Arbroath Accommodation with a Hot Tub

Arbroath Accommodation: Town or Countryside?

Most places to stay in Arbroath are hotels, guest houses and apartments in the town. They suit a one night stop, but a hot tub is hard to find among them. Self catering with a tub is rarer and it is what we list. The stays on this page are all outside the town centre, so you trade a walk to the chip shop for a tub under a big Angus sky and a kitchen of your own.

Think about what the trip is for before you pick. A harbour weekend with a museum visit and a plate of smokies suits a base close to Arbroath, such as Inverkeilor or Carmyllie. Beach days and long dog walks suit the coast north of town around Lunan Bay. A bigger group may do better near Montrose, where you'll find the largest house on this page.

Holiday cottages in Arbroath itself with a tub are hard to come by, so most people searching for self catering in Arbroath end up a short drive out. That drive is the only real compromise. Everything in the table further down is within about half an hour of the town.

Choosing the Right Holiday Cottage Near Arbroath

Tub type

The cards show the tub type where it is known. Electric tubs are usually hot when you arrive and easy to run. Wood fired tubs take a few hours to heat but feel special on a cold night, which on the Angus coast is most of them outside high summer. If you want the wood fired experience, see our page on wood fired hot tub cottages. It's also worth checking the tub is private to your stay, as some of the holiday cottages here share a farm or estate with their neighbours.

Size and bedrooms

Stays near Arbroath run from a shepherd's hut for two up to a four bedroom house that sleeps eight. Most sit in the middle, with two or three bedrooms. Check bedrooms as well as sleeps, because a cottage that sleeps six with a sofa bed isn't the same as three proper bedrooms.

Families and groups

A family wants a garden and a safe place for children to play. A group wants a big table and enough bathrooms. Gardens vary a lot from one stay to the next, so look at the photos if a private garden matters and ask about parking if you're arriving in more than one car.

Dogs

Dogs are welcome at the stays on this page but the rules differ. Some take one dog while others take two, so check the limit before you book. The cliff paths and beaches around Arbroath are good dog walking country, which makes these a strong pick for a dog friendly break. Our dog friendly hot tub cottages page covers the whole area.

Sea Views and Luxury Stays Near Arbroath

If a sea view is the point of the trip, check the photos closely. Plenty of stays near the coast look over farmland rather than water and a listing that mentions the beach may still be a short drive from it. For a more comfortable, spacious stay with a higher finish, our luxury hot tub cottages page picks out the best of them. Luxury stays near Arbroath are scattered across the Inverkeilor, Carnoustie and Montrose areas rather than grouped in one village.

Lodges and Bothies Around Arbroath

Most of what you'll find around Arbroath is cottages and converted farm buildings, with the odd bothy. If a lodge is what you've got in mind, look at our hot tub lodges near Dundee instead.

The Areas Around Arbroath Compared

The table compares the main bases around the town, with road times to Arbroath town centre. Allow longer on a busy summer day.

Inverkeilor and Lunan Bay

This is the pick for a quiet beach. Lunan Bay is a broad sandy beach backed by dunes, with the ruins of Red Castle on the high ground above it. There's little else here, so bring your own supplies. The trade off is that the coast is exposed, so expect wind most of the year and wrap up for the tub.

Carmyllie

Carmyllie sits inland to the west of Arbroath, in open farmland with little traffic. It's a good base if you want peace and don't need to see the water from the window. You'll need the car for the shops and the beach.

Carnoustie

Carnoustie is known for its championship golf links and a long beach. The stays we list are in the countryside to the north of the town, so you get quiet nights with the shops and places to eat a short drive away. See our guide to where to stay near Carnoustie for more.

Montrose and Forfar

Further out, Montrose accommodation puts you close to a big beach and the Montrose Basin nature reserve. Forfar accommodation suits anyone heading for the glens, with Aberlemno and its carved Pictish stones on the doorstep. Both add travel time to Arbroath but work well for a longer stay. You can also browse Brechin accommodation if you want to stay further inland.

Local Attractions Close to Your Stay Near Arbroath

Arbroath is small enough to see in a day or two, which leaves plenty of holiday time for the tub. These are the attractions most worth the short drive in.

Arbroath Abbey

The ruins of Arbroath Abbey are in the middle of town and are looked after by Historic Environment Scotland. The abbey was founded in the late twelfth century and is linked with the Declaration of Arbroath of 1320. Check opening times and tickets on the official site before you drive in.

The harbour and Signal Tower

The working harbour is the heart of the town. Beside it, the Signal Tower Museum tells the story of the Bell Rock lighthouse, built offshore by Robert Stevenson. The Signal Tower was the shore base for the lighthouse and opening days change with the season, so check before you set out.

Arbroath smokies

The Arbroath smokie is a haddock hot smoked over a wood fire. The name is protected, which means a true smokie has to be made within five miles of the town. Buy one from a smokehouse near the harbour to take back to the cottage for supper. It needs little more than bread and butter, which suits a self catering evening well.

The cliff path

The path north of the harbour runs through the Seaton Cliffs nature reserve, past red sandstone stacks, caves and seabird colonies. Walk as far as you like and turn back. The Scottish Wildlife Trust warns that the cliff edges are unstable, so stay on the path and keep dogs on a lead.

More days out from your cottage

• A round of golf at Carnoustie
• A city day in Dundee by car or train
• Montrose Basin for birdwatching
• The Angus glens for a hill walk, which we cover in our glens guide

Eating Out or Staying In

Arbroath has restaurants and cafes around the harbour and the High Street, with fish and chips the obvious choice. Carnoustie and Montrose add more restaurants and local pubs. None of the stays on this page is flagged as being near a pub, so plan on a short drive or a night in. With a kitchen, a smokie from the harbour and a hot tub waiting, staying in is no hardship.

Best Time to Stay Near Arbroath

Late spring and early summer bring the longest days and a good chance of dry walks along the cliffs. July and August are the busiest weeks for a holiday in Scotland, so book early. Autumn is quieter and the beaches are emptier, which dog owners love. Winter is when a hot tub earns its keep: cold clear nights make for a good short break, though the cliff path can be slippery and windy.

Which Arbroath Holiday Cottage Suits You?

• A couples' holiday: a two bedroom cottage near Inverkeilor or Carmyllie, close to Arbroath for dinner
• A family holiday: three bedrooms in the Carnoustie area, handy for the beach and the golf
• A group holiday: the larger houses north of Montrose, with space for up to eight
• A walking holiday: Aberlemno for the glens or Inverkeilor for the coast
• A holiday with the dog: anywhere on this page, once you've checked the dog limit

Practical Tips for Your Stay

Travelling by train? Arbroath has its own station on the Edinburgh to Aberdeen line but the stays are out in the countryside, so a car is the easiest way to get around.

• Pick up groceries in Arbroath before you head out to a rural cottage because the nearest shop may be a drive away
• Bring a torch for the walk to the tub after dark
• Check the arrival time so you can enjoy the tub on your first evening
• Keep an eye on the weather for the coast path as conditions change fast

Arbroath works well as a holiday base for a long weekend or a full week but if you're not set on it, our guide to where to stay in Angus covers the whole county.

Questions guests ask