Hotel prices in Inverness are under the spotlight again after the city featured in the TV show Four in a Bed.
But what is the reality? Are room rates in the Highland capital over the top?
Or are often-quoted peak time prices giving an unfair picture?
We took to the booking sites to see what it would actually cost to stay in the Highland Capital this weekend.
(Spoiler alert: It’s not £400.)
What’s the issue?
Guests on the Channel 4 show took issue with being quoted up to £400 a night for a room in the Blackfriars pub and hotel.
The venue’s new general manager subsequently explained his predecessor, who was in post when the show was filmed, quoted summer rates for the rooms.
He said the current rate was £110 per night.
While the cost of Inverness hotel rooms can reach over £400 in the summer, like other cities it is much lower at other times of the year.
The latest figures from the Highland Hotels Association show the average room-only rate for the year from December 2023 to December 2024 was £123.20.
If you want breakfast, that rises to £145.20.
What are prices this weekend?
We checked the prices for standard double rooms at seven Inverness venues for this weekend.
At the time of checking rooms were available at the rates quoted on their websites.
Kingsmills Hotel
The four-star Kingsmills is a popular upmarket hotel close to the city centre.
It has six rooms types, spa and leisure facilities and is regularly used for weddings, conferences and major events
This weekend, room-only rates start from £103.50 and £121.50 including breakfast.
Ness Walk
The Kingsmills’ five-star sister venue is regarded as the premier hotel in Inverness.
Situated on the River Ness, it is near the city centre in a quieter area a short distance from the Ness Islands.
No rooms are available this weekend, but the B&B rate quoted for next weekend is £208.80.
Mercure Hotel
The four-star hotel in Church Street right in the heart of the city has recently been refurbished.
It is close to the railway station and Inverness Castle which re-opens this year after a major upgrade.
Rate quoted for a standard double room this weeekend is £105.
Leonardo Hotel
The Millburn Road hotel is well located for leisure and business travellers being next to the A9 and A96 roads.
It has a leisure centre and pool and is also well place for the city centre and Inverness Airport.
Quoted room-only rate for this weekend is £75 and £100 for B&B
AC Marriott Hotel
A relatively new hotel, opened in 2023 and with a new restaurant coming on the scene last year.
The hotel is situated on the riverbank on the edge of the city centre.
Room rate for this weekend starts at £85 .
Premier Inn Inverness West
The hotel is on the outskirts of the city on the A82 road to Loch Ness, making it a popular stop off for many tourists.
It is on the bank of the Caledonian Canal and overlooks the Kings Golf Club.
Prices quoted for this weekend start at £59.
Riverbank Guest House
As suggested, this venue has a central location on the River Ness.
Designed to offer budget-conscious accommodation on a room only basis, prices from November to June are £65 per night for a double room.
Craig Ewan, chairman of the Highlands Hotels Association, said of the perception of Inverness hotel prices: “Yes, Inverness still has a strong seasonal demand which does move rates.
“But when you look at the average for the whole year, you can tell the number of rooms sold at £400 is very small.”
Last year Inverness hoteliers said the average room rate was around £107.
The HHA said a lot of businesses run at a loss three, four or five months of the year.
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