery Kilchoman Distillery) and great people.

The Bruichladdich Distillery, Islay Scotland

We stayed at this great little b&b just down the road form the Bruichladdich distillery called the Anchorage B&B. More than happy to do anything she could to accommodate us Mrs. Macdonald also makes a great breakfast and will make you a packed lunch upon request. It's hard to be far from anything on Islay (pronounced eye-la), so even though the island's big town is Bowmore (home of the distillery of the same name) is not close, it's also never a far drive. The only thing is this: don't get caught without dinner reservations. I can't bold/underline this enough. There are only about 5 restaurants on the island and all get filled quick. Really quick. And there's not much else. Otherwise, it's heaven.

The Anchorage B&B, Islay Scotland

The round church in Bowmore, Islay Scotland

My cousin had his wedding at the Ben Wyvis Hotel in Strathpeffer, a former spa town where people in the Victorian era would travel to to "take the waters" of the sulphurous springs for their purported health benefits. The town still has a spa, though no longer offering the benefits of the sulphur springs, and offers some of the best of the Scottish Highlands. For total comfort, splurge on the Superior rooms as the difference is totally worth it. Brunch has everything you can ask for and did I mention the hotel had it's own movie theater (in case you have to spend time inside)?

Superior room at the Ben Wyvis Hotel in Strathpeffer, Scotland

Ben Wyvis Hotel, Strathpeffer Scotland

Me and baby E on the ferry to the Orkney Islands, Scotland