12 Airbnbs in Scotland That Will Have You Planning a European Vacation ASAP (2024)

FAQs

How far in advance should I book a Scotland trip? ›

More reasons to book a tour of Scotland early

So, with 4-6 months or more to go before your prospective vacation and tour of Scotland, then you should be in touch with us here at Inspiring Travel Scotland so we can put your dream vacation together and get things booked for you.

The Short Answer

May, June, September and October. These months give you long days, almost all the tourism businesses are open, the crowds of July and August are avoided, midges are not at their most prolific and even the weather is pretty decent.

The platform offers a wide range of listings throughout the country, from city apartments to rural cottages and everything in between. Some of Scotland's most popular destinations for Airbnb travelers include Edinburgh, Glasgow, the Scottish Highlands, and the Isle of Skye.

On top of that, Scotland also offers some profitable real estate markets capable of catching property investors' attention. In fact, major cities of Scotland such as Glasgow, Edinburgh and Aberdeen are among the top cities in the UK for Airbnb properties!

How many days do you need to see the best of Scotland? We recommend you allow 9 - 10 days in Scotland for a satisfying tour of the country's diverse scenery and history.

The cheapest time to visit Scotland is during the off season between November and mid-March. However, try to avoid the inflated prices over the Christmas period to keep costs low. Just because winter is the cheapest time to visit Scotland, doesn't mean it's not still a magical time to go.

In Glasgow, one of the U.K.'s rainiest cities, average monthly rainfall during the wettest months—between September and January—is about 21 inches, and the daily chance of rain hovers around 50 percent.

While biting midges are abroad in Scotland between May and September, with some outliers hitting the skies in April and October, July and August are generally considered to be the time when midges in Scotland are at their worst, in the average year.

July and August are when most Britons take their holidays, so in addition to the higher prices, you'll have to deal with crowds and limited availability of accommodations. Sure, in winter Scotland is usually rainy and cold -- but it doesn't shut down when the tourists leave.

Hosts operating before 1 October 2022 will need to have applied for a licence on each property that they manage as a short let by 1 October 2023. New hosts will need a licence before they can accept bookings or welcome paying guests. By 1 July 2024, all short-term lets in Scotland will need to have a licence.

Is it better to stay in a hotel or Airbnb in Edinburgh? ›

Guests don't often come into contact with the owner running the accommodation and very little or no hospitality is offered. Without a doubt, a Luxury Boutique Hotels experience is way better than a Luxury Airbnb Edinburgh experience.

Launched 14 years ago, HomeAway (previously known as Owners Direct) has been in the holiday game almost as long as air travel itself. Okay, well, not really that long, but it has still had years to mature and perfect its holiday rental game, making it one of the most important Airbnb alternatives here in the UK.

According to the secondary data analysis, as of May 2019, across Scotland as a whole there were 31,884 active Airbnb listings based on analysis of Airbnb listings data provided by Inside Airbnb2.

Any property in Edinburgh being let on a Short Term Let basis, which include holiday homes, festival letting, 'Airbnb' etc, will be required to have a 'Secondary Letting Licence'. If you'd like to explore the option of changing to a long-term rental, you can get a free valuation using our online instant valuation tool.

July and August are the best time for festivals

Scotland's social calendar fills up in summer. School holidays kick off in July, as does the busiest time of year for Scottish tourism.

If you are planning an itinerary for 2 weeks in Scotland , you have lots of options. 14 days gives you enough time to consider exploring Scotland's more remote corners. You could even manage our Grand Tour of Scotland route that goes all the way from the Scottish Border country to the extreme north coast.

A one week trip to Scotland usually costs around $1,290 (£1,036) for one person and $2,581 (£2,072) for two people. This includes accommodation, food, local transportation, and sightseeing. A two week trip to Scotland on average costs around $2,581 (£2,072) for one person and $5,161 (£4,143) for two people.