Braemar
About About this youth hostel
An impressive former shooting lodge, Braemar Youth Hostel sits in extensive grounds in the heart of Cairngorms National Park and is a great base for exploring Royal Deeside with its many castles and distilleries, including Balmoral Castle, the Queen’s Scottish home. Sitting on the ‘Snow Road’, the hostel is the perfect base for outdoor enthusiasts and is within easy reach of the Cairngorms and the ski centres at Glenshee and the Lecht.
The hostel boasts many traditional features and offers guests a range of comfortable private rooms and shared dorm accommodation. None of the rooms are en-suite but ample shower and washroom facilities are available. Other facilities include free WiFi, a bright comfortable lounge, a drying room, laundry free onsite parking and secure bike storage with the facility to charge e-bikes.
Braemar is a dog-friendly hostel. If you would like to book yourself and your dog into the hostel, please phone the hostel direct on: +44 (0) 1339 741 659 to check availability. There is a small charge of £7.50 per night for your dog when staying in our hostels.
‘Wee Breakfast’ available (please remember to pre-book).
The hostel is also available for exclusive private rental.
Why stay?
- Great location
- Friendly staff with expert local knowledge
- Local shops and restaurants within walking distance
- Licensed, serving local beers and wine
For more information on the hostel, accessibility and the local area please click here
Braemar Youth Hostel
Facilities & Services
Season
Season: Open all year
Reception Hours
Reception Hours: Sunday to Thursday 07:00-10:00 & 17:00-21:30, Friday and Saturday 07:00-10:00 & 17:00-22:00
Check in
Check in: 17:00 - 21:30
Check out
Check out: 08.00 - 10:00
Access Hours
Access hours: Late arrival and access outside opening hours by pre-arrangement only
Amenities
Bike Store
Free Wifi
Free Parking (limited on-site) p
Drying Room
Catering Available (Breakfast Only)
Alcohol Licence
Laundry Room
Guest Kitchen
Pet Dogs Welcome
Private Rooms
Suitable for Groups
Shopping Nearby
Towel Hire
Family Rooms
Lounge Area
Guest Reviews
16/09/2025
Had a fantastic few nights at the Hostelling Scotland's Braemar hostel. Well worth the visit. Fantastic location within walking distance of local amenities. friendly staff and they sold a very nice IPA that complimented the chilli I knocked together in the hostel kitchen perfectly.GabhainnP
15/09/2025
Great location and atmosphere. Very friendly and helpful staff (Jannik & Harrison take a bow!) Kitchen, bathroom, drying room great. Small shop nearby.Dave from Glasgow
12/09/2025
Nice location.Clean and neat.Calm and safeLillian
06/09/2025
Lovely, friendly hostel. Great rooms and facilitiesSue C
28/08/2025
Quiet, clean and excellent value for moneyLynn
28/08/2025
Just amazing!Very friendly and hard working staff, which cares for the place so it will be clean and tidy. Facilities don't lack anything. Especially the lounge and the overall view out of the windows is memorable and relaxing.Isa
27/08/2025
The guy on duty at check-in and breakfast was fantastic. Friendly, helpful, professional and always on hand. Stayed here multiple times and have always had a great experienceMr E
23/08/2025
Super hostel in a super location.Ross
19/08/2025
The hostel is easy to find, its being the last property to the south of Braemar, and a short walk from the shopsvand the Royal Braemar Highland Gathering Visitor Centre and cafeteria. Beside the hostel's car park is a Mountain Rescue Centre. The hostel has all the amenities one would hope for, and a very helpful and friendly warden.PiperBob
16/08/2025
Exactly what we needed. Comfy bed, cleanDoof
12/08/2025
Great place, staff very friendly and worked hard to keep it very cleanCalum
09/08/2025
Our first experience of a youth hostel and it won't be out last. We were impressed by the quality of the accommodation. It was clean and comfortable with everything we required as a family of walkers/cyclists. It's great to be able to find good accommodation at an affordable price for us. Inspired us to try other youth hostels in Scotland. The hostel we were staying at looked like it recently had a refresh too, great to see the organisation investing in their accommodation.No
09/08/2025
We had a really nice private room with a nice view on the trees. The kitchen was big and there was everything we needed. The hostel was clean. The staff was very friendly and helpfull. The location was great and close to Braemar and several walking routes.Evi
05/08/2025
Hostelling Scotland is my go-to for outdoor trips8Yes
03/08/2025
Excellent hostel! Good location, spotless, very comfortable, very well equipped, great shared and socialising facilities, very nice deco through the hostel. A great experience.Inma
02/08/2025
I had a very nice private room and enjoyed my stay very much. Most of the time the weather played along which always makes a difference especially on such looong walks like in the Cairngorms. I had some nice talks with other walkers who stayed at the house for several days so we met in the morning and evening and shared plans and results :-) I met a friend and we shared a great walk together on a very nice sunny-summer-day.Anke
31/07/2025
Really friendly and helpful welcome, excellent stay thank you.Yes
30/07/2025
'Enjoyable & reliable 'George Macrosson
30/07/2025
One of my favourite hostels - A great building, lots of space and a really good atmosphere.Richard Macgowan.
27/07/2025
Great place. Clean and well set upKumquat
27/07/2025
Great location, a 10 minute walk from the centre of the village. Enough parking space, easy safe walk from the car to main building. Rabbits seen playing in the garden whilst washing your dishes in the kitchen. Red squirrels scurrying around in the grounds.. what's not to like. Thank you.B Cook.
27/07/2025
A super stay.Ross
24/07/2025
Great Hostel Clean and spacious. We will be back.Kate
22/07/2025
A very pleasant stay in a beautiful part of ScotlandMF
18/07/2025
This was my first stay in a Scotland Hostel, it sold me, I've stayed in them whenever possible except on 2 occasions when they're being fully booked outChris
17/07/2025
A very nice hostelLee
17/07/2025
The hostel and it's location location are both great, the inside is very spacious and the staff were really friendly and welcomingTony M
15/07/2025
Great!Fiona
12/07/2025
Really enjoyed our stay, excellent hostel in a lovely locationIan B
12/07/2025
Super cozy hostel in now one of our favourite placed in ScotlandAnthony
Reasons to visit
Surrounded by the Grampian Mountains, Braemar is the ideal base for exploring Royal Deeside and the mighty Cairngorms. Balmoral Castle, the Queen's Scottish home, is nearby (open between April-July) and there are a host of distilleries for whisky enthusiasts to explore.
The village sits on 'The Snow Road', a 90-mile journey which takes you from the picturesque market town of Blairgowrie to the traditional Highland town of Grantown-on-Spey. The route traverses the highest public road in Britain through some of the most impressive landscapes in the eastern Cairngorms, linking the communities of Braemar, Ballater and Tomintoul.
With no less than 24 Munros within easy reach it's no wonder the area is popular with outdoor enthusiasts. It's also a perfect base for winter sports, as Glenshee is just eight miles to the south and the Lecht is to the north.
This ancient village is also home to the world famous annual Braemar Gathering and Highland Games. Held on the first Saturday in September, the event is regularly attended by the Royal Family and features the best pipe bands, pipers, Highland dancers and athletes.