Where to stay on Isle of Skye & Edinburgh

We stayed at the Kiltaraglen B&B in Portree for two nights last summer, and it was very nice.

Hmmm, you may have some issues with Sept. 2 as that is the very last day of the festival. I checked on the Visit Scotland site, http://www.visitscotland.com/accommodation/ and there are openings, but I would act quickly if I were you. I see that one of my favorite spots, The Inverlieth Hotel has room. The Inverlieth is down the hill from New Town and by the Royal Botanic Gardens. I usually took the bus up the hill and used to walk back. It would be about a 10-15 minute walk from Prince's Street. I love the location. Other locations that are good include New Town, and Dalkeith Road. You don't have to be right on the Royal Mile. Edinburgh is not a huge city. The bus system is decent. You can get all day ticket for the bus that can get you around pretty quickly. I stayed out near Bruntsfield one time and didn't like it as well, but it is doable. Also, the area to the west of the Castle is popular with some people, but I've not stayed out that way in decades and when I did it was quite a ways out. ; ) On Skye, I can't cite any particular B&Bs or hotels for Portree, but it is a nice place to stay. The last time I stayed on Skye I stayed at the Skye Picture House in Broadford. http://www.skyepicturehouse.com It has has new ownership, but it was nice to be in the country and the website looks good. They do have spectacular views and we spotted otters and other wildlife. And it's nice to have a whisky in the evening. Pam

Carolyn, last fall my husband and I stayed at Fraser Suites which is 1/2 block off the Royal Mile and within walking distance of the Waverly train station. You can't beat the location, which is almost on the doorstep of St. Giles Cathedral, and about a 5 minute walk up to Edinburgh Castle. The staff was friendly, the beds were very comfy and the breakfast (included in our room rate) was delicious. Also, there is an elevator, and laundry machines available for guest use.

Hi Carolyn, My husband and I are headed to Edinburgh for the first time in July. We have booked the Fraser Suites as mentioned above. I've read wonderful reviews of this hotel and you can't beat the location. Happy travels! http://edinburgh.frasershospitality.com/

Carolyn, We just returned from Edinburgh, and spent five (5) nights at Kingsway Guest House. It is a small, seven (7) room B&B on the southside of the city. We loved it. There is a bus stop 1/2 block away that runs to Royal Mile in about 10 minutes. We walked the distance in 20 minutes. Good Luck and Enjoy,
Marty

We stayed at Ard-na-Said along Dalkeith Road in Edinburgh last August and using the bus to get into the Royal Mile was very easy. It was only about a 10 minute ride. We also spent two nights on Skye, just outside of Portree at Cul-na-creagan B&B. The place isn't bad; it just wasn't one of our favorite B&B's. At this stage, you might not be able to be too picky with where you can lodge. Keep in mind that driving goes SLOWLY on Skye. A 10 mile trip would take about 45 minutes. Nonetheless, we loved Skye and I really enjoyed the driving since it was so different! Just go slow, look out for vehicles coming the other way, and then look for the passing areas (and how you should handle them). If you're looking for scenery, I would suggest a drive out to Neist Point and then the Red Roof Cafe on the way back. Have fun!

Thanks everyone for the great suggestions! I was able to get reservations in Edinburgh at the Holiday Inn Express Royal Mile - not too exciting, but well rated on TripAdvisor and the price was good, especially for the location right on the Royal Mile. We got reservations at the Balloch B&B on Skye. Thanks for the suggestions for drives on Skye. Really don't have an itinerary there yet, so your advice was helpful.