Best budget hotels in Scotland 2023

Like the rest of the UK, you would be hard pushed to ever describe Scotland as a budget destination. Unless you’re staying in hostels or camping – or, on a real budget, wild camping – it costs cash to find somewhere decent to sleep in Scotland. This situation has been exacerbated in recent years by a Brexit-related loss of workers and the cost-of-living crisis. That said, there is real quality and value for money if you know where to look at the budget end of the market.

Yes, in all of Scotland’s eight cities and many towns you could check into a faceless room in one of the soulless chain hotels, but why would you when there are places to stay with real character – many of them family-run – dotted around the country? There are some surprising bargains in the cities, too, where rooms are more plentiful, as well as some wee secrets around the rest of the mainland and into the islands. Keep reading to discover our pick of the best budget options.

Best budget hotels in Edinburgh

Neighbourhood: Edinburgh city centre

An affordable design hotel right in the heart of the Scottish capital, with views of Edinburgh Castle – impossible, right? Not at the best of Edinburgh’s two branches of the boutique budget chain Motel One. Think plush velvet sofas and striking use of tartan – Caledonian hipster rather than cheesy bling. This Princes Street 140-room bolthole couldn’t be better set up for sightseeing on the border between the Old Town and New Town, with a tram stop nearby and Waverley Station next door. Prices may be keen for Edinburgh, but you still get epic views from the sexy booths at the second floor bar and some of the bedrooms: choose wisely. Children under 12 years old stay for free, too.