The Best Airbnbs In Scotland
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For an adventure in the wilderness, it’s hard to resist the lure of bonnie Scotland. A city break in Edinburgh or Glasgow is always a popular option, but venture even just a little bit further afield and you’ll also be blessed with some of the most beautiful places in Scotland – charming villages, heather-covered meadows, vast locks and some of the best beaches in the UK. It’s in the Highlands and out in the wild that the country truly comes alive. While our pick of the best hotels in Scotland do cover much of the country, there are still pockets that lend themselves to renting locally, whether it be a castle, cabin or house boat. Here we round up some of the best Airbnbs in Scotland, from places we’ve tried and tested to stays that we like the look of. For more options, see our edit of the best Airbnbs in Edinburgh, and the best Airbnbs in Glasgow.
Tried and tested
A super-smart Scottish castle, Argyll
Best for: a taste of castle life
If you’re heading to the Hebrides, consider bypassing the popular jumping off point of Oban and heading off the tourist track to Kilmartin Glen. The Glen is home to 8,000 years of history including ancient forts, standing stones, burial tombs and a 16th century castle you can take over as your own. Thanks to a careful and clever renovation, the castle retains its rustic charm while embracing modern comforts such as rainfall showers, underfloor heating and wood-burners in most of the five en-suite bedrooms. The kitchen is also well catered for large groups, plus you can enlist the help of a private chef to prepare supper. For more grand stays, see our edit of the best castles to rent in the UK and Ireland.
Sleeps: 10
Price: from £900 a night (four-night minimum)
Lary Steading and Lary Farmhouse, Aberdeenshire
Best for: a luxury farm stay for large groups
With enough space to accommodate 20 guests, Lary is primed for a proper knees-up in the vast wilderness of the Highlands. Interiors have plenty of classic Scottish touches – tartan fabrics, antlers hanging on the walls – and there’s a board-game-packed library to hunker down in on rainy days. When the sun shines, there are plenty of scenic walks available right from the doorstep, before returning to the large sitting room to curl up in front of the open fireplace.
Sleeps: 20
Price: from £1,000 per night
More Airbnbs we like the look of
While we have not stayed in every Airbnb featured below, we have done the hard work for you. We have carefully selected these as recommendations based on their location, design, previous guest reviews and the fact that they have achieved Airbnb’s Superhost status at the time of our research. All listings on Condé Nast Traveller are independently selected by our editors. If you book something through our links, we may earn an affiliate commission.
A cosy log cabin, Dolphinton
Best for: A romantic escape near Edinburgh
Found at the foot of the Pentland Hills, the ‘Wee Hideaway’ is a purpose built cabin that’s an appealing 30 minute drive from Edinburgh. Wake up to views of rolling fields from the cosy bedroom before taking your morning coffee on the wrap-around decking. There’s a kitchen with a ceramic hob, and oven for preparing lunch or supper, or there’s a pub and restaurant four miles away in the conservation village of West Linton.
Sleeps: two
Price: £88 per night, minimum three nights stay
Monkton Hall, Old Craighall
Best for: A castle stay near Edinburgh
With Edinburgh only a 20 minute drive away, this 15th century castle has huge group getaway appeal – there’s room for 16 as well as a games room, cinema, library and gym. The house was originally built by the monks of Newbattle Abbey to protect themselves from English invaders – look carefully and you can still spy gun loops and arrow slits from this era. Extra points if you can find the hall’s secret room.
Sleeps: 16 guests
Price: from £1,200 a night
Ashley Coombes
The Bothy, Port Menteith
Best for: Getting off the grid
No matter what the weather, there’s always a warm glow radiating from The Bothy, a log cabin located on a sweeping 84 acre farm in the Menteith Hills. Inside, things are warm and cosy; especially the mezzanine bedroom and the wood burner at the centre of the room. There’s also a wood fired hot tub outside, and with no neighbours’ insight – apart from a few highland cows – you’ll have complete privacy. Home cooks will love the option of an oven, BBQ or grill over the outdoor Hikki fire pit, or you can take the night off and order from the ‘dine in’ menu.
Sleeps: two
Price: from £272, minimum four night stay
Monika Grabowska
A medieval retreat, Edinburgh
Best for: A historic stay
This stone-cut cottage is the place to book for those who believe staycations are made all the better with a bit of medieval pomp. Formerly home to nesting doves, this renovated tower is hidden in a large private garden where paths trail beneath rose-covered trellises and ancient garden tools are hung on the walls. Inside, rough walls house a wood-burning stove, pull-out sofa bed and cedarwood kitchen. Upstairs, wooden stairs lead to a tiny bedroom in the tower, with a bed surrounded by cubby holes and a window overlooking the garden.
Sleeps: four
Price: from £155 a night
Loch Ness Cabin, The Highlands
Best for: a charming family stay
This two bedroom cabin couldn’t be more perfectly located with Lock Ness and all its ample cafes, restaurants and outdoor adventures only a few minutes stroll away. There’s space for four to stay, perfect for a family with a king bed on the mezzanine and twin beds on the ground floor. The fire pit in the private courtyard is the place to be at night for toasting marshmallows under the stars.
Sleeps: four guests
Price: from £150 a night
The Waterfall Retreat, North Ayrshire
Best for: a tranquil stay break Glasgow
This stone house was originally a working mill dating back to the 16th century. Today it’s a standout Airbnb near Glasgow thanks to its own private waterfall and pond, which you can admire while lying down in the master bedroom. Take your morning coffee from the balcony and keep your eyes peeled for woodpeckers or deer in the gardens. Venture further to find a flowing river, holding pool and seating overlooking the Roebank Burn.
Sleeps: 4 guests
Price: from £149 a night
Black Nissen at HMS Owl, The Highlands
Best for: a unique stay
Built by the RAF in 1940, this jet-black hut on the eastern stretches of the NC500 – one of Scotland’s best-loved routes through the Highlands – is a bit like a hobbit house, if hobbits had really good taste in interiors. Inside, a domed ceiling makes you feel as if you’ve burrowed underground, but the white-washed walls and cool black accents – a wood-burner, a double stove – keep the whole place feeling airy.
Sleeps: four
Price: from £95 a night
