Please help me decide best location to stay on Skye. There is not much available, but I have three places booked. We would have wanted to stay in Portree so that after a long day, we would ideally be able to walk to dinner instead of driving more but there is no place available like this. These are the three places I have booked: 1. https://sonascollection.com/our-hotels/skeabost/ (way more expensive than we would ever usually spend), 2. Bonnie Brae Croft (it says it's in Portree but it is actually in Earlish which is 22 min drive form Portree) BonnieBraeCroft.com 3.A room in someone's house at Skye Photo Center in Camastianavaig. Staying in someone's house is not our first choice but we were willing to do it when we thought is was in town, but alas it is not. We plan to see as much of Sky as possible in 2 nights/three days including these short hikes: https://www.isleofskye.com/skye-guide/top-ten-skye-walks/fairy-pools and https://www.isleofskye.com/skye-guide/top-ten-skye-walks/old-man-of-storr. I think at this moment we are leaning towards Bonnie Brae but only if the location is sensible. Thank you in advance for your opinion.
Posted by
Chicagoland
1789 posts
In 2023 we stayed in a cottage in Skeabost near the hotel. We liked the location, only about 10 minutes from Portree.
We did hire a taxi one evening when we were attending an event south of Portree since we would be returning after dark. This also allowed everyone to enjoy drinks at dinner since we weren't driving.
Posted by
Isle of Skye, Scotland
1581 posts
I am a Skye resident and so know the location of all 3 properties.
Bonnie Brae is nearer to Uig than Portree, but not walkable to any restaurants except possibly the Galley Seafood cafe which is on the main A87 road. It is a lovely location, but more set up for self catering. If you have booked one of their Bothies then you have cooking facilities and there is a good supermarket called Rankins on the edge of Uig (near your accommodation) as well as other supermarkets dotted around the island (including two COOP markets in Portree and also a good fruit & vegetable place in Portree).
Camustianavaig is a lovely spot, but a good 10 minute drive to Portree on a narrow, single track road. I don't know the exact accommodation, but it sounds as though you have ruled it out.
Skeabost Hotel. 10 minutes drive to Portree and has an onsite restaurant. While I have eaten there and found it fine, I wouldn't be willing to shell out the £££ that they charge for accommodation. It has some degree of old world charm, but I do think it's very expensive.
If you want somewhere where you can walk to dinner then how about Dunvegan? The Dunvegan is a restaurant with rooms in the village of Dunvegan and there are a couple of other restaurants in the village. It will certainly be much, much cheaper than the Skeabost, and while the rooms are simple, the food is delicious. In fact we are dining there next week and not for the first time!
Posted by
Mountains of S. Oregon
1068 posts
we stayed at Grenitote B&B in 2022 and it was fine except the bath was tiny. best breakfast ever. they didnt participate with booking.com etc. so I fished their email out of Google after finding them by walking the streets of Portree in Street view. right in town.
Posted by
OP
Philadelphia
42 posts
Thank you to everyone who replied. @skyegirl, the details you provided were so helpful. I appreciate all of the details! We decided to stay at The Dunvegan and I think it will work out beautifully.