Where To Stay In The Outer Hebrides (Best Islands & Hotels)
Planning where to stay in the Outer Hebrides is a little different from planning a trip almost anywhere else in Scotland. You're not choosing between city neighbourhoods or resort towns; instead, you're deciding which islands to base yourself on and how they'll fit into your ferry crossings and driving route.
The biggest piece of advice I can give is to plan your accommodation and ferry crossings together. If you're still deciding on your route, I'd recommend reading my Outer Hebrides itinerary first, followed by my dedicated guide to Outer Hebrides ferry routes, as the two really go hand in hand.
Unlike mainland Scotland, where you can often decide where to stay later, accommodation in the Outer Hebrides can book up months in advance, particularly during spring and summer. Once you've secured your ferry crossings, I'd recommend booking your accommodation straight away.
The other thing to know is that large hotels are rare. Instead, you'll find welcoming B&Bs, cosy self-catering cottages, guesthouses, glamping pods, croft houses and small independent hotels, many with incredible coastal views.
In my opinion, that's all part of the appeal of the islands.
So, whether you're planning a week-long road trip or simply deciding where to base yourself for a few nights, here's my guide to the best places to stay in the Outer Hebrides.
Quick Guide: Where to stay in the Outer Hebrides
Lewis & Harris:
North Uist:
Holiday Cottages:
3 Sollas (North Uist)
Machair Cottage (North Uist)
Beinn Mhor View (South Uist)
Driftwood (South Uist)
Creed Cabin (Lewis)
Peninsula Cottage (Lewis)
For most first-time visitors, I recommend splitting your stay between Lewis & Harris and North Uist. Lewis & Harris gives you easy access to the islands' most iconic beaches, mountains and attractions, while North Uist is, in my experience, the most practical base for exploring the Uists, with a good choice of cafés, restaurants, small shops, and easy access to both Benbecula and South Uist.
If you're planning to stay in just one place, perhaps in a self-catering cottage or holiday home, I'd recommend choosing either Harris or North Uist. Both offer good ferry connections and make excellent bases for exploring their surrounding islands without having to move accommodation.
Where to stay on Lewis & Harris
For most visitors, Lewis & Harris will be your first introduction to the Outer Hebrides. Although they're often thought of as separate islands, they're actually one landmass, making it easy to explore both without changing accommodation.
If you're only spending a couple of nights, I'd recommend choosing somewhere reasonably central. The islands are easy to get around by car, so you'll have no trouble reaching the main attractions, whether that's the beaches of Harris, the standing stones of Lewis or the dramatic coastal scenery in between.
It's also worth considering how close you'd like to be to Stornoway, the largest town in the Outer Hebrides. Staying nearby gives you the widest choice of cafés, restaurants, supermarkets and visitor facilities, while accommodation further south offers a quieter, more rural base that's often closer to Harris' famous beaches and mountain scenery.
If you're spending three nights or more, you could split your stay between Lewis and Harris, but I don't think it's essential. For most itineraries, one well-located base works perfectly.
Hotels and B&Bs:
Cabins, cottages & pods:
Creed Cabin (sleeps 2)
Peninsula Cottage (sleeps 4)
Shore Lodge (sleeps 2)
Beach Cottage (sleeps 2)
The Barn (sleeps 5)
Where to stay on The Uists
North Uist:
Hotels and B&Bs:
Cabins, cottages & pods:
Eala Bhàn Cottage (sleeps 4)
3 Sollas (sleeps 4)
Machair Cottage (sleeps 4)
South Uist:
Hotels and B&Bs:
Cabins, cottages & pods:
Beinn Mhor View (sleeps 6)
Driftwood (sleeps 4)
Smiddy Cottage (sleeps 2)
Druidibeg Cabin (sleeps 3)
The Wheelhouse (Grimsay)
The Uists are wonderfully peaceful and, in my experience, often become people's biggest surprise. They're quieter than Lewis & Harris but offer beautiful beaches, abundant wildlife, welcoming island communities and some wonderfully unique places to stay.
Accommodation is spread across North Uist, Benbecula and South Uist, all connected by causeways, so it's easy to explore the islands without changing accommodation every night.
For most visitors, I'd recommend staying in North Uist. It offers the best choice of cafés, restaurants and small shops, while also providing easy access to Benbecula and South Uist. It's an especially practical base if you're continuing to Skye on the ferry from Lochmaddy.
If you're travelling onwards to Barra, however, staying in South Uist can make for a more relaxed final morning, with a much shorter drive to the Eriskay ferry terminal.
For most itineraries, I'd recommend spending 2-3 nights exploring the Uists.
Where to stay on Barra
Hotels and B&Bs:
Cabins, cottages & pods:
Castlebay View Cottage (sleeps 9)
Whether you're finishing your journey through the Outer Hebrides or starting here before travelling north, Barra makes a wonderful place to spend a night or two. It's much smaller than Lewis & Harris but has a character all of its own, with colourful Castlebay, spectacular beaches and one of Scotland's most memorable airport runways.
Most visitors choose to stay in or around Castlebay, the island's main village. It's home to the ferry terminal, a handful of cafés and restaurants, local shops, and provides an excellent base for exploring the rest of Barra by car.
Accommodation on Barra is relatively limited, particularly during spring and summer, so I'd recommend booking as early as possible—ideally at the same time as your ferry crossings.
For most itineraries, 1-2 nights is the perfect amount of time to experience the island before catching the ferry to Oban or continuing your journey from Barra Airport.
My Tips for Booking Accommodation in the Outer Hebrides
Accommodation is one of the biggest limiting factors when planning a trip to the Outer Hebrides, so I'd always recommend booking earlier than you think you'll need to, especially if you're travelling during the spring or summer months.
A few things I've learned while planning trips here:
Book your accommodation alongside your ferry crossings rather than treating them as separate bookings.
Don't rely on finding somewhere later. Availability can become extremely limited, particularly between May and August.
Stay for at least two nights wherever possible instead of moving accommodation every day. You'll spend less time packing and more time enjoying the islands.
Book several months in advance if you're travelling between May and August, when the best places fill up quickly.
Don't worry too much about finding the "perfect" village. The islands are made for exploring by car, and a short drive is simply part of the experience.
