There are three places I'm looking at because they appear to be reasonably priced and family friendly:

Urquhart Caledonian and Pier Hotels Portree
Sligachan Hotel

We'll be there over a weekend (in June) so am concerned about the rowdy pub scene keeping us up all night at the Caledonian or the Sligachan?

The rooms look nice at the Caledonian but no picture of the exterior or indication of the views on the website. The location/views of the Pier Hotel look nice but no room pictures. Anyone stayed at either of these and can give me some insight?

Any other recommendation for Portree? Since this is my first trip to Skye, I don't want to get too "out of the way" even thought I know there are some lovely more remote places to stay.

Check out the Rosedale Hotel in Portree. It's not fancy, but it was nice and the restaurant was fab. There's some information on it in the "hotels" section of Fodor's - Here's a link:

http://tinyurl.com/es8dg

The Sligachan is pretty out of the way - there's nothing else around it. The scenery is great though, it's surrounded by mountains.

The pub would be loud unless the rooms are a distance away (have been to the pub but not the hotel part). There are a lot of hikers camped across the street - the area is the main gathering place for people who come to hike in the mountains.

You'd probably be better off in Portree.

Not quite sure what LAwoman means by "The Sligachan is pretty out of the way " It is true the Sligachan is not near any town - but it is probably the single best located spot on the entire island for touring. Essentially it is in the very center of Skye and on the main roads N/S/E/W. It could not be more convenient if you plan on touring all around the island. Noise shouldn't be a problem there - the pub is busy but not what I would call "rowdy" - it is definitely a family-friendly pub.

Now - Portree is a real town w/ pubs/shops etc so if that is what you are looking for then choose Portree - but don't discount Sligachan because of location.

The rooms at the Slig are a long way away from the bar. I couldn't hear anything at when I stayed there.

My main goal will be to see as much of the island as I can in only 2 1/2 days so the Sligachan Hotel might be ideal. We'll get plenty of "town/city" in London and Edinburgh...LOL. Any Portree advice will still be appreciated.

I'm STILL toying with the idea of going to Islay instead of Skye but I'll have to wait until a little closer to travel to see which I can work into my itinerary. I'm sure having fun planning, so that I can move quickly when I get the okay. Travel is rare for me - and I can never take more than two weeks - so I'm having to resist the urge to cram too much in.

Islay's a far more interesting island. It is. Really. But, to be fair, it doesn't have the Cuiliins, which are spectacular.

Even so, for me, it's a no brainer. What can I do to persuade you?

Sheila -
If I can fly into Edinburgh and out of London - reversing my schedule - Islay should work out perfectly. You have me convinced already!

BTW, I've been enjoying reading a bit of Scottish history this weekend. Where do you think the REAL Stone of Scone is hidden?

I don't have a scooby, but I'm certain it's not in Edinburgh Castle.