86 venues · Meetings · Wedding venues in Scotland →
Meeting and event venues in Scotland
Meeting and event venues in Scotland
Loading the map
86 venues in Scotland host meetings and corporate events, ordered by renown and by how fully each is documented. Of those that publish a capacity, the largest, Thirlestane Castle, hosts up to 1,000 guests. 81 of them list their event spaces by name. Each page has the key facts and a request form for the events team.
Planning a company event in Scotland
Scotland gives a company event two registers: Edinburgh and Glasgow, both established conference cities with good air and rail links, and a countryside of castles, estates and lochside hotels for retreats. Many programmes combine working days in a city with a night or two further north.
When to go
Spring and autumn suit most programmes, with fewer visitors than in summer. August is difficult in Edinburgh, when the festivals fill the city’s hotels. Winter days are short and some rural and island venues close or reduce their service, while the cities work all year.
Getting the team there
Edinburgh and Glasgow airports have direct flights from many European cities and from London; Aberdeen and Inverness serve the north. Trains from London and the north of England reach both cities, which suits groups that prefer rail. A coach covers the transfer to Perthshire, the Trossachs or the Highlands.
City venues and country estates
Edinburgh and Glasgow have conference centres, large hotels, university buildings and historic halls for bigger groups. Outside the cities, castles, country house hotels and sporting estates take smaller teams in exclusive use, often with bedrooms on site. Golf resorts combine meeting rooms, rooms and a course in one place.
Activities
Whisky tastings and distillery visits, golf, hill walking, clay shooting and Highland games for teams are the usual choices. In Edinburgh, a walk through the Old Town fits between sessions. Outdoor plans need a wet-weather version.
Questions and answers
Which venues in Scotland can host 100 guests or more?
49 of the 86 venues publish a capacity of 100 guests or more: Blair Castle, Dalhousie Castle, Drumlanrig Castle, Gosford House, Thirlestane Castle, Castle Menzies, and 43 more.
Which venues in Scotland list their meeting rooms?
81 of the 86 venues name their meeting and event rooms, with capacities where published: Glamis Castle, Blair Castle, The Balmoral, Dalhousie Castle, Cromlix, Drumlanrig Castle, and 75 more.
What kinds of venues are listed in Scotland?
28 event spaces, 24 hotels, 18 castles, 7 historic houses, 7 restaurants, and 2 estates.
How are these venues chosen and ordered?
By documented renown first, then by how fully each venue is documented (photographs, rooms, capacities), never by payment: venues do not pay to appear and the guide takes no commission. How we select venues.
Where to hold a company retreat in Scotland?
In a castle or country house hotel in Perthshire or the Borders, on an estate by a loch in the Trossachs or the Highlands, or at a golf resort. Many can be booked in exclusive use and are reached by coach from Edinburgh or Glasgow.
What is the best time for a corporate event in Edinburgh?
Spring, early summer and autumn are the most practical seasons. Avoid August unless you book far ahead, as the festivals fill the city, and the days around Hogmanay are also busy.
Edinburgh or Glasgow for a conference?
Both have conference centres, large hotels and an international airport, and they are linked by frequent trains. Edinburgh offers a historic setting and is busier with visitors; Glasgow has large event venues and often more hotel availability.