life-in-scotland.info

Scotland is famed for its ravishing scenery, welcoming locals, outdoors sports and excellent food; making it a very popular destination for many tourists. When choosing to visit Scotland there are many different cities or towns each offering a different experience of what Scotland has to offer; Edinburgh has its museums and Castle not to mention its yearly Fringe Festival; Glasgow has its cosmopolitan shopping and vivacious nightlife; St Andrews has its world famous golf course and university; the Highlands have Inverness and Aviemore both set amidst the breathtaking scenery of the Cairngorms and surrounding mountains; and finally the West Coast has its beautiful coastal lines offering spectacular views and the chance to partake in extreme water sports.

So choosing a Scottish destination can be hard, and part of enjoying your visit is the experience you have from your hotel or B&B. The ingredients required from a hotel to provide a truly Scottish experience are incremental, and I have listed some which, in my opinion make a visit to Scotland truly unique.

Good food is an important element of any hotel but visit Scotland and expect a different level of good food. Scotland is famed for many fresh meat, salmon from our rivers and haggis caught on our highland hills. Hotels take pride in serving traditional meals such as ‘haggis, neeps and tatties’, stovies, and a Scottish Birdie; if you have chosen your Scottish hotel well, you will also be able to indulge in other Scottish fancies such as Aberdeen rowies, Irn Bru, shortbread and tablet. If you are feeling very naughty, you can sneak away to a local chipper and taste one of Scotland famous battered Mars bars… definitely one for the sweet toothed. All washed down with a traditional whiskey toddie.

Scottish people are famed for their happy nature and our hotels are no different, a good atmosphere is a priority when it comes to Scottish hotels. What is involved in creating a good atmosphere? A few locals propping up a bar stocked with Tennents and the finest Whiskeys, live music and friendly hoteliers willing to bend over backwards to ensure your visit goes without a hitch. For the ultimate Scottish atmosphere go to a ceilidh, a traditional Scottish gathering involving folk music; bagpipes, fiddles and accordions, and lots of dancing, the most famous dance being the Gay Gordon’s. Ceilidh’s are not common place in everyday Scottish life, but are often held on special occasions including weddings, Robert Burns day, New Year and so on. A family friendly is of course part and parcel of having a good atmosphere, and any good Scottish hotel will accommodate the little tykes and provide children’s activities.

Interiors play a vital part of any Scottish hotel; be it a cheap hotel in Dunoon or a luxury boutique in Edinburgh. Tartan carpets, bundles of thistle and log fires are all things treasured in a traditional Scottish hotel, but even the more contemporary hotels still retain our Scottish charm with retro detailing mixed with contemporary Scottish art work; all of which so distinct from any other nation that they couldn’t be found elsewhere.

Everyone jokes about the Scottish being tight fisted but this also means we have affordable hotels; of the hotels in the city centres will be expensive but head for the country and you will find the best hotels with value for money.