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Where you stay while vacationing in Scotland is as important as the places you visit and the sights you see. In fact, it should the very first thing you sort out if you are planning to holiday in this historically rich destination.

Scotland provides holiday accommodations, the kind of which you will be hard pressed to find in many other vacation destinations. Rather than sterile and generic hotel accommodation, you can enjoy a home-like feel in any of the thousands of Scottish cottages scattered across the country.

Scottish Accommodation – Making Your Holiday Really Special

What Are Scottish Cottages?

This is a term used to describe properties used mainly as a holiday or vacation homes. These are very different from inns or hotels as each one is designed to look like a small home and also to operate like one.

When a person rents one of such properties, it is for a given duration and within this time, the person has the liberty to use the property as theirs. They basically manage the space much the same way they run their own homes.

While basic and sometimes luxury facilities are provided, the occupant is usually responsible for his or her own feeding. This is why you will always hear the term “self-catering”, which just means you will be doing your own cooking.

These holiday homes sometimes are second homes to an individual or family who also uses it as a source of extra income. Rather than leaving the space unoccupied for long periods, they hand it over to managers and agents who make it available to vacationers for a fee.

In some others cases, these homes are built for the specific purpose of letting them out as holiday accommodation. The entire idea is explained in greater detail here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holiday_cottage

Benefits of Using Scottish Cottages

Holiday homes such as we are discussing are quite popular in these parts and with good reason too. Let’s look at some of the benefits of using one of these while vacationing in Scotland.

Experience Rural Life

What’s the point of leaving a big, noisy city for another while on vacation? A lot of these Scottish holiday homes are set in rural locations, putting you in direct touch with the pulse and life of the area. Some of them are in farms, near streams and rivers or on hills or close to lush meadows. Here’s an example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rd-J2F9GfOE

The luxury of being close to nature and far away from all the noise and pollution of city life is both refreshing and enlightening. This is especially true for children who have never experienced rural life.

Home Away from Home

Your vacation is totally on your terms for the period. You cook and eat what you wish. No doormen, waiters, maids or cooks to contend with. Just you (and others with you), the space and your plans for the holidays.

You can have a family barbecue, a fishing trip, a picnic in the fields, or you can just put up your legs by the fire and read a nice book. It just takes all the pressure of living up to any expectations away. In some cases, you may actually end up being more at home in one of these cottages than you are in your own home.

Really Get to Know the Locals

While this may not be your reason for going to Scotland on vacation, deciding to stay in a holiday home will put you in direct touch with the people. It will almost be like you are a new neighbor.

Having to live in their midst for the period is a sure way of getting to know the locals, their ways, what makes them tick and more. You will certainly come back with a better knowledge of Scotland and its people.

Privacy

No one is in the next room other than another member of your party if you have one. Once you rent a holiday property, it’s you and yours alone for the period. You get to use whatever facilities come with the property ALONE for the period.

How to Choose the Scottish Cottage that’s Right for Your Holiday

As far back as 2001, the Scottish census showed that there were over 29,000-holiday homes in Scotland. One can only imagine by how much this number has increased almost two decades later. You can read about it.

Given the huge number of homes to choose from, how will an intending visitor be able to choose holiday accommodation that will be right for him/her?

Thankfully, there are now sites that help you narrow your search. You present certain information and they give you options that meet your requirements which you can then choose from. These are basically listing services and they make your life easier.

Information You May Need to Provide to Find the Right Cottage

To ensure that the listing service will be able to show you the cottages that suit your preferences, you will need to provide some important information. Some of these include:

The date or period you want to rent the property.
How many people you have in your party.
What location in Scotland you prefer.
What type of holiday home you want.
Any special features you require.

These are just a few questions to which you may need to supply answers to ensure you get the correct listing suggestions. Begin to search out the cottage accommodation that is right for you so you can have a really special holiday.