Best Hotels in the Isle of Skye for Christmas

Skye is a quiet, dark and often wet place in December, with about six and a half hours of daylight. Christmas events are small and centre on Portree, the island's main village. They include a tree switch-on with a lantern parade, a Christmas market and the Skye Santa Dash. Many visitor businesses outside Portree close for winter.

What's on

• Portree Christmas tree switch-on and lantern parade — Somerled Square, Portree. Usually early December; Monday 1 December 2025 with a lantern parade from Portree Community Centre at 5:30 pm.
• Skye Santa Dash — Somerled Square, Portree (1.75-mile fun run). Saturday 6 December 2025 at 10:30 am; usually early December.
• Portree Christmas Market — Skye Gathering Hall, Portree. 6 December 2025, 10 am to 8 pm, according to a Highland Council licence notice.

Dates and times change from year to year, so check the organiser's listing before you travel.

Where to stay

• Portree: The island's main village, with the most pubs, restaurants and shops open in winter, and the Christmas events in Somerled Square.
• Broadford: A central base on the main road, with a supermarket and petrol station, a short drive from the Skye Bridge.
• Dunvegan and the north-west: Quieter and more remote, near Dunvegan Castle, but some businesses close in winter.

December weather

December on Skye is cold, wet and windy, with highs around 7°C (45°F), lows around 2°C (36°F), frequent rain and snow on the Cuillin hills and occasionally on roads.

How we picked: the 7 hotels in this guide are 4- and 5-star hotels and resorts in the Isle of Skye with the strongest Booking.com guest scores, weighted by how many reviews they have. Scores and review counts were checked in October 2026.