Hostels in Scotland Hostels in Scotland

You are looking for hostels in Scotland? Good news, you have come to the right place.

On this page we list every single city with hostels and other budget accommodations. Hostelz.com helps you to find your Scotland hostel and compare its prices on the major booking sites such as Hostelworld, Hostelsclub and Booking.com. So you can sleep on a budget and save money while backpacking Scotland.

All Cities in Scotland

We list every single hostel in Scotland and the world. In total, we have 122 cities in Scotland for you. Please note that not all cities actually have a hostel to stay in. Below you can filter for cities with hostels and with no hostels-type accommodation, but guesthouses and budget hotels. This will help your planning.

All Scotland hostels on a map

Alright, you are more the visual type? Planning your trip with a map is always handy.

Therefore, this map shows you all cities with hostels in Scotland. It will help you to plan your trip. Just zoom in the map and click your destination for more details. Just so you know: If we do not have a hostel in a city, it is likely that there is no hostel in that city.

Our handwritten guide on Backpacking Scotland

Scotland is a thriving and historic land with buildings dating back to times older than the pyramids of Egypt. It's a country of 5 million people and a myriad of landscapes, with hostels in all of its principle cities, and most of the smaller towns as well.

Edinburgh is commonly voted among the most beautiful cities in the world, with both its old and new towns UNESCO listed. It also has over 400 public bars. Edinburgh Castle is the most visited tourist attraction with over a million visitors a year coming to visit and hear the One O'Clock Gun. The city is also home to the world's largest arts festival, the Edinburgh Fringe which takes place every August for three weeks. The population doubles in size at this time and hostel prices sky-rocket due to high demand and low supply. Many locals rent their houses out at this time to tourists.

Glasgow is renowned for its energetic music scene and is home to most of the countries best live venues. Perth has a population of only 75,000 is makes a great base for exploring beautiful perthshire, or fishing on the River Tay, Scotlands longest river and containing prized Scottish salmon. There also the delightful Kinnoul Hill with commanding views north to Dundee. The cities around Loch Ness also attract hostel visitors coming to see the lake, either for its beauty or for the legend.

There is far more to Scotland than its cities. It's natural beauty is astounding. The highlands offer quaint villages and mountains to climb, including the largest mountain in the UK, Ben Nevis. There are hundreds of castles, seats of the old clans system, and scores of islands accessible by ferry from the mainland. Many people are not aware that wild camping is legal in Scotland, so camping offers an inexpensive way to seek out the more remote corners of the country (with certain caveats -- Google the Scottish Country Access Code).

Accommodation in Scotland covers all budgets. Many places have hostels, including small Highland villages. The Scottish Youth Hostel Association is the biggest provider, but there are also many independent hostels operating. The main cities are busy with tourists all year, but in wintertime mainly hostels in the highlands close up shop for the winter.

expert for Scotland hostels

Handwritten by local expert for Scotland hostels karamba

Travel Tips for Scotland - from the Community

Hey fam! Here are a few more tips from the community, from them to you, and you to them. This space is dedicated for travellers to share their best tips on backpacking Scotland. Have a closer look - the Hostelz community share real hidden gems, insider knowledge and overall impressions of Scotland. Everyone is welcome to add something useful, funny, unexpected and the "absolutely necessary to know before you go" - share, share and then share a little more!

FAQ on Hostels in Scotland

There is a lot of travel planning to do. So let us help you once again by putting together the frequently asked questions:

Finding Hostels and Prices

What hostel booking sites are best to use?

There is several hostel booking sites, such as Hostelworld.com, Hostelsclub.com and Booking.com. While every platform has its pros and cons, there is a universal truth you as a traveler should be aware of: Not a single booking site can always offer the best prices.

This is where Hostelz.com comes in. You can compare all major booking portals with one click.

For you as a traveler, Hostelz.com is the best booking site to actually save money.

How much are hostels in Scotland?

Prices always vary, depending on various factors. Weekends tend to be more expensive, same goes for special holidays. Please also take into account local vaction time.

You can search for exacty hostel prices in Scotland here on Hostelz.com. Pick your destination and pick a date. The system will track down the prices to give an idea of what budget and prices you can expect.

When to book hostels?

If you want to stay at the best hostels, it is a good idea to have your hostel booked around 1 month before you travel. For the regular hostels, booking one week before should be okay. Yet again, this always depends.

We dedicated a full article to the topic of when to book hostels.

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Safety and Packing

Are hostels in Scotland safe?

Generally speaking, hostels are as safe as you make them. We highly recommend always to bring your own padlock, using the lockers and taking care of your belongings. Make sure you pick a safe hostel, offering lockers and a safe location. Please always pay attention to the reviews; they can give you a great insight on what to expect and safety tips.

What to pack when staying in hostels?

There is a few basics you should always pack when staying in hostels.

  1. Padlock
  2. Earplugs
  3. Sleeping Mask
  4. Quick Dry Travel Towel
  5. Head Lamp

There is more actually. We wrote a complete guide with more details. Read our full hostel packing list.

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