Hotel and restaurant recommendations for Isle of Skye, Edinburgh and Dundee or St Andrews

Are you traveling in 2025? If so, book whatever you can find on Skye (books up months in advance). The huge Edinburgh Festival finishes up on August 25. That may effect availability.

What are your other plans besides Balmoral (I assume you mean the Castle)? I wouldn't choose to base in St. Andrews or Dundee to visit that area. As an alternative, Glamis Castle is much closer, offers an excellent tour and has Royal family ties.

I can tell you where not to stay in Dundee : Holiday Inn Express.

My friends stayed at Arran House in St Andrews, which was lovely.

Staying in St Andrews is obviously nicer if you can swing it, but budget constraints on this trip (I was in Scotland for two out of three consecutive weekends in March) meant I needed to stay in Dundee. I didn't mind Dundee, but the HIE was further than I wanted from the train station and right on the approach to the bridge (so lots of traffic outside my room). The Apex looks nice but is even further than the HIE if you are using oublic transport. I would stay at the Malmaison or Premier Inn if I were to do it again.

Restaurant recommendations in St Andrews: we liked the Criterion pub (small) for their homemade pies, and the Tailend for seafood.

I loved the cafe at the V&A Dundee for lunch.

I've stayed twice at the Premier Inn near the train station in Dundee, most recently in May of this year. It's a typical Premier Inn and usually very reasonably priced. It's very convenient to the V & A, Discovery Point and one of the stops for the bus to St. Andrews. The McManus Museum is a bit farther away, as is the restaurant zone. The Verdant Works industrial-heritage museum is a considerable walk; most folks would prefer to hop on a city bus.

I enjoyed Milas Restaurant on Whitehall Street. It's Turkish.

I can help you with Dundee. I spend a lot of time there. I last left this past Wednesday and will be going back the end of the month.

St Andrews is a nicer place but hotels are usually much higher in price than Dundee. Dundee is closer to Balmoral. (The distance between Dundee and St. Andrews is about 15 miles.)

If you have a car, I would suggest staying at either the Staybridge Suites or Hotel Indigo in Dundee. (Same building). It's just off the center of town and has a small parking lot. There is also a public parking lot across the street.

The bus station is less than a 10 minute walk and the train station about 20 minutes. (Or about 6 GBP for a taxi. Bring cash as most Dundee taxi's don't take credit cards.)

If you are looking for a budget hotel option and will use public transportation, a new Marriott has opened above the train station. This was the former Sleeperz hotel.

Our stay at Montague Guest House in St. Andrew's was lovely. Warm, welcoming staff; easy walking distance to the sights in town as well as The Old Course.

Another vote for the Malmaison in Dundee. Close to the train station, extremely comfortable rooms, elegant deep purple and dark wood interior (if you like those things, which I do) and excellent food. Also yay for the V&A museum (focus on design, very interesting) and cafe - we had a lovely afternoon tea there.

I'd recommend St Andrews over Dundee, personally, but I'm an avid golfer. Certainly train access is superior in Dundee.

Edinburgh restaurants I'd recommend include Bistro COCO, Rollo, The Tollhouse and Herringbone on Trinity Road. I used to recommend Howies, but after a couple of disappointing experiences no longer do.

I just returned home Sunday from Scotland.

I spent my first 3 nights at the Ibis Styles St Andrew Square in Edinburgh. The room was small but they had a very nice breakfast buffet and I loved the location. I would stay there again. If you book go directly to the Accor app on your phone to book. Somehow I initially got on a 3rd party site when I thought I was on the Accor hotel site. I was charged immediately and had a "fee" for more than the cost of one night. I cancelled that, got a total refund and then booked carefully on the Accor app.

I spent my last 2 nights at Parliament House Hotel. The room was enormous and lovely, staff was terrific BUT the elevator was out of service so I had 73 steps to my room on the (UK) 3rd floor. The reception person carried my bag up on arrival and I carried it down when I left. I could have carried it up but he volunteered and I went with it. My particular room had some noise from the restaurant below (Howies) and from the bus stop across the street. There was no AC so depending on when you travel this might be a deal breaker.

I have previously stayed at other locations in Edinburgh and I have to say I loved the St Andrew Square location (a recommendation from another forum member). It's not as uphill from Princes St Gardens as some areas and once you are up there it's pretty flat. I would definitely choose that area for myself next trip.

For meals, I had Afternoon Tea at The Ivy on St Andrew Square which was elegant and enough to last me thru the evening. I went at 3P and did not need reservations. I also ate at Dishoom and Amarone, both on St Andrew Square. Both needed reservations although I squeaked in Dishoom by going at 515 and there was still a wait for a table for 1. All of these were delicious! There was a Thai restaurant a friend recommended but I did not have time to get there, lol.

As for Edinburgh hotels, the Marriott Courtyard on Leith Walk is a good choice. Convenient to New Town, Old Town and Leith, and there's a trolley stop right outside the hotel. Pricing is variable, though, and it can be pretty spendy during Fringe.

In St Andrews, I'd recommend staying in one of the many guest houses located along Scores, North Street, Murray Park or Murray Place. They give a very authentic feel to staying in St Andrews. The Hazelbank Hotel is a good example. Expect tiny rooms.

Dundee seems to be more popular than Royal Mile Waverley. Which one: Edinburgh castle or Glamis Castle is more preferable?