Week after next I'm on a business trip to Scotland. Now, some of you will know that I am a Scot but have been ex-pat for many years. Also, when you live in a place you don't tend to pay to sleep there !!
Anyway, thing is, I normally just use Travelodges and so on because they are relatively cheap and convenient and are usually clean. I am self-employed so cost is relevant but I was just interested to know if anyone would like to make any suggestions re the overnights. I shall be alone so four posters etc are not high on the list of requirements.
I do use Expedia and Late Rooms.com sometimes but I am more interested in personal recommendations.
So...here's my trip
Monday - drive up to central Scotland, finish day in Auchterarder.
Tuesday - Start day in Helensburgh, finish in Linlithgow.
Wednesday - Start day in Aberdeen, finish in Glasgow.
Thursday - Start day in Hawick and then drive home to Cheshire.
Any ( cheap) but good recs for hotels/food ?
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Holiday Inn Express - can sometimes get offers through their website 'www.priorityclub.com'. We book in at the Holiday Inn Express in Sitrling each May on our annual trip to Skye. This year we've got a double room (two adults) for £ 47 per night for the room including continental breakfast.
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When newly married in the early '70's, holidays were spent motoring in Bonnie Scotland, always stayed in B&B's - friendly, clean, excellent food, and prices that even we could afford ... and although we never bothered, i am sure that they all took bookings.
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...i am sure that they all took bookings.>>
This matches our experiences in Scotland in the mid-1960s onwards - we used to pay as little as 17s 6d a night each and usually topped it up to £1 per person, staying in private homes.
You invariably found a warm welcome along with a magnificent breakfast; it was also the time we first came across Bri-nylon sheets, which would be out on the clothes line before we even set off. We usually booked ahead earlier in the day for our next stop over.
As the years progressed the prices rose gradually to around £18 per person per night, which is still great value, but even then you could pay as little as £6 per person around the Fort William area.
Since that time we've always been guests of a large Scottish based organisation, so prices didn't affect us, but I'm sure that they are still great value for money.
If you key in "Scottish bed and breakfast listings" into Google, you'll be presented with plenty of websites detailing hundreds of possibilities.
Edited by Stuartli on 21/02/2009 at 10:46
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Linlithgow - Star & Garter Hotel. About £42 for a single room for B&B in a 3 star hotel. (Googling for the obvious will find the website).
It's really a good pub with about 15 rooms rather than a posh hotel. If you want to eat in the hotel in the evening the food is rather better than just "pub food" but isn't expensive. Can be noisy at weekends as the pub caters for the younger element on Fridays and Saturdays but I haven't had any problems staying there midweek.
If you don't want to eat in the hotel (or if you arrive after the kitchen is shut) you're in walking distance of everything else in Linlithgow.
Free wi-fi access as well if that matters to you.
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...start the day in Hawick...
Hawick's a bit run down, but Kelso is what might be called 'a pleasant wee town'.
The Ednam House Hotel, on the edge of the town centre, is in a lovely spot next to the river.
Stayed there a couple of years ago for about £85 d,b&b.
It was bordering on luxury, well to me it was, anyway.
There's another hotel in the main square which is a bit more modern and slightly cheaper - I had dinner there one evening and would have been more than happy to stay the night.
Hope the trip goes smoothly, and you pick up some business along the way.
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Consider not staying in Linlithgow but drive up to Perth. B&B, a travel or premium lodge or a Toby lodge. Much earier run up to Aberdeen passed the ever increasing number of speed cameras. Regards Peter
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Humph, thats some route! Finish in Auchterarder , start in Helensburgh the next day and back to Linlithgow????
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Yeah I know Bobby. And I've left out all the other bits in between during each day. Just the way it worked out I'm afraid. At least Scotland is relatively easy to get about unlike this miserable oversubscribed road system we have down here. I know the main arterial routes can be busy at certain times but by and large you can time journeys fairly accurately north of Hadrian's Wall. I'd love to move back if I could make commercial sense of it.
Thanks to all for the suggestions. Just fancied dragging myself screaming out of the Travelodge cliche for a change.
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Both Visitscotland and the AA have websites on it with graded accommodation. Quite often Guest Houses can offer good well priced accommodation. My own Guest House (No it is not on your route and I am sure that sort of promotion is not allowed anyway) has quite a large business clientele.
Standards are becoming more demanding and many guest houses are now providing the likes of WiFi, flatscreen digital television, mini fridges in the room as well most rooms being ensuite. Breakfast also now is becoming more diverse with smoked fish options being offered alongside the traditional fry up.
If you are interested in seeing what real visitors thought of a place www.tripadvisor.com is always worth a look giving the experiences of people in both Hotels and Guest Houses / B&Bs as well as local restaurants.
Hope that helps and try to enjoy the scenery and fresh air.
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I'm not sure if it's any use to you geographically but I've broken journeys to NW Scotland in Moffat. The Bridge House Hotel was good a few years ago, and the Moffat Hotel looks good (considered the latter this year but we are now going via Edinburgh for the Ultravox concert!).
Also enjoyed our stay at a guest house in Duck Bay on west side of Loch Lomond - I think it was called Water's Edge.
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Auchterarder, the 'lang toon', then try Allandale House where a single b&b is £40 - see their website www.allandalehouse.com I think it is still owned by the Gillibanks.
Murryshall House Hotel in Scone would be a good place while roundabout between Glasgow and Aberdeen
Jedforrest Hotel is very nice rather than Hawick - where my local contact tells me they still eat babies!
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Jedforrest Hotel is very nice rather than Hawick - where my local contact tells me they still eat babies!
But at least they do them with deep fried Mars Bars on the side.
And if you spot a dog in Hawick with four legs, it's a visitor!
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Oh Grumpyscot, that has started my morning with a giggle :-)
I have it on good authority that Hawick/Jedburgh are favoured recruiting grounds for Rugby players ... they make'em tough there.
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Go on, splash out when you're in Linlithgow:
www.champany.com/
The best steak anywhere (Michelin Star) , or you can eat in the more homely 'Chop and Ale House' at more reasonable rates.
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Well, if you are going for luxury, try the Roxburghe just off the A68 !!
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