Scotland Bed and Breakfast

May 20, 2005 10:34 AM

I'm looking for recommendations for a bed and breakfast, a guest farm or guest house or something along those lines in Scotland.

My parents have called from Ireland to enlist my help in finding them a place to stay in Scotland. It will need to have two bedrooms, both with two beds. They want it to be in or near any of the following places:

Oban
Dalmallay
Paynuilt
Tyndrum
Crianlarich

They also have five places they've heard of but know nothing about. These are:

Rockill Farm in Dalmalley
Aonach Mor Guest House, Edinburgh
Dunedin, Edinburgh
Amar Aqua Guest House, Edinburgh
Dalkeith Road (this might be an area rather than a place), Edinburgh

I'm headed off to do basic Google searches and check bed and breakfast associations but welcome personal suggestions, recommendations, critiques, etc.

posted by undertone to travel & transportation (7 comments total)

None of the places you mentioned are anywhere near Edinburgh, so I don't see what good it is for you to search for information about the Edinburgh guest houses.
posted by nylon at 11:40 AM on May 20, 2005

I haven't stayed in any of these Bed and Breakfasts but I live not far away.

If they are choosing between the first 5 locations I would go with either Tyndrum or Crianlarich. Both are small villages and are near the edge of Rannoch Moor (Tyndrum feels especially remote) which would give a more quintessentially Scottish experience, if that is what they are after. I would avoid Oban - it's a nice place but is far more "touristy" that the other places, full of rundown hotels and bored, drunk teenagers. You are far more likely to run into disappointment by staying in Oban, it's best left for a day trip.

For specific B&B's try searching both the place name and establishment names at www.tripadvisor.com - they review all types of lodging.
posted by fire&wings at 11:42 AM on May 20, 2005

You might find something to your liking through Vacation Rentals by Owner, though I can't vouch personally for any of the offerings in Scotland.

Sounds like a great vacation - have fun.
posted by jazzkat11 at 12:45 PM on May 20, 2005

I second fire&wings' advice to stay the hell away from Oban. It's close to some of the inner islands, which are themselves seriously beautiful, but other than that it's an overtouristed trap with lots of "Authentically Scottish!" kitsch. Strangely fascinating in a car-wreck sort of fashion, but you'd get the same effect from renting Brigadoon.
posted by catesbie at 1:35 PM on May 20, 2005

This site has many places to stay. I can't recommend anywhere specific (but I used to work for the company, very long established, very few complaints. They do books too.). I think you mean Taynuilt, not Paynuilt, it's 12 miles south of Oban, and Dalmally, not Dalmallay. Dalkeith Road is, yes, a road in Edinburgh.
posted by aisforal at 4:14 PM on May 20, 2005

The Scottish tourist board have a very good rating system.
posted by Lanark at 4:24 PM on May 20, 2005

Thanks, everyone. Yes, I realized after doing some searching that I had misspelled a number of the names. My mother read them to me over the phone and either I misheard or she spelled them wrong. I obviously know nothing about Scotland.

I will pass on the advice about Oban which I'm sure they will appreciate as they are not the touristy, drunk teenager type.
posted by undertone at 5:00 PM on May 20, 2005