Dunkeld Accommodation: Where to Stay Near Dunkeld

Choosing Dunkeld accommodation with a hot tub

Most people searching for places to stay in Dunkeld find a hotel or guest house first. Those are fine for a night or two but they rarely come with a private tub or a kitchen. You don't get a front door of your own or a garden to sit in either. If you do stay in the village itself, check the parking first. Self catering is the better fit if you want a proper break: you cook when you like, bring the dog if the rules allow it and book the whole place for your own group.

It's worth being straight about one thing. Dunkeld is a small town on the A9 corridor so the hot tub holiday homes we list are a short drive out rather than on the high street. The table below gives the real drive times to the centre of Dunkeld so you can see what that means in practice.

Drive times run from the stay locations to the middle of Dunkeld by the normal road route. Allow extra in summer when the A9 and the village lanes are busier.

Where to stay near Dunkeld: the areas compared

Each base suits a different kind of break. These are the pros and cons of each one.

Dunkeld and Birnam accommodation

The twin villages face each other across the River Tay, joined by Telford's bridge. Dunkeld has the cathedral, the nearby Atholl estate woods, the Little Houses restored by the National Trust for Scotland and a good run of cafes and pubs. Birnam has the station and the Birnam Oak. If you want to leave the car behind this is the place, but the choice of self catering with a hot tub inside the villages is thin. Treat them as the place you visit. Base yourself a short drive out instead.

Stanley and the Tay near Perth

This is the nearest of our bases and the quickest to reach if you're driving up from Edinburgh or Glasgow. It's quiet riverside countryside with local lanes for an evening stroll. The plus is the short drive and the easy road in. The downside is that you'll want the car for most days out.

Logiealmond

Logiealmond is the pick for peace. These are farm steadings and farmhouses on an estate, several of them big enough for a family get together or a group of friends. Expect dark skies and big views over the hills but no pub on the doorstep. Check each listing for the outdoor space and parking. These stays aren't listed as taking dogs so look at the other areas if you're bringing one.

Bridge of Cally and Blairgowrie

North east of Dunkeld the land climbs towards the glens. This is walking country with a log fire for the cooler months and larger groups do well here as a stay can sleep up to ten. Our Blairgowrie page covers the town side in more detail and our Glenshee page looks further up the glen.

Pitlochry

Pitlochry is a busier base with more to do on a wet day. Many visitors choose a hotel there but a self catering stay gives you far more room. Our stays here are on a farm just outside the town and range from a hideaway for two to a house for a large group, each with a hot tub and a log fire. Our guide to where to stay near Pitlochry has more.

What to see from a stay near Dunkeld

You won't run out of things to do. Dunkeld Cathedral is cared for by Historic Environment Scotland and the ruined nave sits right on the riverbank. The Hermitage is a National Trust for Scotland woodland walk to Ossian's Hall (built for the Dukes of Atholl) and the Black Linn Falls. In Birnam you can find the Birnam Oak, a very old tree linked to Shakespeare's Macbeth.

For a bigger day out Pitlochry is up the road and the Perthshire glens open up beyond Blairgowrie. Our Perthshire hot tub lodges page lists more stays across the county.

Which stay suits you best?

• Couples: a small place with a log fire and a tub is hard to beat for a short break. Look at the smaller sleeps options.
• Families and groups: sleeping ten is possible so everyone can share the one place. Use the bedrooms filter. A luxury hot tub cottage is worth a look for a special birthday.
• Dog owners: a few of the stays take dogs so tick the dogs filter. More are on our dog friendly hot tub cottages page.

Best time to go and what to book ahead

Autumn is a favourite here because the woods around Dunkeld turn gold and a hot tub feels even better when the air is cold. Summer is the busiest period and the school holidays book up first. Winter breaks are quieter and good for a log fire and a tub. Book early for August and Christmas. Larger houses can have longer minimum stays in summer so check your dates.

Getting to Dunkeld

By car the A9 runs right past with Perth about fifteen miles south. By train, Dunkeld and Birnam station is on the Highland Main Line and is the first stop north of Perth. Some trains from Edinburgh and Glasgow run direct while others mean a change at Perth so check the timetable. You'll still want a car for the stays out of town. If you're happy to look further east, our Angus guide covers the next county along.

Questions guests ask