Scotland is one of the most scenic and historic places in Europe and has always been a popular tourist destination. The country is small in size but had a wide variety of attractions and places that are well worth a visit. Perhaps best known for whisky or castles, this country has hundreds of historic castle ruins and sites as well as distilleries throughout. But there are also some fantastic landmarks such as the mysterious Loch Ness and the bustling shops of Glasgow.
Britain can be an expensive place for travellers from Europe or America and so it is important to try and find value for money accommodation during your stay. There are hundreds of hostels around Scotland with the Scottish Youth Hostel Association being the biggest hostel chain in the country. For people who have never stayed in a hostel before they will find the accommodation basic but suitable for a place to stay. A standard hostel will have dorm rooms with 4-12 beds in each room and usually have linen supplied. Depending on the standard of hostel some also offer some excellent facilities such as Internet access or free breakfast.
The rates for a hostel are by far the cheapest for accommodation with prices ranges from £8-£15 per night. These hostels often have city or town centre locations as well making them ideal for seeing the main sights. Most people who stay here tend to be travelling to multiple destinations sometimes around the world and this is an ideal place to meet new people. There are also budget hotels throughout the country which offer a higher standard of accommodation and more privacy. These often have basic facilities and are not always as central as hostels, usually being located on the outskirts of main cities.
Many of the hotels are rated by the Scottish Tourist Board and a one or two star establishment tend to be the cheapest options. You can get a room at one of these hotels for as little as £25-£35 per night.
If you don’t fancy a hostel then a guest house or bed and breakfast might be a more suitable alternative. These often offer compact rooms but are usually clean and comfortable and with central locations. They are also a lot more personal service and can be of a higher standard than budget hotels and hostels. These are more suitable for travelling families or older travellers and some have facilities that equal high quality hotels, the owners are also usually a good resource for getting tips on local attractions and general information.
The final option for accommodation is a self catering flat, if you are travelling in a group of 6 or above then these can turn out to be quite cost effective as the price of the flat is fixed so the more people you have the cheaper per person it is. Another advantage is that you get privacey for your group and also self catering facilities so you dont have to eat out each night, which can save you quite a bit of money also.
