Where to stay on Arran: the villages compared
Arran is small enough to see from any village, but the ferry lands in Brodick and the buses fan out from there. Where you sleep decides how much of your trip is spent waiting at a bus stop.
Checked October 2026 at the sources named on the page.
The short answer
| Village | Good for | Ferry | Bus | What beds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brodick | First and last nights, no car, Goatfell | Ardrossan ferry docks here | All three routes start here | B&Bs, a pub with rooms, Auchrannie Resort, campsite, apartments |
| Lamlash | A quieter base with a bay, the Holy Isle boat | Bus or drive to Brodick | 323 | Two hotels, B&Bs, a caravan and camping park |
| Whiting Bay | Sea views, a quieter shore | Bus or drive to Brodick | 323 | Guest houses, self-catering |
| Kildonan and Kilmory | The far south, seals, quiet | Bus or drive to Brodick | 323 | A bunkhouse for groups (Kilmory Haven), a seasonal campsite, cottages |
| Blackwaterfoot | West coast, King’s Cave, Machrie Moor | Bus or drive to Brodick | End of all three routes | The Kinloch Hotel, B&Bs, a lodge |
| Lochranza | Distillery, hills, Kintyre ferry | Small ferry to Claonaig | 324 | Youth hostel (April to October), inn, B&B, campsite |
Bus routes are from Stagecoach’s Arran page; hotel names from VisitArran and its 2026-27 visitor guide.
Brodick
The default, and for a short trip the right one. You step off the boat into the village, the bus routes leave from beside the pier, and the Co-op is about 250 m away, according to CalMac. The Goatfell path starts at Cladach, at the far end of the village, and Brodick Castle sits above it.
The beds are a mix: Auchrannie Resort (two hotels, lodges, pools and a spa), the Ormidale Hotel, a run of guest houses along Shore Road and Alma Road, the Shorehouse’s self-catering apartments by the pier, and Glen Rosa Campsite. The Douglas Hotel, the big red sandstone hotel on the seafront, was due to close over autumn and winter 2026-27 for refurbishment under its new owners. B&Bs and hotels in Brodick goes through them one by one.
Lamlash
Lamlash faces a sheltered bay with Holy Isle across it. It is the island’s other proper village, with a Co-op, a few places to eat and two hotels in VisitArran’s guide, the Glenisle Hotel and the Lamlash Bay Hotel. From April to October a small boat runs from Lamlash Old Pier to Holy Isle, a crossing of about 15 minutes, weather and tide permitting, according to Holy Isle’s visiting page.
If you are travelling by bus, Lamlash costs you one extra ride each way to the ferry. If you have a car, it is a few minutes’ drive.
Whiting Bay and the south
Whiting Bay strings out along the south-east shore with guest houses facing the Firth of Clyde, among them the Burlington Guest House. South and west of it, Kildonan and Kilmory are the quietest corner of the island. Kilmory Haven, beside Kilmory Hall, is a bunkhouse that sleeps up to 23 and is set up for groups. Seal Shore campsite at Kildonan was closed for the winter in October 2026, reopening on 19 March 2027 according to its own site.
Blackwaterfoot and the west
The west coast is where the standing stones on Machrie Moor and the walk to King’s Cave are. Blackwaterfoot is the village, with the Kinloch Hotel and a few B&Bs, and all three bus routes end there, coming the long way round the north, the short way over the String Road, or round the south. It is a good place for two or three nights once you have done Brodick.
Lochranza
At the north tip, a village round a sea loch with a ruined castle, the Lochranza distillery and the island’s youth hostel. Lochranza Youth Hostel opens to individual guests from April to October and can be hired whole the rest of the year. The Lochranza Country Inn and Butt Lodge B&B are in VisitArran’s guide. From Lochranza a small ferry crosses to Claonaig on the Kintyre peninsula, which makes it the natural first or last night if you are travelling on to Kintyre or Islay.
Camping and self-catering
Most of Arran’s campsites, glamping pods and holiday cottages are not on the hotel-booking sites; they are booked through their own websites or by phone. Glen Rosa Campsite near Brodick takes no bookings at all. Lochranza’s campsite ended its 2026 season on 25 October and advertised a winter season from mid-November. The hostels and bunkhouses guide covers the cheapest beds in detail.
See what is free in each village
Each link searches that village, with live prices for your dates. Campsites, the youth hostel and some small B&Bs are not listed there and are booked direct.
- Brodick Ferry pier, all three bus routes, most choice.
- Lamlash Bay village south of Brodick, on the 323 bus.
- Whiting Bay Quieter south-east shore, on the 323.
- Blackwaterfoot West coast, end of all three bus routes.
- Lochranza North end: distillery, castle ruin, Kintyre ferry.