I had an amazing 1st time in Islay with my pal and her mum. They were having a trip down memory lane but was my 1st. It was amazing, sun was shining although cold and the youth hostel was great. Nice clean room with comfortable beds, walls were a bit thin as could hear chap next door snoring but hey... More

Great hostel, the friendliest staff you can imagine, nice rooms, what else do you want? Karl and Lorna, who are running the hostel, are two very nice and helpful persons. They show real interest for everyone in the hostel. And they try to help you, where ever they can (they reserved tours at several distilleries for us). The toilets and... More

Spotlessly clean, friendly and informative staff, eco-friendly, well-stocked kitchen.. if you're looking to stay on Islay on a budget, then your options are somewhat limited, so we were all thankful to visit The Port Charlotte Hostel, which is as good as they come.

Simply one of the best hostels we've been to...and we've stayed in a lot! Spotlessly clean and wonderful wardens, for whom nothing is too much trouble, plus a stunning loch-side location. Consider staying for at least a few nights - chances are you'll regret it if you book for less. We had a week here and it wasn't enough. It's... More

For our group of three it was already a return to this property - which was experienced in a better than ever before state and provided us with a wonderful "homebase away from home" for revisiting the island's many distilleries, chilling out at the beach in the evening and hiking across The Oa another afternoon. Port Charlotte is a perfect... More

The welcome we had from Lorna and Karl was exemplary. They are knowledgable of the islands activities and incredibly helpful and warm as hosts. The location is great. About 30 mins on the bus from Bowmore (£2.50 single) and the hostel is not even a 2 minute walk from the bus stop. There are a few options for food (all... More

This is one of the best hostels I have ever stayed in. It is very clean and incredibly well supplied, the wardens are very friendly and helpful. As are the other guests, we stayed up in the very comfy common room until late having a wee dram a few times. There is also a good mix of families, couples and... More

The hostel has a friendly atmosphere and is clean. It's in a good location within Port Charlotte (although Port Charlotte itself isn't necessarily ideal for exploring Islay, as it isn't very central). The staff were very friendly and helpful. Dining/kitchen facilities are good -- there is plenty of space to sit down and eat, and there are enough fridges and... More

As hostels go, this one is clean and cheerful. Great kitchen and good space for storage. Showers are clean though maybe not plentiful enough. Beds comfy and clean. Only negative points are that the walls are paper thin between the rooms. Maybe not good if you have young kids with you/ staying next you! Also, while I appreciate that sometimes... More