The Independent's journalism is supported by our readers. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn commission.
The best Inverness hotels for 2025, reviewed by a Scottish travel expert
These are the best Inverness hotels for trips to the Scottish Highlands or a Scotland city break that blends spectacular views with whisky drinking and castle hopping
A few short decades ago Inverness was often little more than a relatively prosaic jumping off point for tourists in search of adventures deeper into the Highlands. That has all changed as the rapidly growing city has established a reputation in its own right for short breaks. And Inverness is definitely worthy of your time and full attention, with its landmark castle (which was reborn in some style in 2025), the sweeping River Ness, bountiful shops, traditional pubs and restaurants serving up fine local produce that makes Scotland such a deservedly popular foodie destination.
It has taken a while for hotel capacity to match the new demand – especially since the opening of the hugely popular North Coast 500 driving route in 2015. But today, Inverness offers an eclectic sweep of accommodation from deeply historic country houses draped in remarkable history, through to cosy boutique boltholes in the city centre and on to swish, modern hotels brought to the Highlands by the big international hotel chains.
“Many visitors don’t realise that Inverness is brilliant for cetacean spotting, with the Moray Firth home to the world’s most northerly pod of bottlenose dolphins. You get plenty of porpoises too, and, if you’re really lucky, you might also encounter a whale or two. The standard trips are great, but for the best chance of sightings, I’d jump on a fast RIB.”
The best hotels in Inverness 2025
At a glance
- Best hotel with parking: AC Hotel Inverness
- Best hotel in the city centre: The Glen Mhor hotel
- Best boutique hotel: Rocpool Reserve hotel
- Best spa hotel: Kingmills Hotel
- Best five-star hotel: Ness Walk Hotel
1. Best Western Inverness Palace Hotel & Spa
This recently renovated riverside four star, first opened back in 1890, boasts real character. The revamp has hurtled it into the 21st-century, with half a dozen 22kw electric car charging points, handy for day trips exploring the Highlands. The swish Leisure Club & Spa has a – rare for an Inverness hotel – swimming pool and hot tub, as well as the state-of-the-art Technogym Wellness System. The Eight on the River Restaurant is worth staying in for, with Scottish salmon and beef starring on the menu. The Brasserie & Bar does Starbucks coffee and has a dedicated gin bar. Whatever you eat and drink, enjoy the views over the River Ness. For a treat make sure to book one of the rooms that peer over the river towards Inverness Castle.
Address: 8 Ness Walk, Inverness, IV3 5NG.
Price: Doubles from £167
Read more: I’ve ridden the world’s railways – here’s why Scotland’s are the best (and now even cheaper)
2. The Glen Mhor hotel
Love whisky? Desperate to visit a distillery? Well here you can stay in the Highlands capital in a hotel that gloriously has its own distillery attached. This grand old sandstone dame on the banks of the River Ness has been reborn with £7.5m of investment that has swept in a raft of green touches, as well as ‘Brewstillery’ that is also committed to sustainability in a country serious about going green. The first distillery and brewery to be built in Inverness in over 130 years are reason enough to visit, with tours available, but the bedrooms are lovely too – comfortable and luxurious with all mod cons. You can relax too in their Riverside Restaurant and the Uile-bheist Taproom Bar (where over 200 whiskies await), or on the sun-dappled riverside terrace.
Address: Ness Bank, Inverness, IV2 4SG.
Price: Doubles from £270
Read more: The best hotels in Edinburgh to make the most of the city
3. River Ness Hotel, a member of Radisson Individuals
This city centre bolthole has some great internet special deals on its website to back up the prime location. Comfortable rather than luxurious, the bedrooms all have 49-inch flat-screen TVs and a work desk that is a nod to their midweek business clientele. They also have accessibility bedrooms for guests with reduced mobility. Extra attractions include a fitness centre and a bar. In the morning set yourself up for the day with a hearty full Scottish breakfast buffet. You can return to their restaurant for dinner if it’s dark and dreich outside.
Address: 83-97 Church St, Inverness IV1 1QN.
Price: Doubles from £160
Read more: The best luxury hotels in Scotland for fine dining, spas and castle stays
4. Ness Walk Hotel
Right on the leafy banks of the River Ness, this 5-star hideaway is handily located both for exploring the city and also delving into the Ness Islands. The latter is a relaxed oasis of walkways, bridges and tree-lined benches that many visitors to Inverness miss. Don’t make that mistake. The hotel is housed in a 19th-century building that still boasts many of its original period features, but it has been given a thoroughly modern makeover, so you get the best of both worlds. This hotel feels like your own Highland retreat that is somehow still within the city.
Address: 12 Ness Walk, Inverness IV3 5SQ.
Price: Doubles from £262
Read more: The hell of staying in Edinburgh during the Fringe Festival
5. Columba Hotel
Inverness Castle is being re-born in 2025 as the Inverness Castle Experience, which is set to become one of the most popular visitor tourist attractions in the Highlands. You can take in a brilliant view of the deeply historic castle – which swims in tales of Bonnie Prince Charlie and Flora McDonald – from this old timer hotel bang in the city centre. The Victoria Restaurant – named after the hotel’s original name - is on hand for breakfast, lunch and dinner; or relax in MacNabs Bar and Bistro. The Hotel Lounge offers afternoon tea.
Address: 7 Ness Walk, Inverness, IV3 5NF.
Price: Doubles from £158
Read more: Fairmont St Andrews, Scotland, hotel review
6. AC Hotel Inverness
This large offering from Marriott was a welcome breath of fresh Highland air when it opened in 2022 in a city that perennially struggles for bed capacity in summer. Occupying a large site just downriver from the centre, this unmistakable new arrival is no faceless chain hotel, peering right out on the water with welcoming food and drink options. They mix a mean cocktail, with Scottish whisky or local gins woven into the delicious mix. Best enjoyed out on their riverside terrace. The Beira Restaurant tempts too, with local flavours backed up with tapas. They’ve got a fitness centre and meeting rooms too.
Address: Glebe St, Inverness IV1 1RF
Price: Doubles from £190
7. Rocpool Reserve hotel
This boutique bolthole used to house a fantastic restaurant and now that is gone it has slipped a bit off the radar. That feels a little unfair on this resident-only hotel, as it’s still a characterful place to stay in the centre of Inverness. It’s an especially suitable for couples, with a coorie (a Scottish word similar to cosy) vibe. Bedrooms are housed in a glorious Georgian-era mansion and the best have views down to the river. A stay here feels like having your own posh pied-a-terre in the Highland capital. They think outside the box here with creative ideas such as the Indulgent Package, which commences with a glass of Prosecco on arrival and continues with afternoon tea, the decadence lingering on to ‘evening tasting spoons’, which are artfully crafted wee dishes alive with local produce. Along with tasting spoons, savour signature cocktails, fine wines, and a range of whiskies.
Address: Culduthel Rd, Inverness IV2 4AG.
Price: Doubles from £228
Read more: The best spa hotels in Glasgow for rest, relaxation and pampering
8. Kingmills Hotel
This four-star luxury spa hotel, which reclines in the heart of Inverness, boasts serious history. Scotland’s seminal poet Robert Burns – a bard celebrated from Miami to Moscow and on to Melbourne, even if he isn’t always south of the border – had the good taste to stay here in the 1700s. The Conservatory Restaurant awaits with Scottish steaks and scallops, but Burns, of course, would have preferred the Whisky Bar, where you can savour a ‘whisky flight’ tasting of multiple drams. If it’s driech outside use their leisure centre, which comes with a private gym, swimming pool, jacuzzi and steam room.
Address: Culcabock Road, Inverness, IV2 3LP.
Price: Doubles from £228
Read more: The best spa hotels in Scotland – perfect for a relaxing country getaway
9. Loch Ness Lodge hotel
This is the place to stay if you’ve come to Inverness to go monster spotting. Loch Ness Lodge is a plush oasis that gives you a prime ringside – or rather lochside – seat for checking out the famous Nessie. Even if you’re in the ridiculous cynical minority that dare suggest one of the great symbols of Scottish tourism doesn’t exist, it’s still a lovely place to stay. You feel the full drama of the Great Glen here and Loch Ness, which holds more water than all the lakes in England and Wales combined. Book a room, of course, with a loch view. They’ve just nine gorgeous bedrooms, bedecked in sumptuous style – think goose-down duvets and Egyptian cotton – with extravagant public areas too. In the evening, enjoy a wee dram and the ‘Fire Side Menu’, with its local cured meats and fine Scottish cheeses.
Address: Brackla, Loch Ness-side, Inverness-shire, IV3 8AU.
Price: Doubles from £305
Read more: The best budget hotels in Glasgow for location, style and heritage
10. Culloden House
Hotels just don’t come any more historic. This Grade A listed mansion may have medieval origins, but its critical part in Scotland’s story – indeed in the wider history of these British Isles – came from 1745-46 when Culloden House served as a lodging and battle headquarters for Bonnie Prince Charlie. A must then for history buffs and Outlander fanatics. You don’t need to take the weight of the destiny of a whole nation on your shoulders today, though. Just relax in one of the 28 bedrooms, cosy lounge, library bar, and plush dining room. There are 40 acres of grounds to explore, grounds where oor Bonnie Prince must have wandered lonely as a troubled cloud on the eve of the Battle of Culloden that sealed Scotland’s fate.
Address: Culloden Rd, Balloch, Culloden, Inverness IV2 7BZ.
Price: Doubles from £297
Read more: The best hotels close to Glasgow airport, for ease, convenience and free airport shuttles
Why trust us
The hotels featured in this list have been carefully selected by The Independent's expert travel writers, each with a deep knowledge of the destinations they cover. Robin McKelvie has been travel writing his way around his native Scotland for over two decades and has stayed in over 500 Scottish hotels. When picking which hotels to include, Robin considered his own experience staying in the hotels and evaluated location, facilities, service and all the other details that make for an exceptional stay for all types of traveller.
FAQs
When is the best time of year to travel to Inverness?
Compared with other countries, the weather in the UK is not usually the main attraction; however, the British summertime, with the sunniest days occurring between June and August, is likely the best bet.
Why is Inverness so famous?
Regarded as the ‘capital of the Highlands’, Inverness is a small city that is an ideal place to base yourselves if visiting Loch Ness, known for its mythical monster. It is also the starting point of the North Coast 500, a 516-mile “superloop” road passing some of Scotland’s most magnificent scenery. The city also attracts history buffs to its ancient burial sites and castles. Inverness Castle in the city centre is also famous for featuring in William Shakespeare’s dramatic and dark play Macbeth.
How many nights do I need?
Two to three days, or a long weekend, will be enough time to explore Inverness and beyond.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments