A few weeks ago I had the pleasure of a weekend stay at Whitekirk Hill Lodges, located just outside of North Berwick in Scotland. There are a selection of luxury lodges for groups of all sizes on site, they’re dog friendly and on-site facilities also include a gym, bar and restaurant, spa and kids play barn. It’s perfect for a weekend escape with everything you need to hand.

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary 2 night stay at Whitekirk Hill 

Found in the hills of North Berwick which is actually the East Lothian region of Scotland, you’ll be surrounded by peace and quiet for a secluded stay, and views for miles. These luxury lodges are an ideal retreat for everyone including families, couples, groups of friends and get togethers for an occasion. Don’t leave the dog behind either, it’s very dog friendly!

Check In At Whitekirk Hill 

It’s just under a two hour drive from Newcastle up to Whitekirk Hill if you’re heading straight there, and you can check in on site from 4pm. It’s easily got to and sign posted well, so you pull up in the car park outside the main complex.

The first thing I noticed was how dog friendly it was from the start, as just outside the entrance is a dog water station with four big bowls. 

Heading inside to reception to pick up my key I passed the restaurant and cafe, which also opens out onto the outside terrace. It looked really nice, but I passed for the moment and went to get my key.

Reception check you in and give you directions to your lodge. All the lodges are just a minutes drive away from the main building so they are also walkable, but they are up the hill. There are clear signs asking anyone who isn’t staying to respect guest privacy even if you’re walking the hills which is a nice touch. I didn’t see another soul other than lodge guests the entire duration of our stay.

The Whitekirk Hill lodges offer a range of accommodation options to suit every visitor, from two person studio lodges such as the one we were in – Weir Lodge, to lodges with multiple bedrooms that sleep four, six or even ten people.

Weir Lodge at Whitekirk Hill

Weir Lodge was right at the end so I passed all the others that varied in size on my way through the route and have to say they all look fabulous. They all have parking right by the lodge which makes it so easy for carrying all your bags and food in. 

Another very useful feature that I’ve not seen on many lodges was the sheltered outdoor porch area that houses three bins for recycling, some of the cleaning equipment for inside and plenty of space to dump bags on arrival, but also somewhere to put shoes or wellies if it’s raining. It makes such a difference having that outside area but still sheltered rather than have to have everything inside, and I imagine it would be even better in winter. 

Inside the lodge it was beautiful, stylishly designed with contemporary furniture and modern amenities. Weir lodge opened to the entranceway, with the bathroom to the right. The bathroom was just as modern as the rest of the lodge, with a bath and a big walk in shower. Bathrooms make all the difference for a luxury feel if you ask me, and they provided fluffy bath robes, slippers and an eye mask.

Walking through you come to the open plan kitchen, which had everything you could possibly need including a dishwasher, microwave, oven and hob and a table and chair. Sitting on top was a bottle of prosecco – a very nice welcome!

The half kitchen wall panel separates the kitchen area from my favourite bit, the enormous bed that faces out towards the glass front of the lodge overlooking the view. There’s also two bedside tables, a full length mirror and a chest of drawers in this area. 

The final third of the room is a spacious seating area with sofa and armchair, and a big flat screen TV on the wall that you could pull out to watch from the bed if you wished. That’s how I enjoyed Glasto for the weekend! There’s also Wi-Fi within the lodges if you want to stay connected, but there is no signal certainly in this lodge, so if you want a digital detox you can have the option.

The lodges at Whitekirk Hill are designed to provide a luxurious and rejuvenating experience for guests, so most come equipped with private hot tubs, including Weir Lodge. It was outside in it’s own little area, and being wood fired the staff had kindly pre heated it for us, so we could get straight in. 

The layout of the lodges to each other gives the privacy that you can soak in the breathtaking views while enjoying the hot tub, and the outside deck has enough shelter that if you do get a summer storm, or worse weather in winter you can still enjoy the outdoors. The perfect way to unwind and begin your break.

Things to do at Whitekirk Hill

To enhance your stay further, Whitekirk Hill offers a range of facilities for you to enjoy as part of your stay. The on-site spa, Spa on the Hill can be booked for a full range of treatments, which you can view online here, and day or half day experiences.

The leisure club has a big swimming pool, a gym, sauna and steam room, and they also offer a range of fitness and yoga classes to enjoy as part of your stay. I did have the intention to go into the spa, but we were really enjoying making food in the lodge, the hot tub and Glastonbury that we kept ourselves secluded in the lodge. I’d absolutely make the most of the facilities in future.

The orangery and walled terrace also on site looked a great option for eating out during the day, and easily walked to down the hill from the lodges. They’re open daily from 10-12pm for brunch, and 12-5pm for lunch and the afternoon. 

There are different menus depending on the time, and there is a children’s menu available too. Dogs are welcome so you don’t need to leave them behind in the lodge. See full details of the orangery and menus on the Whitekirk Hill website here.

Things To Do While Staying At Whitekirk Hill

For those seeking outdoor activities, Whitekirk Hill Lodges offer a great base from which to do them. Nature enthusiasts can indulge in picturesque walks along the nearby Seacliff Beach. The John Muir Way hiking trail is also accessible nearby. Whitekirk Hill offer some further suggestions here.

You could also visit towns such as North Berwick, Dunbar, Gullane and even Edinburgh which is a 45 minute drive away. We spent the lunchtime we arrived in Gullane and ate at the Bonnie Badger, which was fabulous. If you can make time to visit I’d definitely recommend doing so and book in advance as it’s so popular. 

On our full day up there we went to Dalkeith Country Park, somewhere I’d previously visited that has so much to do you can really make a day of it. The park has miles of country and forest walks to enjoy, with picnic spots and coloured trails to follow at different levels of difficulty. 

You can go wildlife spotting, and visit Restoration Yard that has a lovely lifestyle shop, a takeaway coffee shop, an ice cream parlour and The Kitchen – a restaurant where you can book for a proper meal or just enjoy coffee and cake. There is indoor and outdoor seating available on the terrace here. 

Dalkeith Palace is within the grounds, and so is Go Ape and Fort Douglas, a huge adventure playground that you can book at an additional cost for kids. Dogs are welcome and it’s great for them there is so much space, but they do need to be on leads. They also can’t go inside the shop or The Kitchen but they can be on the terraces, there are lots of water bowls and bins dotted around the park. Parking is just £3 per day which you pay on entry.

Whitekirk Hill Lodges is a brilliant place to stay for the best of everything this area of Scotland has to offer. A secluded luxury sanctuary if you’re looking for peace and quiet in beautiful surroundings, but easily accessible to plenty to see and do. I’d absolutely return in futurel, I think they’d be great for a group visit in one of the bigger lodges with friends too.