This cluster of Scottish islands is worth adding to your bucket list
There’s something magical about the far reaches of Scotland and it doesn’t get much more remote than these scattered isles, south of Iceland and the Faroe Islands in the North Atlantic Ocean. So if you’re planning a trip to these isolated corners of Britain, here are the best places to stay in the Outer Hebrides, whether you’re looking for a hotel on Lewis and Harris, or North or South Uist.
Home to mountains, moors and machair grassland, not to mention beautiful white-sand beaches, the Outer Hebrides promise some good old Hebridean hospitality – whether you want to join a community ceilidh or try your hand at canoeing, sailing or windsurfing. You might even be in with a chance of seeing the Northern Lights…
How many islands are there in the Outer Hebrides?
The Outer Hebrides is a chain of more than 100 islands and skerries (small rocky islands), located around 70 kilometres off the Scottish mainland. There are 15 that are inhabited. The archipelago is also referred to as the Western Isles, with the antiquated term being ‘the Long Isle’, referencing its string of landmasses.
What are the Outer Hebrides islands?
The most famous Outer Hebrides island is Lewis and Harris, which is often mistaken for being two separate islands – in fact, they share a landmass. Lewis and Harris is the third largest island in the British Isles (only the mainland and Ireland are greater). The biggest settlement in the archipelago is Stornoway. South of the Sound of Harris are the Uists (North and South) and Benbecula, and even further along is Barra. The southernmost isle is Barra Head, also known as Berneray.
The Inner Hebrides, meanwhile, consist of the famous Isle of Skye, along with Coll, Mull, Jura and Islay, among others. The Outer and Inner Hebrides are separated by the Minch to the north and the Sea of the Hebrides.
How do you reach the Outer Hebrides?
The archipelago is located off the north-west coast of Scotland, separated from the mainland by the Minch, a strait that is rather scenic to cross. To the north is Iceland and the Faroe Islands, and to the west is the Atlantic Ocean and, eventually, America. There are both flight and ferry services from mainland Scotland to the Hebrides – try Loganair and Caledonian MacBrayne respectively. To touch down at Barra Airport, you’ll have to time it with the tides – the Cockle Strand airstrip is on Traigh Mhor beach and forms the world’s only tidal beach airport that has scheduled airline services. Unsurprisingly, landing here is a memorable experience.
What are the different places to stay in the Outer Hebrides?
Understandably for somewhere so remote, a lot of the accommodation options are blissfully isolated self-catering homestays and cottages, but there are hotels in some of the more populated areas of the Hebrides – including the Royal in Lewis and the historic Polochar Inn in the Isle of South Uist.
Read on for our pick of the places to stay in the Outer Hebrides, whether you're in search of staycation inspiration, in need of a beautiful beach or planning a memorable cruise around these idyllic isles…
Broad Bay House, Lewis
If you’re in search of a Hebrides hotel by the water, look no further than Broad Bay House, a guesthouse on the beach, in a crofting community a few miles north of Stornoway in Lewis. The cosy rooms have smart televisions, Bose speakers and coffee machines to help you feel at home.
The bed and breakfast is run by a hospitable couple, Sue and Tom, who have made it one of the best guesthouses in the Outer Hebrides over the past 18 years – as verified by its Five-Star Gold Visit Scotland accreditation. There’s a vaulted lounge for guests to gather in, with walls of windows framing the water in almost every direction – on a clear day, the Scottish Highlands will be visible across the Minch. And you won’t have to forage very far for food on most evenings – sharing platters filled with produce from artisan Scottish suppliers are available on Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday; three-course set menus are served on Wednesday and Sunday.
Hona, Lewis
If you’re looking for a hotel in the Hebrides, the chances are you’re in search of somewhere blissfully remote, where you can enjoy the spectacular surroundings and the peace and quiet they promise. You’d be hard pressed to find somewhere more beautiful in which to commune with nature than Hona, a self-catering stay that’s owned by a pair of artists, Matthew Dalziel and Louise Scullion.
From this charming one-bedroom house, you’ll be able to explore Lewis’s dramatic beauty, with activities such as swimming, climbing, canoeing and fishing all available nearby. In fact, the setting is so inspirational, the couple opens Hona’s doors to recent graduates with a particular interest in landscape art every winter.
Kirklea Island Suites, Harris
Over in Tarbert on Harris are Kirklea Island Suites, a series of stylish apartments with all the mod-cons covered, from the Ishga bath products to the Nespresso coffee machines. Each suite has a fully equipped kitchen, open-plan living room and a dining table that seats four, along with two bedrooms, each of which can be set up as a super-king-size bed or twins.
Tarbert is in a valley between rugged mountains, where North and South Harris meet – from here, you’ll be able to shop for Harris tweed, or join a boat tour over to the Shiant Isles to see their colonies of puffins and razorbills.
Royal Hotel, Lewis
One of the more established hotels in the Hebrides is the Royal, which is in the capital of Lewis and Harris, Stornoway. This town is the main ferry port for Lewis, with a handily big natural harbour. It’s the perfect base for exploring the rest of the island.
The historic Hebridean hotel was built in 1845, with Lews Castle being constructed across the water a couple of years later. Even back then, Stornoway was a busy sea port, with lots of fishing boats and cargo vessels coming and going – it was a regular stop for ships from Holland too, with the Dutch influences on some of the architecture in the harbour visible today.
Lews Castle, Lewis
For many visitors to Scotland, a stay in a castle is top of their accommodation wish list. In Lewis, you can do just that by checking in to Lews Castle, which has self-catering suites for hire. The grand gothic revival retreat dates back to the mid-19th century and is now open as a museum.
For a select few lucky guests, the upper floors have been converted into apartments, giving visitors a chance to stay overnight and fully explore the turrets and towers. The building itself is impressive enough but the view – overlooking Stornoway Harbour – is even better (be sure to keep watch for seals). Naturally, there’s a ballroom on the ground floor, along with a whisky bar and the Storehouse Café.
Langass Lodge, Isle of North Uist
Further south along the chain of the Western Isles is North Uist, which is where you’ll find Langass Lodge. Guests can choose between rooms in the main house and the newer options, set on the hillside.
As you’ve voyaged this far, you’ll be pleased to hear that the former shooting lodge has an acclaimed restaurant, where you can dine on some delicious Scottish produce – all with a view out across Loch Eport and Ben Eaval. Dishes might include seafood or smoked fish platters, North Uist Estate venison burgers and Isle of Lewis mussels with garlic and parsley cream.
Grey Goose Cottage, Lewis
Swap a Hebrides hotel for a homestay instead and book Grey Goose Cottage in Lewis. This remote retreat is just a 20-minute drive away from Stornoway, but its location, at the edge of Loch Keose, means you’ll feel joyfully far from any signs of civilisation.
There are three bedrooms in the cottage, two double and one single, along with a kitchen, a dining area, a sun house with a barbecue and a patio for watching sunsets over the water. For the active, there are kayaks, paddleboards and packrafts ready for guests to set sail on. The garden leads down to the loch.
Hotel Hebrides, Harris
Sister stay to Kirklea Island Suites, Hotel Hebrides is a boutique bolthole with interiors that are just as stylish as its sibling’s. As at the apartments, the rooms at this cosy hotel have Ishga bath products, which are made locally and harness the benefits of incredible Hebridean ingredients, notably seaweed. Most have a shower, but there are a few with a bath tub if that’s a dealbreaker. Other creature comforts include smart televisions, mini fridges and free tea and coffee.
The hotel has a restaurant that serves dinner daily, as well as a bistro-bar, where you can grab lunch as well as dinner. Pizzas and burgers supply sustenance for hikers hoping to take on a Harris hill.
Stornoway Bed and Breakfast, Lewis
Stornoway is a brilliant base for exploring the biggest of the Outer Hebrides and this family-owned bed and breakfast is the ideal place to stay, close to all of the action. From here, you’ll be able to visit the Callanish standing stones (which predate Stonehenge) and the region’s famously beautiful beaches – white sands and clear turquoise waters await at Dalmore, Valtos and Ardroil in Lewis, and at Luskentyre, Scarista and Seilebost in Harris.
You can’t miss Stornoway Bed and Breakfast, since the listed building at 29 Kenneth Street has been painted an eye-catching shade of blue, with more rooms available across the street and in the Stables. It’s located just a few minutes’ walk away from the ferry terminal, with Lews Castle also within strolling distance.
No 29 Ness, Lewis
For many people coming to this far-flung corner of the British Isles, the isolation is part of the appeal – and this three-bedroom holiday home in the village of Skigersta in Lewis offers the ultimate seclusion. No 29 Ness is just south of the Port of Ness in the isle’s northernmost reaches, where you can swim at the sandy beach and pick up groceries at the village shop. Or venture to see the sand dunes of Eoropie Beach, a popular spot for windsurfers.
The traditional croft house has been refurbished to now feature underfloor heating, which won’t go amiss this far north. Also keeping guests cosy is the wood-burning stove in the living and dining area. There’s off-road parking for up to four cars, and electric-vehicle charging, too.
Temple View Hotel, Isle of North Uist
Over on North Uist, Temple View Hotel is run by a passionate couple from Perth, who have refurbished and modernised every corner of the stay since they acquired it in 2020. The hotel is in the hamlet of Carinish, overlooking Baleshare Island and Trinity Temple, a ruin that could quite possibly be Scotland’s oldest university – a monastery and college was founded here in medieval times.
From your cosy, comfortable base, you’ll be able to explore both South and North Uist, as well as Eriskay and Berneray, taking in the Outer Hebrides’ famously beautiful beaches along the way.
Polochar Inn, Isle of South Uist
You’re never far from some history in Scotland and the Polochar Inn in the Outer Hebrides Isle of South Uist is a case in point. This historic inn has been offering refuge to guests seeking shelter at what can feel like the edge of the Earth since 1790. The standing stone it takes its name from is even older: the rock opposite the inn is thought to date to the early Bronze Age. The building was once a change-house, where people would await the ferry between South Uist and Eoligarry on Barra.
A couple of years ago, it was acquired by American owners, whom, we’re guessing, visited the Hebrides and fell in love.
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