‘Obscene & deplorable’, blast Scots as hotel enforces new £100 tourist charge

A SCOTS hotel has introduced a £100 charge in a bid to reduce day trip hikers and motorhomes filling up their car park – but it’s left punters divided.

The Kingshouse Hotel, situated in the heart of Glencoe, is a busy stop on the West Highland Way for weary walkers and tired travellers.

The remote stop faces Buachaillie Etive Mor, making the bar, restaurant and bunkhouse a popular location for hikers to set out from – leaving their cars for the day as they tackle the 11km climb.

But now the hotel has said it must start charging outdoor enthusiasts for using their parking facilities after a swell of daytrippers has left no space for their own paying guests.

Kingshouse have said they have now introduced an Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) camera system to manage and “improve the experience” for guests and customers.

For those staying in the hotel’s rooms or the bunkhouse, they will be able to use the car-park for free.

And for those looking for a meal or a drink in the restaurant or bar, they can also use the car-park for free for the duration of their stay.

A new charge of £20 for any four hours between 8am – 5pm has been introduced.

But cars, campers and motorhomes using the venue’s car park to stay overnight will be charged £100 for any time after 5pm until 8am.

The hotel added that all proceeds from the new charges will go to the Glencoe Mountain Rescue Team.

However, despite the generous donations raging tourists were not happy about the new arrangements for the car park.

One wrote: “Disgraceful amount to charge.

“I don’t even drive and won’t ever spend money in your establishment again.”

Another commented: “You have changed, for the worse, the culture, history and ethos of the Kingshouse.

“Your impact on the visual beauty of this area is obscene and deplorable.

“Your corporate interests are not welcome here and I will never set foot in the Kingshouse again.”

A third added: “Is the £100 a typo? Surely you mean £10.”

But despite the grumbles over the new charges, many supported their hotel in the decision in an attempt to crackdown on “freeloading motorhomes.”

One said: “Brilliant idea! We got married here 3 months ago and the car park was absolutely rammed.

“So makes sense customers should have priority. And with funds going to mountain rescue which is made up of volunteers.”

Another agreed and wrote: “Funny seeing people upset. Since parking is free to paying visitors the only reason to be upset is if you are an entitled freeloader.”

A third added: “Fully agree with this, paying hotel guests should always come first.”

A spokesperson for Kingshouse Hotel said:”Our car park is often very busy, both with hotel guests and outdoor enthusiasts who set off to explore the area for the day.

“As a result, our car park frequently becomes full and is sometimes left in an unsuitable condition, leaving limited space for our staying guests.

“We strive to maintain a clean and tidy environment to ensure that the wildlife calling Kingshouse Hotel and the surrounding area home remains safe and free to explore.

“To manage this and enhance the experience for our hotel customers, we have decided to introduce an ANPR (automatic number-plate recognition) system.

“All proceeds from this system will be donated to Glencoe Mountain Rescue Team, a fantastic cause that performs vital work in the area.

“The new system will commence on 1st July 2024. We appreciate the understanding of our visitors and look forward to welcoming both new and returning guests to this stunning area.”