Hostels and bunkhouses on Arran: what is open and when
Arran has one youth hostel, two bunkhouses let to groups and a few cheap campsites. For a solo traveller in Brodick itself, the bunk bed has more or less gone. Here is what is left, with the seasons that catch people out.
Checked October 2026 at the sources named on the page.
Every hostel-type bed on Arran, October 2026
| Place | Where | Who it is for | Season | Book through |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lochranza Youth Hostel | Lochranza | Anyone: dorm beds and private rooms | April to October; whole-hostel hire the rest of the year | Hostelling Scotland |
| Lochranza Centre | Lochranza | Twin en-suites and bunk rooms, shared kitchen | Not stated | Its Airbnb listing, linked from its website |
| Shore Lodge | Brodick Castle grounds | Groups only: whole lodge, minimum charge for 8, sleeps 14 | February to December | National Trust for Scotland holidays |
| Kilmory Haven | Kilmory, south coast | Groups: sleeps up to 23 in four rooms | Not stated | Enquiry form on VisitArran |
| Brodick Bunkhouse | Alma Road, Brodick | - | No working booking channel found | See what we found |
The two Lochranza places are the only Arran properties on Hostelworld. VisitArran’s own hostels and bunkhouses page lists just Shore Lodge and Kilmory Haven.
Lochranza Youth Hostel
The only place on Arran where one person can book one bed in a dorm. It sits by the loch in Lochranza, near the castle ruin and a short walk from the distillery, and Hostelling Scotland runs it. Reception hours are 07:00 to 09:00 and 17:00 to 21:00, so plan an arrival in the evening window.
The season is the thing to check. Hostelling Scotland gives April to October for individual guests. Outside it the hostel is let only as a whole (they call it RentaHostel). One reseller showed winter dates as bookable in October 2026, which contradicts the hostel’s own page; trust the hostel.
From Brodick it is a ride on the 324 bus up the east coast. If you are coming from Kintyre, the small Claonaig ferry lands a few minutes’ walk away.
Lochranza Centre
An outdoor centre in Lochranza that also lets twin en-suite rooms and bunk rooms with a shared self-catering kitchen. Its website sends private bookings to an Airbnb listing, which is the place to see dates and prices. It runs school residentials, so availability comes and goes.
The group bunkhouses: Shore Lodge and Kilmory Haven
Shore Lodge is the National Trust for Scotland’s bunkhouse in the Brodick Castle grounds, near the beach and the Goatfell path. It has four bunk rooms sleeping 14, a sitting room with a wood-burning stove and a kitchen, and it is let only for exclusive use, with a minimum charge for eight people. For a walking club or a group of friends it is the closest thing to the old Brodick Bunkhouse; for one person it does not work.
Kilmory Haven, beside Kilmory Hall on the south coast, sleeps up to 23 in two eight-bed dorms and two en-suite rooms. It is also set up for groups, and you book through an enquiry form.
The cheapest beds: campsites
- Glen Rosa Campsite, Brodick: Basic: toilets, cold water, no hook-ups, no shop, an honesty box. VisitArran lists it as open all year; it takes no bookings.
- Lochranza Caravan and Campsite: Its 2026 season ran from 27 March to 25 October, and it advertised a winter season from 13 November 2026 to 28 February 2027 on its social media, including pods.
- Seal Shore, Kildonan: Closed for the winter in October 2026; its 2027 season runs from 19 March, and 2027 bookings were open.
- Middleton’s, Lamlash: A caravan and camping park; its own 2026 post gave a 1 March to 31 October season, while VisitArran says open all year. Ask before a winter trip.
If you wanted a bunk because you are on a budget
A shared room is the cheapest way to sleep indoors near the ferry, and Brodick no longer sells one to individuals. The next cheapest indoor option in the village is a B&B room, which works out reasonably for two people sharing. Belvedere Guest House on Alma Road quoted £75 to £130 a room on its own site in October 2026. B&Bs and hotels in Brodick has the full list, and the ferry itself is cheap for foot passengers: £5.30 an adult single on CalMac’s 2026 fare table.
Hostel closed or full? Rooms near the ferry
When the hostel is out of season, a B&B room in Brodick or Lochranza is the fallback. The links search that village, with live prices.
- Rooms in Brodick Next to the Ardrossan ferry and every bus route.
- Rooms in Lochranza Same village as the youth hostel, for the months it is closed.