The MacDonald Cardrona Hotel, Golf & Spa is located at Peebles near Edinburgh, Scotland
Peebles once played a key role in the Borders wool industry, but times have changed.
Most mills closed by the 1960s and now the town is home to many people who commute to work in Scotland's capital.
Peebles is also now a popular tourist destination, especially in the summer.
Notable buildings in the area include Neidpath Castle along the picturesque banks of the River Tweed.
Nearby sits Traquair, Scotland's oldest inhabited house, which includes Scotland's largest hedged maze covering over half and acre, a children's adventure playground, a 300-year-old brewery producing iconic Scottish ales and woodland walks.
Other local attractions include Kailzie Gardens providing a rich variety of colour - there is also a well-stocked trout fishery - and the nearby town has won multiple awards for the range of shops on its High Street which includes a wonderful, old-fashioned ironmongers.
We stayed at the well-appointed Macdonald Cardrona Hotel golf and spa. It was easy to find and only 40 minutes drive from Edinburgh (it is 90 minutes from Glasgow).
Our spacious room enjoyed a wonderful view of the surrounding hills - on this occasion they were snowbound - and the fast-flowing River Tweed. The bedroom included a comfortable king-sized bed.
A restaurant, two bars, 99 bedrooms plus conference and wedding facilities is available to guests and the temperature may have been minus 5C, but the welcome from staff was warm.
The hotel provided an ideal platform for touring the local countryside and villages, including Innerleithen.
The four-star hotel's 18m swimming pool has views over the golf course to the river and the nearby hills and boasts an adjacent well-equipped gym.
We attended a function. The winter vegetable and lentil soup was one of the best versions of that I've tasted.
Pity about the overcooked parsnips in the seasonal vegetable range presented with the main course, but the braised rib blade of Scottish beef was excellent.
Chocolate and cherry delice, black cherry and vanilla cream sauce was also appreciated.
In all, a pleasant stay but the hotel does need some investment to tidy up fabric and furnishings.