5 stars
john elliot - Scotland
December 2011
zwets - Netherlands
November 2011
Excellent hostel with lovely staff. Deer walking in the yard, seals can be spotted from right outside the hostel!
Mary Scotland - Scotland
Comfortable, well-run hostel, easily accessible by round-the-island bus service.
Rose - England
Excellent hostel. Recommend the Stags Pavilion in Lochranza for an evening meal - we visited twice!
fellsangel - England
Great hostel, lovely location. One of the best I have ever stayed in - and definitely the cleanest. Staff were v friendly and helpful. My kids loved it too.
Mini Belle - England
mermaid - England
3.5 stars
TTKNOB - Scotland
Ensure you ask about the sleeping arrangements in the room that you have booked. Ask before booking if the showering problems have been resolved!
hetty - England
I stayed at Lochrenza hostel in early October 2011 the surrounding area of the hostel is stunning. The warden is very friendly and informative of the island, the hostel is well equipted and clean. There is no shop in Lochrenza. Fully enjoyed my stay.
Ruth - England
Take some food with you as no close shops
SG - India
If you are in Lochranza, dont miss the Cock of Arran walk! A fabulous day walk around the coast.. Hostel has map & directions, and Steve+Angela are extremely helpful.
traveler4711 - Scotland
October 2011
- Scotland
Amy - Australia
Steve Lowe - England
Do the Sannox to Lochranza route but be prepared for a bit of scrambling. Recommend the bus for this journey. Heritage centre is worth a trip at only £3 each, especially on a rainy day
Gonzalo - Spain
Had a great time in Arran and the hostel in Lochranza was fantastic: modern facilities, great location, very clean and extremely helpful and professional management/staff. The walk along the coast to Laggan cottage and then back to Lochranza through the hills is super, as is the walk up to the Lochan from Thunderguy. The stone circles at Machrie Moor are also not to be missed. If you can, take the ferry to Claonaig and walk to Skipness castle and church: great ruins by the sea with spectacular views of Arran.
Lorraine, North Devon - England
Position of hostel just superb at this wonderful place - amongst the hills and sea loch. Red deer and rutting stag right there as I got off the bus! Useful to have westward ferry to mainland withing walking distance. Nicely refurb'ed, friendly, helpful staff too. Will definately return when rain stops!
anonymous - England
Amazing location, with bay, loch, castle ruins, towering peaks and red deer all visible from the property. Fantastic hostel furnishings and facilities, all felt brand new. Great value for money.
Bill - Scotland
4.5 stars
butty - Scotland
This hostel is in a wonderful position in one of the best parts of Arran
Ruth - Scotland
Buses infrequent, check times and/or get a timetable
Andy - Scotland
The Lochranza hostel is a particularly handy stop over for cyclists because there is a good secure bike shed and because it located at the BOTTOM of a great big hill climb! Remember to arrive already fed or bring food with you because there aren't any shops in the village.
MajaSauvage - Germany
Pcflopez - Philippines
steve - Scotland
KT - England
Great hostel, great location, great atmosphere. Just a note that it doesn't open for check until 5pm.
Jessica - Scotland
Lovely hostel, very welcoming staff and great facilities, great location - in a beautiful small village but with fairly regular buses to the rest of Arran.
Christine - Scotland
Peter S - Scotland
A very comfortable hostel, highly recommended. The warden was particularly helpful in giving us advice about the Claonaig ferry and enabling us to get an early breakfast before catching the first ferry.
lezah - Scotland
A 10minute walk from Lochranza ferry! Turn left of the ferry and it's on R hand side half a mile along! I hadn't a clue when I arrived!
RONZO - Scotland
Wiebke - Germany
petra - Germany
andy sanders - Scotland
4 stars
MH - England
JohnH - Scotland
Stayed one night as part of a cycle tour and caught the Claonaig ferry in the morning . Great hostel for both location and facilities and quite busy for mid-Sept. Casual cyclists should take note that, although the A841 route is mostly flat between Brodick and Lochranza, there is a hill to surmount. I couldn't get mobile reception inside the hostel (T-Mo/Orange), but decent signal just outside. Overall, I'd recommend it.
maggies - Scotland
Great hostel, very welcoming staff and very well-organised for my late arrival. Everything very clean and well-furnished. Really good to have two common rooms - one with TV and one without. Kitchen facilities best I've ever used in a hostel!
sean - England
Itinerant Oceanographer - Italy
Nice hostel and location; a good choice for Lochranza!
RachHodson - Scotland
September 2011
Horace - Scotland
swampy - England
one of the best hostels i have stayed. the welcome was warm and the staff full over very useful information. facilities the best i have encountered. the setting could not be better, with wildlife on the doorstep. just a short walk from a good pub and if you don't fancy cooking very big portions of good food. on the doorstep of some very good long and short walks and for those passing through a few hundred yards along the road from the ferry across the Kintyre. a hostel worth staying at.
Ian Moffatt - Scotland
Great location for easy access to Mull of Kintyre
NS - England
Ángel - Spain
Red deers came to graze at the hostel door in the morning, very quiet surroundings and beautiful valley. We loved it there.
muonmonger - Scotland
Jagganath - India
Fantastic location. The Lochranza castle at sunset. The red deer grazing in the hostel gardens. The Arran distillery nearby. A friendly, helpful manager who went out of his way to help. (Thanks Steve). Couldn't ask for anything more. All you need is a good pair of walking boots. And it is the closest thing to heaven. BTW all this makes Lochranza very popular so do book early. If you are a biker, take the ferry back to Claonaig and the A 83 towards Glasgow. Some of the best riding roads you'll find. Spectacular scenery and well-maintained highways.
hostel visitor - Scotland
Alan - Scotland
ny147 - Scotland
Cyrille - France
Al S - England
anon - United States of America
Sue - England
Possibly the best hostel I have ever stayed in!
glyncooper - England
August 2011
first time stay at lochranza will certainly come again.
bari tone - England
Moneypenny57 - Scotland
5 star in all areas. This is my second stay of the year and look forward to returning again. This hostel does the Isle of Arran proud, well done everyone!
Rhaeto - Italy
Good experience, clean and well organised hostel. Was full of bikers and people staying just one night, as long as families. Without a bike or car, being the bus service on Arran not to reliable and the hostel not centrally (Brodick) located, it might be problematic moving around.
buspass - Scotland
Tour the island by public transport. Possible to connect and see the different villages.
daniel - Spain
Connell Family - England
A beautiful location, excellent for walking, and observing wildlife. Very relaxing. Really friendly and helpful staff who had great recommendations for places to eat and what to look out for on walks in the area. Seeing the pair of Golden Eagles above the distillery at Lochranza was just the icing on the cake.
linda - Scotland
please highlight the opening time in bold text as this could have caused problems with people arriving on the 10 o'clock ferry by foot and having to wait around with bags etc untill hostel opens
dusjj - Switzerland
Anne - Scotland
Fabulous hostel. Friendly helpful staff, good clean comfortable accommodation. Can't recommend it high enough
Caberfeidh - Scotland
Be sure to earn your "I conquered Goatfell" T-shirt, available from the shop at Brodick pier, which sells mementoes of all things Arran.
Tina - Scotland
I had anticipated getting fuel at Tarvit before boarding the Cloanaig ferry but this garage and fuel station had closed down mid July and I therefore had to travel 5 miles further down the Mull of Kintyre road to a service station and then return 5 miles back up the road before boarding the ferry. I would therefore recommend buying fuel at Lochgilphead. There are fuel stations at Whiting Bay on Arran.
badger - England
beautiful, scenic location
The Grants - Scotland
johanausberlin - Germany
Great place to spend several days.
Smithy - England
Food to be found at Lochranza Hotel or the Bistro at the campsite. If wanting to eat at the Bistro then make sure you book early as it soon gets booked up.
martini - Germany
July 2011
XXX - England
DB - England
fantastic
john - England
Ian C - England
Salvador - Italy
Have a nice stay in Arran Isle, the most beutiful place in Scotland!!!
Alan - England
AFR - England
Cycling? Watch out for poor road quality on climb and decent over to Broddick. The ride around the west coast around the South and back to Broddick is easy to start with and gets a bit lumpy around the South but is superb. Otters in the sea, golden eagles hunting in the coastal fields. Cafe stops need planning. Considerate drivers, even 'white van man'.
Sally - England
Fantastic situation with friendly and helpful staff and a secure shed for the bikes. Saw deer from the window but unfortunately not the golden eagles!
Daveboy - Ireland (Northern)
isabelwallace - Scotland
June 2011
Kulraj - England
This is a great hostel. Rooms, kitchen, bathrooms and dining area are all a high standard. Staff are super friendly and efficient. If pushed for time, the breakfast and packed lunch options are a great way to save hassle.
Faustain - England
Very friendly helpful staff. Beautiful hostel in the most wonderful location. The scenery and birdlife are just fantastic. A true gem in the Scottish tourist trail.
Bookwifey - Scotland
There is a wonderful walk over the hill starting just behind the destillery and ending in Catacol Bay.
Chris A - England
colin - England
NOËL Luc - Belgium
Sue G - England
Joy - England
Rachel - Scotland
anon - Scotland
markbf - Scotland
This is a wonderful facility for familes
Roel - Belgium
printemps - Republic of China (Taiwan)
May 2011
0 - Scotland
John G - England
Ronnie Corbett - England
czwotzit - England
David Bramwell - England
Almost as good as a quality hotel.
derek - Scotland
great hostel very clean and friendly helpful staff Lochranza is a lovely village with lots of interesting walks and things to do, Lochranza hotel is a good choice if you want a break from cooking though the hostel has really good kitchen facilities and i recommend the wee breakfast in the hostel i will be back
4 lady cyclists - Scotland
Excellent hostel now that it has been refurbished. Staff very friendly and helpful for travel advice - which ferries to catch and how fast we need to cycle! Also, bunk beds no longer squeak!
Rab D - Scotland
A superb hostel with great facilities and welcoming staff. In a fabulous location
amber - Scotland
LadyAlexMTB - England
Very well-equipped and recently refurbished hostel in a stunning location. Rooms and facilities superbly equipped. Hostel manager very friendly with excellent local knowledge and interest in guests trips etc. Hostel blessed with lots of Scottish wildlife (deer, red squirrels, otters) which was a treat for us! Note for potential guests - Lochranza does not have any grocery stores so make sure you're equipped with supplies on arrival. Local bistro on campsite (only option for eating out) highly recommended but gets booked up.
caitlin - England
Idyllic location
douglasm - Scotland
hosteller 1 - Scotland
be sure and take a camera
Maria - Spain
rriffkin - Scotland
rosafat - England
This is a lovely and welcoming and busy hostel. make sure you book. only one shop in village so you may need to take some provisions.
Ceres Hillwalking Club - Scotland
We have stayed here several times and since the 2009 refurbishment it's better than ever.
Alex - Scotland
A perfect base for exploring a beautiful and interesting island
Bron - Scotland
April 2011
Sonya - Scotland
The Ilalian restaurant at the campsite is very good.
Febi - India
Ellwing - Netherlands
A few good walks starting from Lochranza. You can hire mountain bikes at the sandwich shop opposite the ferry to Claonaig. Also, the restaurant at the camping is worth checking out.
Emma - Scotland
Very good hostel. Staff very friendly and helpful. would def stay again.
rainboweffect - Scotland
The Lochranza Hotel is great for lunches and dinners and a short stroll away - look out for the deer on the shoreline! Lovely beach at Kildonan!!
falcarragh - Scotland
kenrob145 - Scotland
Belfastbaz - Ireland (Northern)
A small, but very friendly hostel, situated to the North-West of the Isle of Arran. An ideal place to stay for peace and quiet, rest and relaxation. Also ideal for those more adventurous in mind, whether biking, walking in the hills, or hill/mountain climbing. Also an ideal stopover for those travelling to or from Kintyre, as the ferry to Claonaig is a few minutes drive away, and the ferry terminal in Brodick (for Ardrossan on the Scottish mainland) is 14 miles away. Buses do connect with the Ardrossan ferry for those without their own transport, and drops off close to the Hostel. I really enjoyed my short weekend there, as I wanted a bit of peace and quiet, and you will get plenty of that. :-)
Nemo - Scotland
yk - Scotland
travelbybike - England
March 2011
Vicky - England
January 2011
Lovely hostel for a weekend away in December, beautiful location, clean and warm and dry, very friendly and helpful warden. I particularly recommend the `heated hide' at the hostel, also known as the lounge! Nice and warm, even with snow outside, with binoculars provided, and a very good view of the birds on the loch and the deer on the hillside opposite.
Hiker - Netherlands
Hostel is very clean and ticks all the boxes.
December 2010
Kate - England
November 2010
A great place to stay with a young family. Family room had plenty of space and the deer and red squirrels in the garden were a real bonus
MoragAnne - Scotland
Lochranza hostel is ideally sited to sample the local whisky and the wildlife!
Carole - Australia
Maria - Germany
October 2010
John and Hazel - England
alex - Scotland
A great stop or base for cyclists
giraffe - Scotland
Max - Scotland
Great friendly hostel with wildlfe in the surrounding grounds. Hostel decor, fittings, etc are spotlessly clean and in excellent condition. Thanks for a great stay.
islayfriend - Belgium
Dewbrain - Canada
The location is fantastic, and the surrounding hill walks are wonderful. There isn't a shop in Lochranza, but there is a good pub in town if you don't feel like doing self-catered meals.
Togo Awandering - Wales
john c - Scotland
Bring plenty food and drink due to location having no shops for 15 miles.
Esther - Netherlands
Frankfurter - Germany
Anne - England
ruggagirl - New Zealand
mok - Portugal
September 2010
Don't forget to take a lock if you want to secure your locker.
guy - England
Whiskytraveler - Norway
William - England
Clean and comfortable hostel in a great location. Arrived outside of reception opening hours but the warden saw me and was happy to let me in. Really well equipped kitchen. Arrived by bike and due to the lack of shops in Lochranza, would be good if the hostel stocked more food for sale.
steggy - Scotland
Old 4 eyes - Scotland
If travelling by bike please note the quality of the road surface in various places on the north of the island is terrible
Anbe - England
Jones - Finland
Maggie - Scotland
It is hard for people staying there for a long time...maybe some freezer supplies would be good as there is no shop in Lochranza.
Christopher Davies - England
Lovely location and refurbished hostel generally v good. especially public areas. We had a family room which was a bit on the tiny side for 4 adults! But clean and serviceable. We only had one night and wish we had booked for more.
jogle - Wales
AKO - Scotland
June - England
Clean, newly refurbished and friendly hostel in a quiet and picturesque area of Arran convenient for ferries.
B - England
Ellen - Scotland
Great for those with young families - we have three-year-old twins, and the facilities were just right. We had a private family room, and there were games and videos in the communal room. Great location too with a beach and ruined castle in walking distance for little legs, as well as deerwatching. They loved it. Just bring your supplies for the week, as no shops near!
Barbara - Poland
This hostel is really nice, very fiendly and helpful staff, nice and clean, in beautiful location, i liked everything there.
ravens4bowl - England
Lochranza has recently been updated and when combined with the stunning location it is one of the nicest hostals taht I have stayed in.
Becky - Scotland
August 2010
Rich and Jules - Wales
This is one place to head for if you are travelling around Scotland. First class facilities, top notch rooms and really friendly staff...topped off with breath taking scenery.
Carrie - Scotland
Beautiful setting, well worth a visit if you like to get away from it all.
sarah - England
Doug - Scotland
Great location with fantastic views from the hostal. A very comfortable nights sleep on wooden bunk beds ( much quieter than the metal ones). I think the bike store might be too small at busy times. Having the Claonaig ferry only a five minute bike ride away makes for a very leisurely departure.
Tom - England
Louisa100 - England
Juley - England
A very clean and comfortable stay, we will definately do the youth hostel experience again.
Marianne - Switzerland
SEGA Gary - Scotland
This hostel is fantastic. The facilities are modern and very accessible. The privacy is great - even when sharing with others. It is beautifully located and easy to access Lochranza. There is plenty of parking nearby and the staff are great also.
Barnes - England
fergus - Scotland
jangannaway - England
All the facilities are really lovely but no meals served - hence only 4 stars for facilities. There are a couple of local places to eat in the village but no food shops. Lovely position, beautiful place.Good walking and cycling locally. Wished I could have stayed longer.....Thankyou SYHA!
Monica - Switzerland
Juno - Scotland
macks - Scotland
Be sure to take provisions with you to Lochranza as you're a long way from shops (though there is a hotel / pub just along the road if you want to eat out).
Katja - Finland
You have to make sure to buy all your groceries in Brodick before proceeding to Lochranza, although the Lochranza Hotel serves very nice meals. The place is nice and remote. The fisherman's walk over the hill to the other side of the tip of the island is wet even in dry weather and a bit challenging, but highly rewarding views are guaranteed.
chris.city - England
PM - England
Colin Kyle - Scotland
Great hostel in a superb location.
3 stars
ethel - Scotland
Alfresco1 - England
July 2010
kenny - Scotland
Take time to walk across to the golf course to see the wild deer which come down to the roadside.
tghyj - England
manitou - Germany
Mikesell. - Scotland
It would be a good idea if you indicated in the SYA brochure and on the website that there is only a very small basic shop in Lochranza village and visitors would be advised to take some food/supplies with them.......or advise them to buy provisions at the Co-op in Brodick when they get off the ferry. In the 21st century wireless internet should be provided free 24/7 at all Hostels.
mimi - Austria
One of the cleanest hostels I've ever seen. Great location. Very calm atmosphere, think I was the only guest younger than 40/45... ;)
Muddy - Germany
Happy Hosteller - England
frank - Ireland (Republic)
you can buy some food at the hostel or get milk and bread at the shop beside campsite 500metres away.
tevalegan - Scotland
Great location and great hostel. Really nicely renovated. I stayed with a baby and would recommend for families.
jenny - England
Diana - England
Get to Lochranza if you can - the location is idyllic and the hostel has been completely refurbished and now offers all you could possibly want from a hostelling experience - the kitchen is particularly well equipped.
Jean - France
Nom - England
jessica - England
June 2010
CycleandAle - Germany
Ramblingrose - Scotland
Fabulaous makeover of this lovely hostel which is in a wonderful position on the beautiful island of Arran. Facilites are wonderful.
Dan S - England
dk87 - England
Piyush - India
jimbo - Scotland
TheWicken - England
I was late arriving and the hostel ways full I was more than happy. I got a bed for the night that was clean and could make my meals and locked my bike up for the night and take a shower. What more do you want of a hostel.
pitchy - England
if anyone is cycling the island as we did, go clockwise and finish on the flat
Bernie - England
Excellent hostel well run with charming & helpful management team, easy to get to & nicely situated
lower wharfe canoe club - England
This is the best hostel we have stayed in to date, benefitting from a superb refit and steve the warden and his wife couldn't have been more helpful. A wonderful hostel and in such a superb location
Jack Addison - England
AGC - Scotland
Super clean & friendly, this newly refurbished SYH is a great spot to explore north Arran.
Janine - Scotland
A lovely place to stay, with a pebbly beach and shallow river opposite - great for kids' paddling! Don't miss the Machrie Standing Stones when on Arran - a series of stone circles in a beautiful quiet location. There's a small car park opposite the start of the walk (2-3 miles there and back) plus regular buses. Very peaceful.
speleovercors - England
sean an tom - England
kitchen not has good has it used to be.
CarolCola, student member - Scotland
I brought my sisters from the States to this hostel as part of their holiday. This was their 1st hostel experience and they were impressed. Lochranza sets the bar high for other hostels to match. Very helpful staff, spotless rooms and an professional style kitchen all give value for money. Well done, SYHA!
Dave - England
Arran is beautiful visit other islands to go in May to avoid midges book good weather and there is nowhere better than western scotland
caleb - England
Karol - England
Colin D - England
Bruce Logan - Scotland
Scotswoman - Scotland
May 2010
A few basic food supplies on sale in hostel - handy for late arrivals.
rod - England
Mountain goat - England
The warden sells a few items of non-perishable food and there is a butcher nearby who has milk and some veg as well as meat. There's also a hotel nearby that sells bar meals I'm told.
cyclist - Ireland (Northern)
Staff friendly and helpful in this busy hostel .Strong smell from septic tank permeated hostel on first visit. The cycle shed is very small ?following creation/enlargement of very welcome drying room.. Rather limited range of food sold given lack of facilities in village.
Dave - Scotland
Lovely refurbishmet of Lochranza, beautiful location. Remember to take some food as the local shop has closed.
jacqui.t - England
DMcDowall - Scotland
Paula(bear) - Scotland
x - Scotland
kayacat13 - Scotland
The hostel in Lochanza has just been refurbished, so it is like staying in a hotel. Staff very friendly & helpfull. Location is picturesque especially when red deer are wandering around the grounds at 6am. I would recomend this hostel if you wish some tranquility.
Knaughty - Scotland
Go the long way around the island to get to the hostel if you have time. It will show just how varied the island is and you will see some great sites.
Ian - Scotland
Leo - Scotland
For anyone on a bike - the hill just at the hostel is truly horrific!
deej517 - Scotland
AB - England
Outstanding hostel - a real headturner - very effective luxury and grand location.
Sáras - Spain
Oldie 1 - Scotland
Cornishlass - England
April 2010
One of the best hostels I have ever stayed in - will definitely be back!
mothership - Scotland
Chris Hart - England
hazuki - Spain
f - England
we did, as a teenage family, a good 1 day walk up Goatfell from Sannox via the Maidens Breast and North Goat Fell and down the 'paved' track to Corrie. Many walks in the mountains are either are very long and arduous, or just up and down trips
Borderer - Scotland
Newly refurbished hostel very clean and comfortable.Only complaint was that when I stayed previously they sold basics like teabags, frozen bread (for toast) and butter. but not any more. That was very useful as there is no local shop (nearest shop 7 miles).
Jill Galloway - England
MattSmith1984 - England
Fantastic place, great staff, they looked after me and ky poorly knee very well! Thanks a lot, I'll be back soon!
Saheli - India
Visited Lochranza in March and had a wonderful stay at the hostel. The hostel has very good facilities (there's even a hair-dryer in the shower room), is very clean, warm and comfortable - just the thing you need after a tiring day amidst beautiful scenery. Steve, Angela and the staff are very nice and helpful with loads of local information. I loved the pictures taken by Steve and the way they have been displayed throughout the hostel. Keep up the good work. Plan to visit again.
Rambling man - Scotland
Duncan - Scotland
Andre - England
denverites - United States of America
Steve - Scotland
March 2010
Neil G - Scotland
Lovely modern hostel. Ideal for hill and coast walks. Short walk to pub. You can buy some essentials from the staff, but better getting food etc from Brodick. However, the bus leaves Brodick almost immediately after the ferry gets in, so if no car, better to bring food etc with you!
koreenreece - Scotland
Lauren - Scotland
The hotel has just recently been refurbished and therefore has great faciliities. The staff were very accommodating and friendly- I am pregnant and they provided me with extra pillows and bedding for my comfort which was very generous. They had lots of useful tips about places to visit, where to spot wildlife etc. The atmosphere was very friendly and it was a great place to be with a young family. My only criticism was that the communal areas were very cold in the evenings, including the dining area. A lot of guests were complaining about this when we were there and unfortunately it did affect the comfort of our stay. I would advise taking lots of warm clothes to wrap up in the evenings.
PatLinda 2 - England
November 2008
Beautiful location could be difficult to find a better one. Beware of expensive hotel down the road and lack of lighting to find your way back to hostel. Carry a lantern.
Frank from Cologne - Germany
I just keep returning to this hostel. A very charming atmosphere and exceptionally friendly staff. Most of the serious hill walks can be started with at the hostel. If you want to save some walking miles there is an excellent bus service - drivers will drop you off and take you on any place along the routes. Stunningly friendly and cordial islanders.
Highland has been - Scotland
Arran remains a gem but the roads could certainly do with an upgrade. Not good for fast journeys or for those prone to travel sickness.