Step 3 · Decide what kind of stay suits you
What to look for before you book
Ten questions worth asking about any room, apartment or cottage in the North-East — before you pay a deposit.
Why use a checklist at all?
Most disappointments with a place to stay come from things that were knowable in advance: a long walk from the bus stop, four flights of stairs, nowhere to park, a bar underneath the bedroom window. Ten minutes with the listing, a map and the questions below will catch most of them. None of this is specific to one property — it applies to anywhere you are considering.
- Exactly where is it? Put the address into a map and check the walking time to the places you will actually go: the station, Union Street, your concert venue, the beach. "City centre" in a listing can mean anything from the Castlegate to well beyond the West End.
- How will you get there with luggage? Aberdeen's centre has steep streets running down to the harbour and station. A five-minute walk downhill can be a harder fifteen minutes back up.
- Stairs and lifts. Many granite buildings are tall terraces without lifts. If stairs are an issue, ask directly about floor level and access.
- Parking and driving rules. Central parking is limited, and the city's Low Emission Zone covers the core streets. Check where you can leave a car and whether your vehicle meets the rules.
- Noise. Ask whether the room faces a main road or a late-night area such as Belmont Street. Quiet rooms are often available on request.
- Check-in and key collection. Apartments and smaller guest houses may have set arrival windows or key-safe systems. Make sure a late train or a delayed flight will not leave you stuck.
- What is included? Breakfast, cleaning, towels, Wi-Fi and parking vary. Compare the total cost of the stay, not just the headline rate.
- Cancellation terms. Weather in the North-East can disrupt travel, particularly in winter. Flexible terms are worth considering, especially for countryside stays.
- Event dates. Look up whether a major concert at P&J Live, a home match at Pittodrie or a large conference coincides with your trip. Demand, and prices, can rise sharply.
- Heating and warmth. Older stone buildings can feel cool in the shoulder seasons. Reviews that mention heating are worth reading.
Reading reviews sensibly
Look for patterns rather than single comments. Several reviews mentioning the same noise, the same broken shower or the same welcoming host are more telling than one strongly worded opinion. Recent reviews matter more than old ones, since places change hands and get refurbished.
Booking safely
- Book through the property's own website or a well-known booking platform, and keep confirmation emails.
- Be cautious of requests to pay by bank transfer to an individual for a short-let you found through a social media post.
- If a deal looks unusually cheap for a busy event weekend, check carefully that the listing is genuine.
Next step: once your base is settled, work out how you will arrive and get around.