Hotel vs Holiday Let — Choosing the Right Accommodation For You
Choosing the ideal holiday accommodation in Scotland is about what priorities you have for your break. Are you looking for bed and breakfast service or self-catering flexibility? Are you happy with the hustle and bustle or looking for calm? Are you looking to reconnect with nature or be in amongst major cities and towns? Do you want a range of rooms and outdoor spaces to enjoy at your leisure or is a room or suite enough as your getaway sanctuary?
Full disclosure. As a luxury, modern holiday home on the beautiful Isle of Lewis, we might have a touch of bias in our viewpoint here, but below we explore some of the key decisions to make when picking between hotel stays in Scotland and renting holiday properties.
Happy booking!
Cooking vs Dining
Let's talk food.
If you're a foodie, then your holiday planning likely involves a healthy chunk of time reading restaurant reviews and plotting meals — but what do you prefer when having a spot of breakfast or grabbing a bite at your holiday accommodation?
Do you prefer to breeze down to breakfast and fill up for the day's adventures from a continental breakfast buffet? Is booking a table for dinner at the hotel restaurant your idea of sublime simplicity? Or do you like to start every holiday with a big grocery shop for essentials and spend quality time with loved ones cooking up a storm?
The minimal effort and range of readily available food options are big advantages of hotel stays — from restaurant meals, to bar snacks, to room service — but holiday let self-catering offers total flexibility, leisurely kitchen time and, often, helps you stay on budget.
Dietary requirements are also a factor here. Self-catering at a holiday property means total peace of mind when it comes to allergens and ingredients, and allows you to prepare each meal to suit your nutritional needs. It's worth noting, of course, that most hotels are happy to accommodate any food preferences.
Families with children will also want to choose the mealtime arrangement that works best for them and their comfort — whether it's saving prep time by dining out or opting for keeping kids entertained while cooking. This latter 'home away from home' option is becoming increasingly popular for family breaks, and cooking together can be a wonderful way to spend time as a group.
Perhaps most significant here will be your own personal approach to cooking — is it a necessary task in your daily routine or something you do to relax? This will likely dictate your attitude to accommodation research and preferences on where to stay.
Key questions to ask:
- Do I prefer to eat at set times or have full flexibility?
- Would I rather choose from a daily menu or plan meals and groceries?
- Is cooking a chore or do I do it to relax?
- What is better for the kids?
- Am I more comfortable cooking for my own dietary requirements?
- Is my holiday food budget a bit tighter than restaurant dining allows?
Private Relaxation vs Shared Leisure Facilities
Is the busy buzz of a nice hotel lobby your idea of holiday excitement? Are on-site spa facilities a must? Or do you love the idea of your own space to curl up by the fire with a good book and something delicious in your glass?
There's a bit of overlap here with the 'Cooking vs Dining' question. It usually comes down to how much you want to be around other holidaymakers and tourists, and how much flexibility you want from your vacation routine.
Hotels will often offer a wider range of facilities in-house — from wellness and beauty facilities, to gyms, to swimming pools, to sports equipment and beyond — but many prefer to find a place to stay where they can hide away and unwind from a busy weekly routine at home.
Peacefulness and solitude are hugely appealing aspects of choosing a holiday let like Brighid — where panoramic views of the ocean waves and a few neighbouring sheep will keep you company, while a wood-burning stove is always on hand for cosy evenings in.
Walks along the wild, rugged coastline are a perfect way to reconnect with nature and recharge the batteries, and offer an invigorating alternative to a hotel gym workout.
Key questions to ask:
- Am I looking for gym, swim and spa on-site?
- Is the buzz of a busy hotel exciting to me?
- Do I need a break from the hustle and bustle?
- Would having private living space / kitchen / outdoor space enhance my holiday?
- Are peaceful surroundings a priority?
Standard Service vs Unique Experience
"From houses, to apartments, to cabins, to houseboats (and beyond) — there are all manner of options and locations to choose from. You can be in the thick of the action in the city centre, living where the locals do, or you can find a secluded spot with nothing but nature around you."
The overall experience of your accommodation choice can often come down to choosing between a 'standardised' and reliably consistent experience — as is often found across groups of hotels — or the unique and more personalised experience that comes with hand-picking a holiday property.
Now, of course there are plenty of hotels that are unique in their design, architecture and guest experience, and there's variety to be found across popular 'chain' brands, boutique hotels and independent hotel businesses, but the overall experience has been standardised for efficiency and predictable consistency.
Holiday lets, on the other hand, have even greater variety available. From houses, to apartments, to cabins, to houseboats (and beyond) — there are all manner of options and locations to choose from. You can be in the thick of the action in the city centre, living where the locals do, or you can find a secluded spot with nothing but nature around you.
Brighid, of course, is firmly in the latter category — we're so lucky to have this piece of the Isle of Lewis coastline to call home, and the Atlantic Ocean views each morning and evening during sunrise and sunset are something to behold.
Designed and built as a one-off original property, Brighid is made for this particular place and everything — furniture, fittings, appliances, accessories — has been carefully selected by us for quality and keeping with a simple, peaceful aesthetic that allows the majestic coastline outside do all the talking.
Key questions to ask:
- Do I want a reliably predictable experience?
- Is staying where the locals live better than among fellow tourists?
- Do I want to be in a busy town/city centre or in a secluded spot?
- Would I like to stay in something totally different from a hotel or apartment?
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Whatever you decide to book for your Scottish vacation, your careful thought and attention to detail will always be rewarded — no-one has ever regretted doing more research into their holiday options. So, explore what's out there, ask friends and family for their experiences, read reviews and find the perfect accommodation for your dream holiday.