Value Hotels in Scotland
Trigony House - Complimentary Tea and Scones on Arrival Special Offer
Thornhill
Relaxed and relaxing, Jan and Adam Moore’s dog-friendly country hotel is in ‘a lovely setting looking out over the hills – very green and surrounded by trees’.
The Colonsay
Isle of Colonsay
It's a scenic crossing from Oban to this island of white-sand beaches, where the one hotel stands on a hillside overlooking the harbour with views to neighbouring Jura.
Argyll Hotel
Isle of Iona
You can take a cream tea on the grass in front of this homely hotel on a small, rugged island, and spot dolphins in the Sound of Iona.
The Ceilidh Place
Ullapool
Whether you want a ceilidh, a hooley or a quiet read, a drink or bistro meal, a bed or bunk, the Urquhart family’s hotel, in a fishing village set amid rugged mountains on the east shore of Loch Broom, can accommodate you.
Coul House
Strathpeffer
Set amid gardens and woodlands, this Georgian country house has been a labour of love for Susannah and Stuart Macpherson since they first opened to guests in 2003.
Eddrachilles Hotel
Scourie
The breathtakingly scenic North Coast 500 road passes the driveway to this 18th-century manse, now a small, friendly hotel, gazing over Badcall Bay.
Kylesku Hotel
Kylesku
In a ‘very beautiful spot’ on the remote, rocky shores of Loch Glendhu, an old coaching inn has been transformed into a modern hotel that takes full advantage of the beauty and bounty of its setting.
The Pierhouse
Port Appin
There are glorious views to Lismore and Mull across Loch Linnhe from the dining room and sun terraces of this hotel in a 'magic, peaceful place', once a drop-off point for steamships.
Barley Bree
Muthill
At the heart of the conservation village of ‘Mew-thil’, with views of the Earn valley and the Grampians, this flower-decked former inn is run by Fabrice and Alison Bouteloup as a welcoming restaurant-with-rooms.
Smiddy House
Spean Bridge
Whichever way you approach, it is a scenic drive to Robert Bryson and Glen Russell’s restaurant-with-rooms, at a crossroads in a south Highlands village.
The Dulaig
Grantown-on-Spey
Warm Scottish hospitality is the hallmark of this Edwardian country house B&B, from the home-made cakes and whisky-fuelled porridge to the beautifully tended garden and comfortable bedrooms.
Gordon’s
Inverkeilor
Readers are charmed by the warm welcome they receive from hostess Maria Watson and the ‘outstanding food’ created by Garry, her son, at this restaurant-with-rooms in a Victorian terrace house in a village close to the North Sea coast.
Grasshoppers
Glasgow
An Edwardian railway office building seems an unlikely place for a hotel – but buzz an intercom and take the lift to the sixth floor, where a warm reception, cupcakes and affordable Scandi-style comfort await.
Coll Hotel
Isle of Coll
‘Run by generations of the Oliphant family since 1963’, Coll’s welcoming social hub and only hotel sits at the head of Loch Eatharna, close to the ferry terminal.
The Inn at Loch Tummel
Pitlochry
‘A wonderful setting beside the loch’ with views across the water to Schiehallion, the local Munro, makes Jade and Alice Calliva’s former coaching inn a superbly relaxing place to stay.
The Ship Inn
Elie
With its own beach cricket team, Rachel and Graham Bucknall’s white-and-blue friendly gastropub on a no through road to the sailing club overlooks a sandy bay on the Firth of Forth.
Burt’s
Melrose
The Henderson family’s well-established hotel stands on the main square of a pretty Borders town, a welcoming landmark for locals and visitors alike.
Caddon View
Innerleithen
‘An excellent base’ for exploring the Tweed valley, Lisa and Steve Davies’s ‘great-value’ guest house is in a small town surrounded by ‘beautiful rolling countryside’.
Scourie Hotel
SCOURIE
Genuine Scottish hospitality, and the chance to catch giant hill loch brown trout, lure visitors to the Campbell family’s old coaching inn, in an area known for its spectacular mountain scenery, its white sandy bays, and its lochs and lochans teeming with wild trout and salmon.
Craigatin House and Courtyard
Pitlochry
Keep an eye out for wandering pheasants: this Victorian house, once the home of a respected community doctor, stands amid a spread of gardens and woodland.
The Bridge Inn at Ratho
Ratho
Guests receive a ‘cheerful welcome’ at this pub-with-rooms, which stands by a bridge over the Union Canal in a conservation village.
Galson Farm Guest House
South Galson
On the north-west coast of the Isle of Lewis, Elaine Fothergill and Richard Inger run their ‘high-quality’ guest house in a traditional Hebridean farmhouse, a short walk from the water’s edge.
The Meikleour Arms
Meikleour
In a Victorian fishing lodge on the Meikleour estate, owned by the same Franco-Scottish family since 1362, this characterful country inn benefits from a verdant woodland setting and a double-bank salmon beat on the River Tay.
The Loch Ness Inn
Drumnadrochit
Hikers and cyclists stop for the simple comforts of this ‘friendly’ 160-year-old coaching inn, a ‘busy and bustling’ local gathering place in a village on the Great Glen Way.
The Kirkstyle Inn & Rooms
In a conservation village with history in its ancient stones, this well-liked, log fire-warmed village inn brims with genial hospitality and a traditional pub ethos.
Achray House
St Fillans
Watch the osprey swoop over the water from this ‘likeable’ small hotel, which stands beside Loch Earn within Loch Lomond and the Trossachs national park – a ‘beautiful part of Perthshire’.
Loch Melfort Hotel
Oban
It’s all about the views at this lochside hotel, with panoramic seascapes from many of its rooms across Asknish Bay to the Sound of Jura and the Inner Hebrides.
Jura Hotel
Isle of Jura
The only hotel in Jura’s only village is part of the appeal of this modest yet hospitable, family-run affair; the rest is the peace, remoteness, views, wildlife and fresh, island-sourced food.
The Foveran
St Ola
It's a family affair in this restaurant-with-rooms with glorious views across the sheltered natural harbour of Scapa Flow to the southern Orkney islands.
The Colintraive Hotel
Colintraive
With mesmerising sea views to the Isle of Bute, this quietly situated village hotel offers excellent seafood and a friendly welcome from the owners and locals.
Dalshian House
Pitlochry
In gardens and woodland on the outskirts of town, this ‘blissfully remote’, good-value B&B attracts wild birds, red squirrels and many regular guests, who appreciate its ‘warm, friendly’ atmosphere.
23 Mayfield
Edinburgh
Guests are entrusted with a key to Ross and Kathleen Birnie’s Victorian house, a period gem a mile from the city centre, beautifully presented with antique furniture and many original features.
Bridgend Hotel
Bridgend
On the Inner Hebrides island of Islay, this stone-built hotel – a village landmark where two main roads meet – has welcomed visitors for more than 150 years.
Hartfell House & The Limetree Restaurant
Moffat
Robert and Mhairi Ash offer ‘good-value’ accommodation in their ‘lovely’ 1850s Gothic Revival-style house, in a conservation town popular for outdoor activities.
Sunny Brae
Nairn
John Bochel and Rachel Philipsen’s ‘good-value’ B&B on the Moray coast stands before ‘the panorama of the sea’, within easy reach of dolphins, dunes and whisky distilleries.
Victoria Square
Stirling
Kari and Phillip Couser’s serene Victorian house overlooks a tree-lined square, a ten-minute walk from the city centre.
Allanton Inn
Allanton
In a sleepy village with a spirited history, Katrina and William Reynolds’s 18th-century coaching inn is a ‘good-value’ base for walkers, cyclists, fisherfolk and visitors in search of a tranquil rural break.
Good value B&Bs and country house hotels in Scotland
Travelling to Scotland is an opportunity to experience all its marvellous hospitality and beautiful views and vistas. The history of the cities, the romance of the Borders and Highlands, the spectacular majesty of the lochs, coast and mountains are all major draw cards to this rugged part of the UK, but the best news is that it doesn’t have to cost a fortune either.
Bring the dog and a sense of adventure, whether your staying in a B&B or a country house hotel, but crucially, if you know where to choose there are some magnificent hotels that are also very good value in Scotland.
Food and drink are a part of the national culture – a good whisky and excellent biscuits to greet you whatever the time of day are in general par for the course, and the joy of the experiences lies in its authenticity. Hotels such as Trigony House where dogs are welcome and you are surrounded by rolling hills and farmland, are favourites amongst returning guests.
Meanwhile, coastal locations such as The Colonsay are understated but the stuff that literary fiction is made of, such is its unique setting up a single track on the Isle of Colonsay. Unpretentious and worth every penny, the 18th-century inn is buzzy with bountiful food and drink and regular music evenings.
Scotland is also no stranger to grandeur. Places such as Ardanaiseig provide excellent locations for weddings with awe-inspiring loch views, and magnificent architecture, complete with a little eccentricity thrown in for good measure and marking Scotland out as a thoroughly welcoming holiday destination whether you’re visiting on a romantic weekend, a solo getaway or a family holiday.