Beautiful little UK seaside town with a tiny hotel named one of world's best

19 November 2023 , 11:42

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Despite its small size, it is the largest town between Helensburgh and Fort William, the latter being the famous stop-off point for those wanting to climb Ben Nevis (Image: Getty Images/iStockphoto)

Oban, hidden in the Scottish Highlands, is a hidden gem within the luscious landscape - where steep valleys give way to green lands peppered with mountains.

With the dreamy town close to heaven, it's an incredible getaway location to spend a quiet weekend. If you're wondering where to stay, then look no further, as a little boutique hotel in Oban earned the title of one of the world's "hottest" such establishments in a global survey carried out by Trip Advisor.

No.26 By The Sea is the only UK destination to feature on the list, and it's easy to see why. Securing the number 25 spot, visitors have described the place as a "sensation" and "perfection", and it secured a rare five-star rating on the holiday website. Owner Paul Sloan said: “We’re delighted to be recognised by Tripadvisor as one of the 25 hottest new hotels in the world.

“It really pays tribute to the fantastic work all members of the team do to ensure our guests have the most enjoyable visit possible, but also everything that Oban has to offer.”

With the dreamy town close to heaven, its an incredible getaway location to spend a quiet weekend (Getty Images)

The Express reported that few will have heard of Oban, and less than 200 people have actually reviewed the hotel. Oban, or An t-Òban, is Scottish Gaelic for 'The Little Bay', a place so picturesque it may as well have been taken out of a photography book.

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Despite its small size, it is the largest town between Helensburgh and Fort William, the latter being the famous stop-off point for those wanting to climb Ben Nevis.

Oban Bay forms a near-perfect and stunning horseshoe shape and is protected by the Island of Kerrera, creating something akin to a microclimate in which winds rarely penetrate.

The town has been settled since at least mesolithic times — the Middle Stone Age — and we know this because of evidence of cave dwellers found by archaeologists. It makes for a rich cultural and exploration destination, and added to this is the great and ancient Dunollie Castle.

The castle sits on a site that overlooks the main entrance to the bay and has been fortified since the Bronze Age, a time in which Stonehenge's burial mounds were built, just to put things into context There are lots of other things to do for those who add Oban to their travel itineraries, like the Oban Distillers, McCaig's Tower, the Oban War & Peace Museum, the beautiful Arduaine Garden, as well as a museum on the site of the castle.

Ancient places of worship can be visited, and day trips on the Caledonian MacBrayne can also be booked in advance. A cosy winter escape, a spring getaway, or an extended summer break next year — Oban should be on anyone's calling card in the next 12 months

It isn't just Oban that boasts some of the world's best hotels. Three UK hotels have earned themselves a place among the top 100 in the world. London, Edinburgh and Moreton-in-Marsh each boast an entry in Travel & Leisure 's new rankings. The list does not rank the hotels in order, instead simply considering whether each is worthy of a place among the finest hotels the world has to offer.

Joel Day