Where to Stay in Inverness: Best Areas & Accommodations

The Best Places to Stay in Inverness

• Inverness City: If you mainly want to explore Inverness and don’t have a car available.
• North & South Kessock: If you want to stay by the sea. Best suited for groups, since there are many vacation rentals here.
• Inverness Highlands: If you want to hike and explore the Scottish Highlands and have a car available.
• Inverness Airport: If you’re continuing your travels or want to keep an eye on your budget.

The Best Places to Stay In and Around Inverness on a Map

To help you get your bearings, we’ve marked all the areas on a map.

Staying in Inverness City

We recommend staying in the center of Inverness if it’s your first time in the city and you want to explore it with ease.

Inverness City is the heart of Inverness and the cultural hub of the Scottish Highlands. There are plenty of great highlights waiting for you here, such as the River Ness and Inverness Cathedral.

You can reach all of the city’s sights easily on foot — so you won’t need a car or a bus to get around.

From Inverness City, you can also take fantastic day trips by bus or boat into the surrounding area — for example, to the famous Loch Ness.

Being right in the city also means you’ll have endless options for dining out, grabbing a coffee, or just strolling around.

That said, the center of Inverness is more expensive compared to the surrounding area. You won’t find any really budget-friendly lodging here. On average, you’ll pay around €200 per night.

Advantages of staying in Inverness City:

• You’re right in the middle of the action
• All Inverness attractions are right on your doorstep
• Everything is within walking distance
• The center is also a great starting point for day trips into the surrounding area

Disadvantages of staying in Inverness City:

• Accommodations in the center are more expensive

Our Hotel Tips for Inverness City

Staying in North & South Kessock

We recommend North and South Kessock if you’re traveling with a group. Here you’ll not only experience the city and the Highlands, but you’ll also wake up to views of the sea every day.

North and South Kessock sit right on the Moray Firth bay and are connected by the Kessock Bridge.

North Kessock is a little more cut off from Inverness and is part of the Black Isle in the Highlands. You’ll find plenty of nature, a gorgeous view of the bay, and a peaceful setting. If you want to explore Inverness City, there are buses that take you across the Kessock Bridge into the center.

South Kessock is closer to Inverness City and is a direct part of the city. There’s more of a harbor vibe here and a bit more activity.

But no matter which side of the bay you choose, the big highlight stays the same: the dolphins!

Yes, you read that right! Dolphins live in the Moray Firth bay year-round and are spotted every single day. You can even take amazing dolphin-watching boat tours departing from South Kessock.

There are no hotels here, though. Instead, you’ll stay in gorgeous vacation homes that sleep four or more people.

Advantages of staying in North & South Kessock:

• Stunning views of the Moray Firth bay
• A great base for dolphin watching and boat tours
• Good connections to Inverness City

Disadvantages of staying in North & South Kessock:

• No hotels — only vacation homes or apartments
• You’ll need a bus or car to get into the city center

Our Recommendations for North & South Kessock

Staying in the Inverness Countryside

Staying in the area around Inverness is the right choice if you want to explore not just the city but also the Highlands — and you have a car available.

The countryside around Inverness is stunning and makes for the perfect base if you want to hike a lot and soak up the nature.

Here you’re surrounded by the Scottish Highlands, forests, and countless small and large lochs — including Loch Ness and Loch Ashie.

There are great hiking trails, photo spots, and endless places to truly breathe it all in and take in picture-perfect vistas.

For the Highlands, though, you’ll definitely need a car. Outside of day trips, you can’t rely on buses to get from A to B here.

On the plus side, places to stay here are cheaper than in Inverness itself — and sometimes really unique, like the Daviot Pods south of Inverness.

Advantages of staying in the Inverness countryside:

• Super peaceful, idyllic surroundings
• A perfect base for hiking
• Authentic Scottish Highlands
• Cheaper than Inverness City

Disadvantages of staying in the Inverness countryside:

• You’ll need a car

Our Picks for the Surrounding Area

Staying near Inverness Airport

We recommend staying near Inverness Airport if you’re continuing your travels or want to keep your budget in check.

The area around Inverness Airport doesn’t offer any sightseeing, but it does offer affordable accommodations — even if there aren’t many options.

On average, you’ll pay €100 to €150 less per night than in the city.

If you want to head into the city from the airport and don’t have a car, you can take the bus or the ScotRail trains. You’ll be in Inverness city center in about 30 minutes.
Advantages of staying near Inverness Airport:

• Affordable accommodations
• Good connections to the city center
• Great for a stopover

Disadvantages of staying near Inverness Airport:

• No sightseeing
• The immediate surroundings are less attractive

Our Picks near Inverness Airport

Practical Tips for Staying in Inverness

Finally, here are a few practical things to know before your trip to Inverness:

Hotel Prices in Inverness

Hotel prices in Inverness are comparatively high for a small city. The value for money on inverness accommodations isn’t quite as satisfying as what we’re used to from other Scottish cities like Edinburgh.

On average, you’ll pay around €200 per night. If you want something cheaper, you’ll unfortunately have to make some compromises on quality and comfort.

The most affordable way to stay in Inverness is to share a vacation home with a group or choose a place to stay in the surrounding area.

In the Highlands between Inverness and Loch Ness, there are solid options for around €150 per night — for example, the Westward Bed and Breakfast.

At Inverness Airport, about 30 minutes from the city center, you can stay comfortably and affordably at the Courtyard by Marriott.

Tourism Tax in Inverness

Since 2021, you’ll pay a 5 percent tourism tax on your accommodation in the Scottish Highlands — and therefore in Inverness as well.

Why? Because the Scots want to protect their beloved landscapes from overtourism and preserve them for the future. Honestly, we think that’s fair — after all, we want to be able to visit the Highlands for many years to come.