Welcome To ScotlandThe country of Scotland makes an excellent place to short on long stay. It has marvellous scenery with stunning coastlines, dramatic mountains, and vibrant cities. Getting There By Air Both Glasgow and Edinburgh have international airports with flights to many hub airports such as Heathrow, Schiphol, and Charles de Gaulle. By Train From London, LNER and Lumo trains offer fast links to Edinburgh along the east coast and Avanti Glasgow along the west coast. Scotrail runs a range of train services around Scotland and to some of the most remote parts of the country. By Coach Bus companies such as National Express and Mega Bus operate services from London to Scotland. City Link and Mega Bus provide a range of services to get you about Scotland. Staying and Seeing the Sights There are several websites which will give you great deals for travel and accommodation. www.expedia.co.uk www.booking.com www.laterooms.com www.trivago.co.uk For budget hotels: www.premierinn.com www.travelodge.co.uk www.ibis.com www.easyhotel.com The city has plenty of serviced apartments and Airbnb can offer a private or shared place to stay. Visit Scotland gives great links for accommodation and attractions. Check them out at www.visitscotland.com Visiting Edinburgh Edinburgh is the historic capital of Scotland. This stunning city has grand architecture, great vistas, and fine attractions. It plays host to the world’s largest art festival in August and is famous for its street party at Hogmanay! As an UNESCO World Heritage Site, the city has lots to offer. What to see Edinburgh has a wide range of attractions. Many museums and galleries are free to visitors. Some of the highlights the castle, Palace of Holyrood, Royal Mile, and the Royal Yacht Britannia. Where to stay The city is a popular destination and if you are choosing to visit during the summer and around the festival we would recommend booking in advance. The city has a range of accommodation to suit most budgets. It is also worthwhile looking at apartments which will offer you a relaxed environment to explore the city from. BearScotFest The main venues for BearScotFest weekend are based close to the city centre. Our hub venue, CC Blooms is based in the gay triangle on Greenside and our big Saturday night takes place at the Caves, Niddry Street. We always look forward to this time of year and many of you want some suggestions of hotels near the events. These are a few ideas but there is plenty to choose from. Luxury & Boutique The Glasshouse, Greenside Sheraton Grand Hotel & Spa, Edinburgh Waldorf Astoria Edinburgh - The Caledonian Cheval The Edinburgh Grand, St Andrew Square The Balmoral, Princes St Malmasion, St Andrew Square Radisson BLU, High Street, Royal Mile Mid Range & Chain Hotels Apex, Waterloo Place Holiday Inn Express, Picardy Place Hotel Indigo, Princes Street Mercure, Princes Street Yotel, Queen Street Budget Premier Inn – Princes Street, York Place, Rose Street, Royal Mile Motel One – Princes Street, Market Street Hub by Premier Inn – Rose Street, Royal Mile Ibis – North Bridge, Hunter Square Ibis Styles, St Andrew Square Travelodge – Mary St, Waterloo Place, Princes St, Rose Street, Queen St Easy Hotel, Princes Street Gay Venues Edinburgh has a small Gay scene. The main scene centres on CC Blooms which offers casual dining, relaxed drinks, and late-night partying. Close by you will find Café Habana and The Street which serves a good range of cocktails. For a great local bar with a mix of real ales head to the Regent on Montrose Terrace. Edinburgh’s gay sauna, Steamworks, on Broughton Market is close to the city centre and open 24 hours at the weekend. Visiting Glasgow Glasgow is a grand merchant city with majestic buildings, fantastic shopping and great night life. It has a long-standing reputation for its live music scene. You can hop between Glasgow and Edinburgh with a short 50-minute train journey. What to see Highlights of this bustling city include Kelvingrove Art Gallery, Botanic Gardens and the People’s Palace. Where to stay Glasgow has a great range of hotels and apartment to choose from. Is has a range of traditional and quirky places to stay in the heart of the city. Luxury & Boutique Grand Central Hotel. Gordon Street Radisson BLU, Argyle Street Hotel Indigo, Waterloo Street Blythswood Square Hotel, Blythswood Square Mid-Range, Contemporary & Chain Hotels Citizen M, Renfrew Street Jurys Inn, Jamaica Street Novotel, Pitt Street Mecure, Ingram Street Holiday Inn, West Nile Street Double Tree by Hilton Hampton by Hilton Yotel, Argyle Street Budget Premier Inn – George Square, Buchanan Galleries, St Enoch Motel One, Oswald Street Artto Hotel, Hope Street Point A Hotel, Bath Street Travelodge Central, new hotel opening soon on Queen Street Ibis, West Regent Street Ibis Styles - George Square, Glasgow Central Easy Hotel, Hill Street Gay Venues The main hub for the bears is the Underground on John Street. This basement bar is a great place to meet for drinks and banter. Next door you will find Speakeasy which allows you to party until the wee small hours. A short stroll takes you to Delmonicas and the Polo Lounge. Also close by you will find the Court Bar with outside spaces for casual drinking. On Argyle Street, the Waterloo is a long-established bar which often attracts an older crowd. The main gay sauna is Pipeworks on Metropole Lane. Need Some Help? If you need some advice on your trip or stay in Scotland, just drop a wee email to [email protected] Best wishes The BearScots Team |
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