How to have an ethical holiday on Shetland

[SirVixofVixHall]

I have never been to rural Scotland and we are thinking of visiting Shetland and the Islands next year. I am Welsh and live in a part of Wales being destroyed by Airbnb, second homes, affluent incomers etc, and I do not want my holidays anywhere to have a similar impact on another existing community.
Is there anywhere we can stay that will not have a negative impact ?

Actual hotels. I can put you in touch with an ethical holiday home owner whose had the one house for decades and loathes the company lets/air bnb.

Or dice with death and bring a tent.

Hahaha yes, I had briefly mulled over and then ruled out a tent ….
Why didn’t I think of a hotel ! We haven’t been to one since having children , as when they were small I didn’t want to leave them in another part of a building, or go to bed at eight pm. We also have a dog. Teenagers now, so a hotel would be fine if it was dog friendly.
Yes please do let me know the person you mention.
Thank you !

Hotels bring jobs to the area, and often provide communities with a place to gather and celebrate.

The second home owners on Airbnb are often living in the nearest large city, collecting money that doesn’t stay in the local area.

Not to mention hotels have H & S, fire regulations, etc.

there’s the camping böds if you don’t mind very basic accommodation. camping-bods.com/
There’s also lots of B&Bs.

@TheDuchessOfBeddington

Hotels bring jobs to the area, and often provide communities with a place to gather and celebrate.

The second home owners on Airbnb are often living in the nearest large city, collecting money that doesn’t stay in the local area.

Absolutely agree. We have many Airbnb owners here who don’t even live in Wales, have no connection here, and are happily destroying our communities, culture and language while raking in shedloads of cash, as well as the ones who move here to do the same. Utterly immoral, but until Welsh gov grow a spine and put a number limit on holiday homes in any area, then it will just get worse. I know nothing about the situation in Scotland and the Islands but assumed it might also be an issue there .

@Blurberoo

there’s the camping böds if you don’t mind very basic accommodation. camping-bods.com/ There’s also lots of B&Bs.

These look great, only drawback is that dogs aren’t allowed. Will keep them in mind though, as i may be able to get a dog minder. Thank you. Happy with any sort of accommodation, apart from a tent. We are pretty hardy and practical.

It's exactly the same throughout rural Scotland.

Try hotels, guest houses and B&Bs. Hard to check but not all self catering properties advertise on Airbnb etc and are owned by local families.

Try the Visit Shetland website: www.shetland.org/visit

Does the high school in Lerwick rent out their hostel rooms in the holidays?

Some pet friendly options here:

https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Hotels-g186571-zfa9-ShetlandIslandss_Scotland-Hotels.html

Thanks very much for the further suggestions. I have stupidly only visited Scotland once (for a Bowie concert !!! Torrential rain and saw nothing else ). I watched the Margaret Tait film of her Grandmother, “Landmakkar” , a long time ago, and that made me keen to visit the Islands, the Northern light and the hint of Scandinavia in her accent, beautiful.

Well if you want the northern lights - not summer! You need dark for lights.

Have you been watching Shetland on the BBC with Jimmy Perez?

Oooh love jimmy Perez sorry no help at all!

Jesus Christ - have you seen the state of the hotels in Shetland and most are owned by greedy arseholes who treat their staff like shit and yes are islanders.

I'd recommend the Busta House, maryfield on Bressay. B&B wise there's fort Charlotte guest house, can't mind the other other one near the masons - auld harbour perhaps?

Lots of islanders have self catering businesses, Fort Charlotte, the waddle, self catering Shetland etc. you can find them in their websites, air bandb and Facebook.

. Our tourism sector is fairly new, it's just developing and not like holiday areas in Scotland or the rest of the UK. Loads of folk have gone in air B and B as it's a good way of getting more money instead of just renting to islanders through word of mouth for the school holidays and weekends - what's wrong with that 🤷‍♀️?

Not a big second home issue here either, it's costs a shit load of money to get here, it's not prime second home area.

@Thistooshallpsss

Oooh love jimmy Perez sorry no help at all!

@AlphabetAerobics

Well if you want the northern lights - not summer! You need dark for lights.

Have you been watching Shetland on the BBC with Jimmy Perez?

I have, but that isn’t the reason for me, I have wanted to visit for years but never got round to it. We have had a bleak time as a family recently and could all do with something exciting to look forward to. I imagine lots of people want to visit after watching Shetland though, the scenery is so beautiful.

The lighthouse cottage at Sumburgh Head is amazing and is rented out by the Shetland Amenity Trust which is a charity. We’ve stayed there several times and love it.

www.shetlandlighthouse.com/sumburgh-lighthouse

Oh thank you for that.

Great cafe at the lighthouse too although it’s shut til next spring.
Another option is the v basic wooden tents at Braewick (next to another cafe with an incredible view)

www.shetlandhotels.com/

These 3 hotels are owned by a Shetland family.