Scott Begbie: I love Inverness but hotel prices are simply too high

So, Inverness hoteliers say spending the night in the Highland capital is not too expensive, do they? Well, they’re wrong.

And I have empirical evidence for that bold assertion… because I’m one of the 9,500 bookings that have vanished in the past year. Actually, I make up two or three of the ‘no thanks’ brigade.

Normally over the course of a year, Mrs B and I will head for Inverness at least twice.

We love the city, delighted at the many and varied attractions it offers from a fine feed at the Mustard Seed to chilling on a summer’s evening at Eden Court’s frequently sublime Under Canvas events.

I can lose hours in Leaky’s, we love strolling along the Ness Island Walk and we are no strangers to Johnny Foxes.

I’ve spent many a night in Johnny Foxes. Image: Sandy McCook/DCT

Some of our most memorable weekends have been spent in the warm embrace of the good people of Inverness and its myriad attractions.

But it’s been a good while since we indulged in our wee love affair with Inversnecky for one simple and very valid reason. The hotel prices are too high.

Back in the day we’d think nothing of slinging £70 or £80 for a room but now you’re lucky if you see anything for under £120 or even £250. Eh, no thanks.

And I hear the argument about supply and demand and the cheap winter rooms. I would very much like to see those deals, actually. Especially the £60 or £70 mark that we are told are out there. I must have been off the internet the day those were up.

The market isn’t meeting the demand

Yes, I feel the pain of the hoteliers trying to make ends meet in a tough market, but if people feel they are being priced out of a night in hotel – and I’m one of them – then the market isn’t meeting the demand.

It is, of course, not just Inverness that sees eye-watering hotel prices. I have bumped my gums about this in the past – including questioning why it seems to be a Scottish problem.

Under Canvas festival photo — The sublime Under Canvas events are perfect on a summer’s evening. Image: Eden Court

Newcastle isn’t smacking you with prices that would go a long way to a Caribbean cruise the way Glasgow and Edinburgh do. So why do Scottish hotels feel the need to squeeze until the pips squeak and make our own country unaffordable for short breaks?

(On the subject of supply and demand, have you checked Edinburgh prices for the days of the Oasis concert. I double dare you to find a room under £600 that would normally skim a hundred quid. That’s not supply and demand. That’s naked profiteering and utterly shameful.)

But back to the matter in hand and our friends in Inverness.

Here’s a city that has seen hotel bookings drop off a cliff by more than 9,500 in the past year.

And here’s a big fan and wannabe frequent visitor to the city saying it’s because I find the room prices are simply too high.

Is that really a hard circle to square?

Scott Begbie is a journalist and editor, as well as PR and comms manager for Aberdeen Inspired