Lochranza Youth Hostel
About About this youth hostel
Surrounded by hills on three sides, this four star VisitScotland accredited youth hostel sits in an attractive lochside village in the north of the Isle of Arran. Close by, on a narrow peninsula extending into beautiful Loch Ranza, is the imposing ruin of a 13th century castle.
Perfect for groups, families and individual travellers, the hostel offers guests a wide range of accommodation from comfortable private en-suite rooms to spacious shared dorms, all with individual lockers and bedside lights. The excellent washroom facilities are all equipped with hairdryers. Guests can opt for a continental breakfast (please remember to pre-book), or take advantage of the large, well-equipped, self-catering kitchen.
Other facilities include free WiFi, a laundry and drying room and free onsite parking, as well as a secure cycle store for up to ten bikes. Guests can enjoy a glass of wine or local craft beer in one of the hostel’s two cosy lounges, one with a TV and both with excellent views over the loch. Basic provisions, confectionery and soft drinks are available to purchase at reception.
The hostel benefits from a great bus connection, with the bus stop only a five minute walk away.
Lochranza is an ideal base for tackling the many trails and ridges of the Arran mountains, including Goat Fell, the island's highest peak. Experienced cyclists will enjoy the challenge of the circular 58 mile ride round the island but, for the less ambitious, the Cock of Arran walk offers a beautifully scenic low level trek, starting and finishing at the hostel. Arran’s only whisky distillery is a short walk away and well worth a visit.
Lochranza 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) 1770 830 631 to check availability. There is a small charge of £5 per night for your dog when staying in our hostels.
The hostel is also available for exclusive private rental.
For information on hostel accessibility please click here
Why stay?
- Friendly knowledgeable staff
- Stunning loch side location surrounded by magnificent scenery
- Comfortable private ensuite rooms available
- Luggage store
- Secure bike store
For information on our COVID-19 practices and what to expect when staying with us please visit the FAQ’s section. Please also be aware of Scottish Government guidance when making your booking.
Lochranza Youth Hostel




Facilities & Services
Season
April to October (RentaHostel available all year)
Reception Hours
07:00-10:00 and 17:00-21:30
Check in
17:00 - 21:30
Check out
07:00 - 10:00
Access Hours
Hostel opening times 07:00-22:00 and after 22:00 by keycard entry
Amenities
Pet Dogs Welcome
Free Wifi
Private Rooms
En Suite Rooms
Family Rooms
Suitable for Groups
Catering Available (Breakfast Only)
Alcohol Licence
Free Tea and Coffee in Guest Kitchen
Lounge/TV Room
Laundry Room
Towel Hire
Drying Room
Luggage Store
Bike Store
Free Parking (nearby or onsite)
Guest Reviews
23/05/22
Great hostel experience from check-in to depart. Friendly welcome and helpful staff....great to be back hostelling again!Kenny
22/05/22
Wonderful stay. It was very relaxing, comfortable and the hostel has great lounge areas. Paulina and her team are dou g fantastic job!Helene
20/05/22
Lochranza is a lovely, welcoming hostel in an amazing location. The wardens were very helpful and friendly.Pat B
13/05/22
This is a very special place to visit on a particularly beautiful Island, well positioned for all sorts of activities and well away from the slightly busier Brodick. Whole Hostelling experience is as it should be with a very welcoming and pleasant atmosphere. Thank You!Chris D
12/05/22
Comfortable and friendly hostel with lovely staff. Great facilities and incredibly clean. Gorgeous setting and red deer hanging out in the garden tooRachel
09/05/22
Clean and comfortable hostel in stunning location.Jimmy
05/05/22
Fantastic service.Very, very nice people.Archie McGhie
04/05/22
Really lovely hostel with excellent staffAllen
04/05/22
Wonderful stay at Lochranza again, (our 3rd visit to this stunning location), Natalia and Mikael who run the hostel remembered us from last time, they are very helpful and very friendly, once again a tremendous visit was had by my wife and i to ArranIan and Kim, Bristol
04/05/22
Great location, if you like the youth hostel experience then you will like this place.Colin
25/04/22
We stayed as a family of 5 with two teenagers and a toddler in a family room. That's a bit daring by default, but thanks to the good design we managed alright. The beds are high enough to put all big bags and luggage underneath. There are also 4 lockers (for 5 beds). Ventilation was good, temperature as well. We loved the lounge overlooking Loch Ranza. Our little girl was excited to discover the toy box and all the books. Beautifully re-decorated dining-area, too. Will be back!Lena from Germany
23/04/22
Very efficient reception. Lovely clean and bright twin room. Fab location. Nothing not to like really.Linda
22/04/22
It's a really well run hostel, welcoming, helpful and cheerful.John Knox
20/04/22
Great location, helpful staff, well-equipped kitchen, clean and tidy, good size family roomDorset family of 5
19/04/22
The hostel was great. The building is lovely and looks right over the bay. It was really clean. The lady working there was very friendly and leant us a phone charger. They also sell frozen meals which was very useful because there weren't any tables left at the small restaurant in the village when we got there.Alice
16/04/22
Lovely stay in Lochranza, such a lovely village, best spot in Arran!Our room was basic but comfortable, bathrooms were clean with hot showers and the kitchen had ample room for everyone to make their meals. The only facility missing was access to a freezer (to freeze water for our cool box that we put our fridge items in while travelling) but this wasn't a deal breaker in terms of staying again. Staff and other patrons were all lovely. A great first time hostelling experience for a family of 4.Aleisha Williams
15/04/22
Thee best location and wonderful view from our room!Jen
03/04/22
Very well run hostel. Warden friendly and welcoming.Frank Harkness
08/01/20
We had a great stay. The hostel was warm and cosy but also spacious and well laid out. The location could not be better, near wonderful scenery and walks but also on the local bus route. Saw an otter, a red squirrel and many (very tame) red deer nearby. Our Hostel Manager Simon was friendly and helpful; when the main ferry was cancelled on the day we were due to return to the mainland he helped us look at other options (we all got home that day in the end!) The 2 dogs had a great time tooKerrytamsin
01/01/20
We had a wonderful stay at Lochranza. We went as a group os 40. Hostel is well equipped with great kitchen facilities and everything is very clean. Bedrooms were comfy and cozy. Simon was the manager and he was on hand to help with anything we needed. Location is stunning. The stag came to the garden every day to be fed carrots. Quiet side of the island which was great.ElleD
14/10/19
Amazing. I sayed in a private room and the hostel is easily as good as a Premier Inn. Plus there's the added bonus that it's set in one of Scotland's most stunning locations, especially in autumn. Falling asleep after a long day's hill-walking and hearing only the stags on the surrounding Lochranza mountains is so blissful.Jon Drink
14/10/19
Great hostel in a stunning location. Has lots of character but also well maintained and excellent facilities. Although we were there on a very busy weekend there was plenty of room and it did not feel crowded. Staff were very helpful and it had a good ambience.Gillian
03/10/19
Easy to get to, lovely location, comfortable accommodation.Lynn
01/10/19
Really enjoyed my stay. Staff were helpful. Location ideal. Dorms comfortable. Kitchen really well equipped. TV was a nice surprise. Thank you.Mags
01/10/19
Good quality accommodation for 4 cyclists. Manager most helpful and welcoming. We took our own room and it worked very well. Breakfast was generous. Self catering looked comprehensive. Hostel clean and well maintained.The location is classic Scotland - sea, mountains and green.Michael Burke
30/09/19
Wunderfull place to stay, very friendly and helpfull staffMartin
27/09/19
Lovely as usual.Katarina
22/09/19
Great place to stay,very help staff and very clean.Beautiful place to stay.S smith
19/09/19
The location was great! Situated between the distillery and the ferry in the quiet town of Lochranza with a beautiful view overlooking the water. It's not your typical hotel but the rooms were clean with shared bathrooms. Overall, the building was nice and great value! We did not eat the breakfast as we were in a hurry to catch the nearby ferry but it looked reasonable. I would definitely recommend this place as a base for exploring the Isle of Arran.A Bourdages
19/09/19
Excellent more than happy to recommend First ClassRuss
Reasons to visit
Often referred to as Scotland in miniature, Arran is a popular place to enjoy the great outdoors with a number of activities on offer including hill walking, mountain biking and cycling, pony-trekking, fishing, golfing and water sports.
The youth hostel sits on the Cock of Arran trail, a beautifully scenic low level trek offering stunning views of the surrounding area. The hostel garden is a great spot for local wildlife. Regular visitors include red deer, red squirrels and golden eagles, with grey seals and otters often seen in the bay.
The local deer that populate the hillsides surrounding the youth hostel can often be found wandering across the beach close to the hostel after dark.
The hostel is within easy walking distance of the local Lochranza Distillery which offers a range of tours and even the chance to sample a wee dram!