Stornoway Hotels and Accommodation

Those tourist that enjoy visiting unique places may already have heard of a group of islands known as the Outer Hebrides, or Western Isles. This group of wind swept islands can be found off the west coast of Scotland a little further out than the Isle of Skye (Inner Hebrides).This article will take a look at Stornoway hotels and other accommodation in this town, the main town of the Outer Hebrides on the Isle of Lewis.

One of the most famous places in the Outer Hebrides is Calanais (formerly Callanish) where you will find some of the most important standing stones in Europe. Shaped like a crucifix with four avenues converging into a small stone circle they should be top of your list of places to visit if you are planning to stay in Stornoway hotels. Getting to the stones can be problematic as there is only one bus to and from Calanais a day so you will need to plan your day carefully if you do not have your own transport.

For a number of years now the areas Council has been busy replacing on road signs with bilingual ones displaying the main name in the native Gaelic language with a smaller English translation. This can be somewhat confusing as older guide books have different names for places. A typical example is the nearby iron age broch known as Dn Chrlabhaigh, which is well worth a visit after visiting the standing stones, which was previously, and more widely, known as Dun Carloway Broch on the Isle of Lewis.

Stornoway is a great place to stay while having a Hebridean vacation. It has all the facilities and amenities you should expect to see in a town that serves as the main administrative centre for the islands of the Outer Hebrides. There are lots of guest houses to choose from and all offer excellent bed and breakfast accommodation. Sadly the choice of Stornoway hotels is rather small but we have listed the main hotels in Stornoway below so that you can make an informed decision before booking online.

The Caberfeidh Hotel is, nearly always, top of everyone’s list of hotels on Lewis as it has a long reputation for being the town’s finest hotel. The Hotel can be found a few minutes from the town center just on the outskirts on the main road heading to the Isle of Harris. Just across the road are the wonderful Lews Castle grounds which are densely wooded and include a most beautiful walk. The Caberfeidh Hotel has a continued policy of upgrading it’s rooms to provide comfort and luxury for all it’s guests.

The largest hotel in Stornoway is the Caladh Inn, which is owned by the same group that own the hotel above. Found on the opposite side of town to the Caberfeidh the Caladh Inn is the most accessible hotel to Stornoway airport. The Caladh Inn is also just a few minutes walk from the town center and other important transport links such as the ferry terminal.

Last in our short list of hotels in Stornoway is the town’s most historic hotel, the Royal Hotel. Found at the very edge of the town center you will immediately notice the Royal Hotel by it’s wonderful period appearance (which is retained by some period fixtures and fittings in the front facing rooms). The hotel’s Boatshed Restaurant has an excellent reputation for fine cuisine while their HS1 Cafe Bar offers excellent food in an altogether livelier environment.

All three Stornoway hotels offer a superb selection of services including wireless broadband connections and packed lunches. However it is the Caberfeidh Hotel that offers the most useful function rooms. Highly popular for business seminars the hotel’s function rooms are equally popular for wedding celebrations, large visiting sales and dances.