In Scotland, travelers will find a beloved breed of cows along with haggis and glens. They’ll also discover a new take on luxury. Luxury Gold, a brand of The Travel Corporation, is launching an itinerary there this year as part of TTC’s largest itinerary expansion in years.
I traveled there in October for an itinerary preview, along with a crew of the company’s top-performing travel advisors.
Over five days, we zipped across the country from Edinburgh to the Highlands to Loch Lomond on an abbreviated version of the Spectacular Scotland itinerary, which officially launches in April at $8,995 per person.
Luxury Gold created the itinerary alongside VisitScotland after the destination marketing organization reported growing demand for high-end, immersive travel to the country. Demand for the tour is already strong, and it’s proving to be a top destination for Luxury Gold in 2026, said Whitney Ramirez, senior vice president of sales at TTC Tour Brands.
As the company name implies, the itinerary is luxury, but it was the deep focus on local experiences and lodging that stood out.
The itinerary includes stays in charming hotels — for example, the Kimpton Charlotte Hotel in Edinburgh, Murrayshall Country Estate in Perth, the Dornoch Station Hotel in Dornoch, Knipoch House Hotel in Oban and Cameron House in Loch Lomond — and experiences that support locals in tourism.
Our group stayed at The Old Manse of Blair in Pitlochry, which will serve as an alternative hotel for when the Murrayshall is not available.
Becca Clark, an advisor with Fox World Travel in De Pere, Wis., receives many inquiries about Scotland from clients; she said the quality of lodging made the trip’s price point a great value.
Visiting Scotland with Luxury Gold
A standout moment for Clark was visiting Prickly Thistle, a woman-owned tartan weaving mill in the Highlands. The visit is one of Luxury Gold’s “Make Travel Matter” experiences, a sustainable activity based on criteria related to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
Our group was energized by Clare Campbell, the founder of Prickly Thistle, who said she was inspired to launch the mill upon learning that no other tartan mills exist in the Highlands, despite the region’s ancient relationship to the design. Today, Prickly Thistle is the only one of its kind in the Highlands, giving visitors an unprecedented glimpse of the creation of the fabric.
“I thought that was so cool to get a behind-the-scenes view of how they do it on a small scale, not just a big mass-producing mill,” Clark said.
Even on a truncated version of the itinerary, it was clear the trip was well balanced in its excursions, offering something for everyone. History buffs will enjoy the trip to Culloden Battlefield, the site of the final Jacobite battle, while nature lovers will appreciate the trip to Glencoe, a stunning natural area. And whisky snobs will surely savor the opportunities to enjoy their favorite drink straight from the source, including sampling the liquor at Tobermory Distillery on the Isle of Mull.
Josh Rosenblatt, an advisor with AAA Northeast in Providence, R.I., said his clients will absolutely be interested in the itinerary due to the fine dining included — each Luxury Gold itinerary features a Michelin-starred meal; ours was at Unalome in Glasgow — and diverse experiences, ranging from a nature walk with an environmentalist to an archery lesson.
“My clients would love this trip,” he said. “I think the luxury side would be a big draw for a huge portion of my clients. Getting to stay in the countryside estates, getting out of the city, really getting to see the wild side of Scotland, I think that’s going to be a huge draw for a lot of people.”