Thackray House in Callander is the kind of place where centuries of history meet timeless luxury. Painted a soft, romantic pale pink, the hotel stands out against the greens and golds of the Trossachs landscape, its story stretching all the way back to 1625. It has welcomed many guests over the years, including the Beatles during their 1964/65 UK tour, a visit now lovingly echoed in the name and playful theme of the Strawberry Fields Bistro. Set within 20 acres on the banks of the River Teith, the house has reawakened after a £3 million refurbishment; its walled garden flourishing, its interiors glowing with character, and its kitchen leaning wholeheartedly into garden‑to‑plate cooking. During my overnight stay, I wandered its grounds, slept soundly in the King James Room, and ate my way through the seasons: herbs snipped hours before service, vegetables lifted from the soil that morning, fruit ripened in the shelter of ancient stone walls. Thackray House is not just a place to stay; it’s a place that grows what it serves.

History of the Building

Dating back to 1625, Thackray House has lived many lives, each one leaving its mark on the pale‑pink walls that now glow softly against the Trossachs landscape. Once a country lodge for the Drummonds of Perthshire, the house passed through generations of Earls, Lords and Ladies, including James Drummond, a senior architect of the Jacobite movement. Its distinctive pink exterior is more than aesthetic charm; during the Jacobite era, this colour was often associated with Catholic and Jacobite‑leaning homes, many of which concealed secret passages and hiding places to protect those loyal to the cause. In the 1930s, the house entered a glamorous new chapter when it was purchased by Lili Damita, the French‑American silent film star who married Errol Flynn, ushering in a period of Hollywood sparkle in the Scottish countryside. Today, under the care of the Thackray family, the building has been lovingly restored into a modern country retreat that honours its past rather than overwriting it. The refurbishment is sympathetic rather than showy, preserving original stonework, timber beams and the quiet grandeur of a house that has watched centuries of Trossachs weather roll by. Set beside the River Teith, it has always been a natural gathering point, and that sense of heritage is still woven through every corridor, every fireplace, and every view out to the gardens.

The Hotel & Grounds

The hotel unfolds across its 20 acres like a small, self‑contained world: a walled garden bursting with herbs, flowers and vegetables; riverside paths that wind through wild grasses; tucked‑away benches for reading, resting or simply breathing in the fresh Callander air. Inside, the character deepens. The original wooden panels, lovingly restored to their warm, deep mahogany glow, wrap the rooms in a sense of age and intimacy, while the fireplaces act as natural focal points, drawing you in with their quiet grandeur.

Thackray House carries its history not just in stories, but in its architecture. Hidden doors and passages still exist from its Jacobite‑leaning past, including a secret panel that leads to a tiny chapel with its own discreet exterior entrance. In centuries gone by, priests would slip inside to marry couples in secret, protected by the house’s thick walls and quiet loyalty. Today, the chapel also holds a commemorative wreath honouring Mary, Queen of Scots; a nod to Scotland’s layered, often turbulent history.

From the library to the lounge, the bar to the soft corners designed for slow mornings, every space feels intentional, atmospheric and gently luxurious. It’s a peaceful base for exploring the Trossachs, but equally a place where you could happily stay put, letting the stories, the craftsmanship and the landscape do the talking.

The King James Room

My stay in the King James Room felt indulgent in that understated, countryside‑luxury way, the kind of comfort that doesn’t shout, but settles around you softly. The king‑size bed, dressed in crisp white linens, was impossibly inviting, framed by thick historic walls and deep windowsills that anchor the room in its centuries‑old character. Soft, warm lighting made the space feel cocooned and calm, while the jacuzzi bath added a touch of pure decadence, practically insisting on a long, slow soak after wandering the grounds.

The room blends period charm with modern practicality. The furniture is grand yet usable, with generous surfaces and plenty of space to unpack, spread out and feel at home. A welcome tray of freshly baked shortbread sets the tone immediately - thoughtful, homely, and delicious - while the tea and coffee station goes far beyond the basics, offering a proper selection of blends, biscuits and everything you need for a quiet moment of indulgence.

Hidden within the tall cupboard is a neatly organised stash of essentials: ironing board, hairdryer, and those small conveniences that make a stay feel effortless. Every detail has been considered, every touch intentional. Luxurious yet comfortable, historic yet modern, the King James Room feels like a retreat within a retreat, somewhere you can sink in, switch off, and let the quiet grandeur of Thackray House wrap around you.

The Italian marble clad bathroom brings a striking contrast to the period charm of the King James Room; sleek, modern and beautifully finished, yet somehow still adding to the overall sense of luxury. Its standout feature is the gorgeous jacuzzi bath, deep and inviting, with jets and bubbles that melt tension away and make unwinding feel effortless. The shower is superb, powerful and spacious, and the shelves are stocked with indulgent Penhaligon’s toiletries that elevate the experience even further. Large, white, fluffy towels complete the picture, wrapping you in comfort as soon as you step out.

Afternoon Tea in the Library

Afternoon tea at Thackray House is an experience you simply shouldn’t skip, an unhurried ritual best enjoyed in the library or the lounge, ideally with the fire glowing and the room wrapped in that soft, old‑world warmth the house does so well. Taken in the library, it becomes a gentle, elegant pause in the day. Surrounded by shelves of well‑loved books and deep armchairs, the entire spread arrives at once: plates, stands and tiers laden with savouries, sweets and warm bakes, creating a sense of abundance that feels both indulgent and inviting.

The savoury selection is generous and beautifully crafted; roast beef sandwiches layered with flavour, black pudding and apple sausage rolls paired with a silky garlic velouté for dunking, each bite comforting and rich. Then come the sweets, a procession of classics and house favourites: Dundee cake, delicate macarons, sticky toffee pudding in miniature, and of course the essential scones, both plain and fruit, served warm with jam and clotted cream. The scones alone could justify the visit.

Tea is served from a thoughtful selection of Ronnefeldt blends, while coffee lovers can opt for Caffia Coffee, both poured generously and topped up often. There’s a lot to enjoy, and it’s very much an afternoon tea designed to be lingered over; slow, sociable, and full of those small, delicious moments that make the experience feel special.

Dinner at Strawberry Fields Bistro

Dinner at Strawberry Fields Bistro is where Thackray House’s garden‑to‑plate ethos comes into full, glorious focus. Set within the gardens themselves, the bistro feels intrinsically connected to the ingredients it serves, much of it you can practically trace back to the soil, the beds, and the walled garden just a few steps away. We began with a generous, vibrant salad of leaves, herbs and vegetables, many harvested that very morning. It arrived alongside homemade flatbread still warm from the oven, the kind you instinctively tear with your hands. A handful of freshly picked herbs, coriander, dill, spring onions, were offered to wrap inside the warm bread before dunking into the accompanying sauce. “Delicious” doesn’t quite cover it; it was bright, fragrant, and deeply satisfying.

Next came the langoustines, ten of them for sharing, sweet, tender and unmistakably fresh. Sourced from the North of Scotland, they were served in their shells with aioli and a Kashmiri chilli and garlic chutney that added warmth without overpowering. There’s also a selection of Scottish smoked seafood on offer, a nod to the country’s coastal bounty.

For the main event, diners can choose between fish, steak or a vegetable platter, but we opted for the slow‑braised local shoulder of lamb. Cooked with oregano, garlic, lemon and pomegranate, it was beautifully tender and aromatic. The sides were just as memorable: creamed potatoes silky and comforting; roasted squash with harissa, yoghurt and pumpkin seeds offering sweetness and heat; and charred hispi cabbage with burnt butter, capers and parsley, a dish that tasted unmistakably of the season and the soil.

Dessert was a pavlova crowned with berries grown only metres away, a final flourish that perfectly encapsulated the bistro’s ethos. It’s rare to dine somewhere where you can point to the exact patch of earth your meal came from, but at Strawberry Fields Bistro, that connection is not just visible, it’s celebrated.

The Walled Garden & Riverside Walks

The walled garden is the beating heart of Thackray House. Flowers, herbs, fruit and vegetables grow in abundance, creating a sensory tapestry of colour, scent and texture. Bees hum, herbs release their fragrance as you brush past, and fruit trees lean gently into the warmth of the old stone walls. Beyond the garden, paths lead down to the River Teith, offering peaceful walks through tall grasses and quiet woodland. It’s a landscape that invites you to slow down, wander, and reconnect with the natural world.

Breakfast

Breakfast at Thackray House feels like the gentlest, most generous start to the day, unhurried, abundant and quietly luxurious. As soon as you’re seated, a basket of fresh pastries and breads arrives at the table, still warm and fragrant, alongside a bright, colourful bowl of fresh fruit. It’s a welcoming gesture that sets the tone immediately: simple ingredients, beautifully prepared, offered with genuine warmth.

Once teas, coffees and fruit juices are poured, it’s time to explore the breakfast menu. It ranges from comforting classics to indulgent favourites - bowls of creamy porridge (with a splash of whisky if you fancy), perfectly poached Eggs Benedict, and a full Scottish breakfast cooked with real care. Everything feels thoughtful and seasonal, echoing the garden‑to‑plate ethos of the night before.

It’s the kind of breakfast that encourages you to slow down, savour each plate, and enjoy the calm of the morning before heading back out into the Trossachs.

Thackray House leaves a lasting impression not just through its history or its landscapes, but through the way it treats food as an extension of place. Every plate feels rooted in the soil just outside the window, every herb and leaf carrying the story of the walled garden, every dish shaped by season, provenance and care. From afternoon tea to dinner in Strawberry Fields Bistro, from breakfast pastries to berries grown metres from the kitchen door, the hotel’s culinary ethos is woven through the entire experience. It’s a rare thing, a stay where you don’t just taste the landscape, you walk through it, breathe it in, and carry it with you long after you leave.

THINGS TO NOTE ABOUT THACKERY HOUSE

They are located in the town of Callander
There is free parking including disabled parking
Free wi-fi throughout
It is dog friendly
There are plenty of activities on offer including fishing, hill walking and golf
Deluxe rooms start around £250 per room depending on availability and time of year

Thackray House, Off Main Road, Callander, Stirlingshire, FK17 8BG https://www.thackrayhouse.com/

TartanSpoon is an award‑winning blog dedicated to uncovering the very best places to eat, drink and stay in Edinburgh, across Scotland, and beyond.

With a strong focus on food tourism, food destinations, and discovering the most exciting culinary experiences countries have to offer, TartanSpoon brings readers honest reviews, curated recommendations, and stories that celebrate the vibrant food and drink scene.

Adele is a writer and reviewer based in Edinburgh, passionate about showcasing the people, places and plates that make Scotland and other countries such standout destinations for food lovers.

If you’d like to work with, invite, or collaborate with TartanSpoon, please email tartanspoon@yahoo.co.uk.

Thackray House, Callander: A Garden‑to‑Plate Luxury Stay in the Trossachs