John O'Groats Luxury Lodges and Apartments

The little seafront village of John O'Groats has an importance way beyond its size. Mainland Britain's most northerly point is famous the world over as a point of pilgrimage and adventure, set on a stunning coast, with dramatic cliffs, sea stacks, sandy beaches and wild scenery to all sides. You're going to want accommodation to match, and at the old inn – once the original John O'Groats Hotel, built in 1875 – there is now a fabulous array of options following a complete overhaul of facilities.

The inn itself has an eye-catching Scandinavian-style extension, with the spaces converted into individually designed, self-catering apartments with one, two or four bedrooms. These are stunning, spacious places to stay, with high-quality facilities, superior kitchens and a keen sense of style. Most have extraordinary coastal views, and range from one-bed studios to a truly huge apartment with four en-suite bedrooms. If you want a bit of quirk, then the octagonal penthouse is the one for you, a stupendous one-bedroom apartment on two floors which comes with a free-standing, copper, roll-top bath and 180-degree views from the windows.

There have always been rooms at the inn – though never so flash as now – but a brand new venture at the site has also added over twenty self-catering lodges, set on the landward side of the inn and many with their own extensive sea views. The centrally heated lodges have three handsome bedrooms and large, open decks, while huge glass frontages mean plenty of natural light, terrific views and the ability to move indoors or out as the mood (or weather) takes you. Again, these are sharp, chic living spaces and are really well-equipped, whether you're recovering after adventurous days out or settling in for a home-cooked meal. Kids are well provided for too – depending on the lodge, there are games consoles and smart TVs with streaming options – and if the weather tuns, you can hunker down in front of the wood-burner.

Just getting here is one of the UK's best adventures, but John O'Groats makes a great base in any case for some serious coastal Highland exploration, whether you're following the North Coast 500 or just pootling from white-sand beach to dramatic viewpoint. There's a cafe a short walk from the site, a children's playground and some little shops in the village, and beyond that all the nature and wildlife you could possibly want, from whale-watching to puffin-spotting.