Portree Independent Hostel
7.6
Very Good(547 reviews)
The Old Post Office, The Grn, Portree IV51 9BT, United Kingdom
+44 1478 613737
Hotel Description
Portree Independent Hostel, located at The Old Post Office, The Grn, Portree IV51 9BT, United Kingdom, offers a cozy and welcoming stay in the heart of Portree, a charming town on the Isle of Skye. The hostel, set in a former Victorian post office with its distinctive yellow facade, is just a 1-minute walk from the town square and bus stops, making it an ideal base for travelers exploring the island. Its prime location is further enhanced by being 22.3 miles from the historic Dunvegan Castle, offering easy access to the surrounding attractions. The hostel exudes a relaxed and colorful atmosphere, with casual rooms and dorms that sleep from 2 to 12 guests, designed to accommodate solo travelers, families, and groups alike. Many of the rooms feature kitchenettes, providing convenience and flexibility for guests who prefer to prepare their meals. The hostel provides all the essentials for a comfortable stay, with sheets and duvets included. For added convenience, there are showers on every floor, and one of the dorms even has an en suite bathroom. Guests can relax in the sitting room, equipped with sofas and a TV, perfect for unwinding after a day of sightseeing. The hostel also boasts a fully equipped kitchen and dining area, along with tea and coffee-making facilities, so guests can enjoy a homemade meal or a hot drink whenever they wish. A launderette and drying room are available to keep your clothes fresh and dry after exploring the island’s rugged landscapes. Wi-Fi is available throughout the property, ensuring guests can stay connected during their stay. The hostel is kid-friendly, offering a welcoming environment for families, though it does not allow pets, nor does it have a fitness center, spa, or air conditioning. While there is no pool or hot tub, the hostel’s charm lies in its simplicity and practicality. With its relaxed atmosphere, affordable pricing, and unbeatable location, Portree Independent Hostel is the perfect place for travelers seeking an authentic Skye experience. Guests can easily explore the nearby ATLAS Arts and Skye and Lochalsh Archive Centre, or take a stroll to popular restaurants such as Cuchullin Restaurant, Scorrybreac Restaurant, and Antlers Bar and Grill. For outdoor enthusiasts, the area is full of natural wonders like The Storr, Fairy Pools, and Talisker Distillery, all within easy reach. Whether you’re here for outdoor adventures, cultural exploration, or simply to relax in the quaint town of Portree, Portree Independent Hostel offers an exceptional base for your travels on the Isle of Skye.
The Most Outstanding Trait
1. Located in a former Victorian post office with a distinctive yellow facade.
2. Just a 1-minute walk from the town square and bus stops.
3. Affordable and casual rooms and dorms, with some rooms featuring kitchenettes.
4. Fully equipped kitchen and dining area, plus tea and coffee-making facilities.
5. Showers available on every floor, and one dorm has an en suite bathroom.
6. Kid-friendly environment, perfect for families traveling with children.
7. Proximity to notable attractions like The Storr, Fairy Pools, and Talisker Distillery.
8. Easy access to nearby restaurants, including Cuchullin Restaurant and Scorrybreac Restaurant.
9. Wi-Fi available throughout the property for easy connectivity.
10. Relaxed and welcoming atmosphere ideal for solo travelers, families, and groups.
9.4 Exceptional
Location rating
Top sights
The Storr
14 min
Fairy Pools38 min
Talisker Distillery29 min
Lealt Falls22 min
Sligachan Old Bridge16 min
Nearest locations
Cuchullin Restaurant
1 min
Scorrybreac Restaurant1 min
Dulse and Brose1 min
Antlers Bar and Grill1 min
Tianavaig Restaurant1 min
Caberfeidh Bar and Restaurant1 min
The Isles Inn1 min
Pizzaway1 min
See more Interesting locations
Good to know
| Check-in | 15:00 |
| Check-out | 10:00 |
| Location rating | 9.4 |
| Nearest airport | Benbecula Airport |
| Travel time to airport | 2 hr 56 min |
Recommended properties nearby
Location
The Old Post Office, The Grn, Portree IV51 9BT, United Kingdom
Airports:
Stornoway Airport
Taxi: 3 hr 33 min
Transit: 4 hr 54 min
Benbecula Airport
Taxi: 2 hr 56 min
Transit: 5 hr 9 min
Barra Airport
Taxi: 4 hr 53 min
Transit: 24 hr 40 min
Transit:
Cemetery
Taxi: 2 min
Walking: 21 min
Scorrybreck Road
Walking: 7 min
Co-Op (near)
Walking: 17 min
Somerled Square
Walking: 2 min
Walking: 2 min
Nearby locations
9.4
Exceptional Location
Set in a former Victorian post office, this yellow-fronted hostel is a 1-minute walk from the town square and bus stops, and 22.3 miles from Dunvegan Castle.
Top Attractions
Top Restaurants
Amenities and Facilities
Pets
No pets
Policies & payments
Smoke-free property
Wellness
No fitness center
No spa
Children
Kid-friendly
Internet
Wi-Fi
Pools
No pools
No hot tub
Rooms
No air conditioning
Kitchen in some rooms
Reviews
100% reviews from partners and customers booking on Dinogo
5.8
10 reviews
Wonderful
2
Excellent
2
Good
2
Below Average
1
Not Good
3
Ng YeowHwee
5/5
Comfortable and clean. You get what you see in the photos. Honestly I found the price is excellent considering the other options on Skye/Portree, which are multiples more expensive and which you have to book half a year ahead.Personally I didn't see any of the dirt issues mentioned by older reviews. Seems like they resolved it.Showers are good too. Large space, and a partition to separate the wet and dry areas within the shower cubicle.And of course location is fantastic. Same building as a really nice pizza takeaway, and supermarket and restaurants are all nearby. Right next to the central square where most tour pickups happen.At the end of the day, you're here to visit the gem that is the Isle of Skye. This is a place to stay where you have a bed to sleep on and warm running water to bathe in. Plus a kitchen to cook a hot breakfast and dinner (and lunch if you're back in town). Some people don't mind pitching a tent in some distant campsite against the cold roaring wind and rain of the Scottish isles...but not me. Would stay again 👍
Shannon Shaw
1/5
I left 2 days early at a cost to myself. The staff here are very nice and you couldn’t ask for a better location, but unfortunately this hostel is in serious need of a revamp and I found it quite an unpleasant sleep.The beds are not comfortable, and my back hurts, and despite me messaging ahead to request a lower bunk because they are pre-assigned (why?), I was given a top bunk. I am frequently up early hiking so I didn’t want to disturb anybody. I’d understand this if it were extremely busy, however the bed below my top bunk has been empty for the last 2 nights and I couldn’t even switch at fear of a £20 fine, so it seems like they didn’t even try to accommodate my request.There is absolutely zero space in the rooms for bags, nor any shelving near the bed, rendering it extremely crowded with 12 people. Tolerable if you’re on a lower bunk, but I was woken multiple times to my phone and power bank falling off the bed because there are only power outlets on the ground and I didn’t want to wake anybody with alarms ringing while I tried to clamber out of the rickety bed.The lack of any lockable storage in the rooms too was disappointing, I understand there are some small laptop size lockers in reception but they require a deposit and it’s not really good enough considering the price. If you are staying downstairs, bring earplugs, I found the walls thin and you could hear everything from the kitchen upstairs.Showers were quite dirty and it was a constant battle for hot water, it also seemed like the toilets were often leaking onto the ground. I got out of the shower last night to find the emergency door wide open to the street with no staff in sight, which presses a question of safety and security. The kitchens were clean and well equipped with adequate space which is good. I found it quite difficult to do any laundry though as majority of the machines are broken and there is only 1 dryer to share with hostel guests and residents of Portree.For the price point, I’ve stayed in exceptional hostels in much smaller rooms. I understand the premium for the time of year, but I was quite disappointed considering how expensive it is for a 12 person room.The place has potential but it seems in a bit of a sad state and not particularly welcoming. It felt very cold and inhospitable.
Tim Motz
3/5
Thanks for having me.It wasn't a very friendly welcome, which I would have appreciated after a day's travelling. Also, some rather mean signs dotted around ('PUT AWAY YOUR CUTLERY' accompanied with a picture of a closed-circuit TV camera above each sink) didn't make me particularly at ease. The rooms were functional but not great. Next time I'd stay at the YHA Scotland place next door. Portree itself is a bit weird.
Willie Ruiz
4/5
Was worried after reading all the reviews but after staying two nights, I realized it’s not that bad. It’s a typical hostel. A little older and yeah it could be nicer but there’s def worse ones out there. You have to pay half online and half here cash. The receptionist was nice, showed us down to our bunks. Coed room was full but everyone kept to themselves. Bathrooms were ok, clean. Showers were good, warm water and a place to change. Beds were, typical not so comfortable bunk beds but they didn’t seem dirty or unclean. No lockers so if you are uneasy about your stuff and plan to leave something behind, bring a lock for your bags. Parking is available behind the hostel for 5 pounds a night. Right in the middle of the town and perfect to drive from and explore the area.
Stef B.
1/5
Believe all the negative reviews you read! This place is horrible. The rooms are very small, there is no room to store your luggage and it smells like a Chinese restaurant everywhere. The only good thing I can say about this place is that the location is very central and they have a kind employee who helped us check in very well. But the place is so outdated and overpriced!
Mary K
1/5
The reviews for this place clearly include both the laundry (rated well) and the hostel sleeping experience (not rated well). Don't get fooled if you're looking for a place to stay.There are many things the management could do to make this a decent place to stay including having power accessible to the beds, giving you a place to store your stuff even semi securely, or having climate control in the room (reviews alternate between "it was freezing" and "it was boiling"--we were the latter).Do yourself a favor and find a different option.
EB
Emily B
4/5
This hostel has changed hands since I was last here 5 years ago. The family running it are clearly doing fine - shame that there was a vibe of lacking in a little confidence checking us in! …
Erica Dias
2/5
Very run down, dirty and cold hostel. The beds aren’t comfortable and everything is locked down/closed at 10 PM, so can’t use the kitchen or common areas past that. They don’t turn the heaters on until 9 PM, so it is freezing in the rooms, and even when the heat was on it didn’t warm up much. When I asked the staff about the heat, they said no hostels in Skye turn on the heat during the day (which isn’t true considering I stayed at others and they were much warmer). Only upside to this place is the price and location.
Samson Apuuli
3/5
I had two nights here and it was absolutely okay. A typical hostel: beds not too comfortable, limited space, overall a bit dirty. But it’s central in Portree and has all amenities you’d expect probably. I didn’t see lockers though. For what you get a bit pricey in my opinion, but I guess compared to accommodation prices around in Portree you could consider it fair. I have been in better hostels, but for two nights it was totally fine.
Nilay Katre
5/5
Nice hostel. Comfortable and clean rooms. Big dining area and well equipped. Toilets were not clean on day one. But it was a one-off incident. Overall very clean.
Room 4
Service 4
Location5