The best base for each destination, how far ahead to book, and a few well-located hotels to start your search.
Where you sleep shapes a Scottish trip more than in most countries, because the scenery is spread out and the roads are slow. Two rules cover most situations. First, choose fewer bases and stay longer: two or three nights in one place beats a new bed every night. Second, book the scarce places first. Skye, Mull, Harris, the north coast and Edinburgh in August have far more visitors than rooms, so fix those nights before anything else.
Accommodation ranges from city hotels and country-house hotels to B&Bs, inns with rooms, self-catering cottages, hostels and bunkhouses. In the Highlands and islands many places are small and family run, some close in winter, and a two-night minimum is common in summer.
Which base for which trip?
Base
Good for
Book ahead?
Edinburgh
First visits, festivals, day tours in every direction
Essential in August and at Hogmanay
Glasgow
Culture and nightlife, Loch Lomond, the west coast
Usually easy; busy on big concert weekends
Inverness
Loch Ness, Culloden, Skye day tours, the NC500
Advisable May–September
Fort William / Glencoe
Hiking, Ben Nevis, Glenfinnan, the Road to the Isles
Advisable in summer
Portree (Skye)
The Trotternish sights, restaurants, tours
Months ahead for June–August
Aviemore / Speyside
The Cairngorms, family activities, distilleries
Advisable in summer and ski season
Oban / Tobermory
Mull, Iona, Staffa and wildlife trips
Advisable in summer
Kirkwall / Stornoway
Orkney and the Outer Hebrides
Essential in summer; limited rooms
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Hotels by destination
Three well-located places in each destination, with a link to every hotel in the area.
For a short stay, sleep in or beside the Old Town or the New Town, where everything is within walking distance. Leith and Stockbridge have more local character and better-value restaurants, a short bus or tram ride out.
The Balmoral Hotel
The grand railway hotel with the clock tower at the east end of Princes Street, directly above Waverley station — the landmark five-star address.
Stay in the city centre or the Merchant City for stations, shopping and nightlife, or in the West End or Finnieston for museums, parks and the best restaurants. The Subway links them in ten minutes.
Kimpton Blythswood Square Hotel & Spa
A five-star hotel and spa in a Georgian terrace on a quiet garden square, five minutes’ walk uphill from Buchanan Street.
Stay in the Old Town or near the station to walk everywhere. Bridge of Allan, a Victorian spa village a few minutes north by train, and Dunblane, with its cathedral, are pleasant alternatives.
Stirling Highland Hotel
A characterful hotel in a converted Victorian school just below the castle, in the heart of the Old Town.
St Andrews is the obvious and most enjoyable base, with everything in walking distance. For something quieter and cheaper, stay in Anstruther or Crail in the East Neuk; with a car, the whole of Fife is within 45 minutes.
Old Course Hotel St Andrews
The famous five-star resort hotel beside the 17th “Road Hole” of the Old Course, with a spa and views across the links to the sea.
Luss and the west shore are the prettiest and most convenient for the A82. Balloch has the railway station and the most cruises. Balmaha and Drymen on the quieter east shore suit walkers; Callander and Aberfoyle are the bases for the Trossachs.
Cameron House on Loch Lomond
A five-star resort in a baronial mansion on the south-west shore, with a spa, golf and its own marina.
Stay in or near Glencoe village or Ballachulish for scenery and walks from the door, or in Fort William for the station, shops, restaurants and Ben Nevis. Glenfinnan has a few characterful places for a quieter night.
Inverlochy Castle Hotel
A luxurious 19th-century baronial mansion in its own grounds just north of Fort William, long regarded as one of the finest hotels in the Highlands.
Inverness is the best base for almost everyone, with all the transport and tours. For a quieter stay on the loch itself, choose Drumnadrochit (near Urquhart Castle), Fort Augustus at the southern end, or the peaceful south shore around Dores and Foyers.
Kingsmills Hotel
A long-established four-star hotel in its own gardens about a mile from the city centre, with a pool and spa.
Aviemore is the practical base for the national park and has the railway. For whisky, stay in Craigellachie, Aberlour or Dufftown, so that you can walk or take a taxi to dinner and the bar. Grantown-on-Spey sits handily between the two. For Balmoral, choose Braemar or Ballater.
Cairngorm Hotel
A traditional Highland hotel directly opposite Aviemore railway station, with a lively bar and restaurant.
Portree is the most convenient base, central for the north of the island and with by far the most restaurants. Broadford is handy for the bridge, Elgol and the south; Dunvegan and Carbost suit the west; Sligachan is the mountaineers’ crossroads. Wherever you stay, book as early as you can.
Cuillin Hills Hotel
A country-house hotel in its own grounds on the edge of Portree, looking across the bay to the Cuillin.
Tobermory has the most places to stay and eat but is 1¼–1½ hours’ drive from the Iona ferry. Craignure is by the main ferry terminal; Fionnphort and Bunessan on the Ross of Mull are best for Iona and Staffa. You can also stay on Iona itself, or use Oban on the mainland as a base for day tours.
Isle of Mull Hotel & Spa
A large, modern hotel with a pool and spa on the bay at Craignure, a few minutes from the main ferry terminal.
Stornoway has the most hotels, restaurants and services and suits a visit to Lewis. For Harris, stay in or around Tarbert or along the west coast near the beaches. Many of the best places are self-catering cottages and small B&Bs scattered through the townships — book months ahead for summer.
Royal Hotel
A traditional hotel on the harbour front in the centre of Stornoway, a short walk from the ferry terminal.
Kirkwall is the capital and the most practical base, with the widest choice of rooms and restaurants and the bus station. Stromness is smaller, prettier and nearer the Neolithic sites and the Scrabster ferry. Both are within 30 minutes of almost everything on the Mainland.
The Kirkwall Hotel
A Victorian hotel on the harbour front in Kirkwall, a few minutes’ walk from the cathedral and the bus station.
Free cancellation is worth paying a little extra for in a country where ferries and weather can change your route.
Check the location on a map. “Near Portree” or “Loch Ness area” can mean a 30-minute drive on a single-track road.
Ask about dinner. In remote areas the hotel may be the only place to eat, and kitchens close early.
Edinburgh’s visitor levy applies to stays in the city from 24 July 2026 — see our travel guide.
Arriving late? Tell small B&Bs your arrival time; many have no night reception.
For area-by-area advice, open the travel guide page of any destination.
Plan your Scotland trip
See more of Scotland with less planning
From a castle ticket in Edinburgh to three days on Skye, the best-reviewed tours sell out in summer. Compare options, check live prices and reserve your place in a couple of taps.
How far in advance should I book accommodation in Scotland?
For Skye, the islands and the north coast between June and August, and for Edinburgh in August, three to six months ahead. Elsewhere and at other times, a few weeks is usually enough.
Is it better to stay in Edinburgh or Glasgow?
Edinburgh for a first visit and the classic sights; Glasgow for better-value rooms, music, food and quicker access to Loch Lomond and the west. They are 50 minutes apart by train, so you can easily see both.
Where should I stay to visit the Isle of Skye?
Portree is the most practical base, with the widest choice of rooms and restaurants. Broadford, Dunvegan and Sligachan are good alternatives. See our Skye guide.
Are there hotels on the North Coast 500?
Yes, but they are small and far apart, and they fill early. Plan the overnight stops first and book every night before you set off.
