Hello, everyone. Several of you have already been a huge help in planning out the Scotland vacation my wife and are taking this August -- it's finally taking shape and we are getting really excited!

Wanted to pick posters' brains on where to stay in Skye (we'll be there 3 nights: 8th-10th August). We are looking for a charming, scenic location (which, from what I can see, Skye abounds in), but the hassle is: we are not planning to drive. So would it be better to stay in a place like Portree/Broadford, for public transportation access, rather than Sleat? Also, if needed, is it possible to get a private car with driver to tour around the island?

Lastly, in terms of specific accommodation choices:
-- the Rosedale in Portree: does anyone have feedback?

-- Kinloch Lodge (though this is in Sleat)

thank you!
J

I stayed in Portree and used the bus to visit Dunvegan Castle (although did wind up hitchhiking after I just missed a bus!) Don't know about the hotel you mentioned, but I liked my B&B - www.ben-tianavaig.co.uk

I had some communication with a taxi driver, who would take people on day tours of Skye. We decided against this, so I deleted all my emails.

However, here are some links I collected. I can't make any recommendations.

www.scotland-info.co.uk/skye-tours.htm

www.isle-of-skye-tour-guide.co.uk/

www.lochalsh.net/taxi/tours.html

http://www.skyehost.co.uk/index/home...ab60b48d1bc14b

Also maybe your hotel/B&B host could help you out.

As for a place to stay, I would stay in Portree, just because there's more to do if it rains. We stayed at Viewfield House, on the outskirts of Portree; it was like going back in time to a country house in the 19th century. (I rush to say the bathroom was perfectly modern.)

I would also look into hiring a driver for at least one day. We did this several years ago and thought it well worth the money.

Our driver managed a pretty complete tour of the island and made it even more interesting with his knowledge and input of local gossip.

Kyleakin Private Hire and Taxi
www.scotland-info.co.uk/skye-tours

www.lochalsh.net

There is no wrong place to stay on the island. It's all magic

We stayed at the Rosedale in Portree and it was nice... the restaurant also was good. I thought the location was great, as it's right on the water... I think most rooms probably face the water, but you might want to double check.

Sorry I can't help you with public transport since we had a rented vehicle in Scotland.

We also stayed in the Rosedale -over Whitsun this year. I chose it because of its location and it didn't disappoint at all on this count. I think it had been fairly recently refurbished as the furnishings in the rooms seemed very new. I remember that when I booked I queried the view and I don't think all the rooms have a view so we specifically requested two that did.
I had also been drawn to Ben Tianavaig because I had seen many references to it here and they were all good. The reason I went for the Rosedale was two fold-firstly that if the weather was bad and we needed to spend some hours just sheltering in our room, then that was O.K. in a hotel but not really what a B&B is about. Secondly last year we stayed on the sea front in Tobermory in Mull and it was wonderful just to open the curtains and look at the sea-there!However I went to suss-out Ben Tianavaig and bearing in mind that Portree is larger than Tobermory and with more of the settlement up on the hill I don't think the location point would be a problem. I will say however that one morning I looked out at 4.15 A.M. and the clarity luminosity and stillness kept me there for a long time.
We ate in the restaurant one night and the food was good.
There was something though that you felt they hadn't got quite right and I'm struggling to put my finger on it. The front of the hotel-right on the sea front had neither a sign telling you that the entrance was there nor any menu at all- this for a premises with a "Rosette" restaurant. The menu was at the back on the hill leading down to the seafront but outside an unpre-possessing bar which would not have enticed me inside had I not known the reputation of the restaurant and the view from there.
In short though -yes stay there.
However, at right angles to the Rosedale -therefore running down to the end of the harbour wall there were self catering apartments above the chippy /Lower Deck Restaurant(where we ate the second night) for £35 (I think it was per person).If not it was an even better deal. These had the same aspect as the Rosedale. I don't have the details for the S/c but I'm fairly sure they were owned by the restaurant and the restaurant's phone no. is 01478 613611

Looks like the self-catering apts. may have been this place: www.harbour-lodge.co.uk. Also remembered I had some good food at Cafe Arriba - cafearriba.co.uk.

Cafe Arriba looked really interesting but the only menu they had outside (in May) was a Christmas one!

Thanks a lot for all your responses -- it looks like the Rosedale is a safe choice. Love the look of some of the B&B's as well; but I see Frances' reasoning about a hotel being better given the unpredictable weather in Skye.

And thanks much for the transport recommendations: it does seem to make a lot of sense hiring a car with driver for a day.

Historytraveler: you're spot-on -- everything on the island seems magical! And that's part of the problem... although I can see that staying in Portree would be sensible (esp without a car); but we're also feeling very tempted to stay somewhere more remote... like in the Trotternish area. Just stay put there and enjoy the views and the walks.... decisions, decisions!

cheers,
j

PS: would also love feedback from you guys on how to get to Skye and back (from Edinburg). We want to do the scenic train rides... on via Fort William and Mallaig, and the other via Kyle and Inverness.

Question is: which should we do on which leg? If staying in Portree (rather than, say Sleat), would it be better to get to Skye via Inverness and Kyle (and then a bus from there) rather than the ferry from Mallaig to Armadale? Because it seems like quite a way off (about 90 mts by taxi) from Armadale to Portree. So maybe we should take the Inverness-Kyle route on the way there, and the Mallaig-Fort William route on the way back to Edinburgh?

thanks!
j

There is a bus from Armadale to Portree, but when I did the trip the bus wasn't timed to meet the ferry (duh) and it was a long wait with nothing of interest around. I wound up sharing a taxi with some other passengers from the ferry.

If you're even looking at Kinloch Lodge prices, have a look at Hotel Eilean Iarmain, which I love. It is, IMHO, the only reason to stay on Sleat.