The small towns dotting the Scottish Highlands are renowned for their epic beauty, with Glencoe being perhaps the most iconic of them all. While there’s a diverse array of accommodations to choose from here, glamping in Glencoe lets you get a wee bit closer to its beautiful natural surroundings. Riverbeds Luxury Wee Lodges is an incredible glamping option in the area, with adorable tiny cabins, beautiful views of a rushing river and the surrounding mountains, and, best of all, your own private hot tub. Here’s everything you need to know about Riverbeds, the best luxury glamping in Glencoe.
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Overview of staying at the Riverbeds Luxury Wee Lodges
If you’re looking for the TLDR on Riverbeds in Glencoe, here goes.
The Riverbeds Luxury Wee Lodges offers a dozen private microsuites, tucked away in the woods alongside a river, but just a stone’s throw from the heart of Glencoe. My husband, Justin, and I used Riverbeds as our homebase for a few nights while we were exploring the Glencoe and Fort Williams area and loved how conveniently located they are.
The lodges are indeed on the wee side–about 130 square feet in total—but they still offer everything you need, like a well-stocked kitchenette, shower, and super comfy beds.
That being said, there are definitely a few things you’ll give up by staying in a smaller space. For example, the cabin only offers a wet bath (i.e., your shower is in the same space as your toilet, so when you shower, the toilet gets wet) and limited storage.
While the tiny cabins are, indeed, pretty tiny and best suited for just one or two travelers at a time, the property has more than made up for this by making the private outdoor space for each cabin incredibly usable and enjoyable, from a table overlooking the river and a movable fire pit to, of course, your very own personal hot tub.
In summary, the entire Riverbeds experience, from the seriously delicious breakfast hand-delivered to your room every day to the comfy robes and friendly service, is stellar and definitely one of the most luxurious glamping options in Glencoe. Whether you’re looking for a romantic getaway, a place to celebrate a special occasion, or just a unique place to stay while you’re in Glencoe, Riverbeds is the perfect choice for your next Highlands getaway.
Still undecided whether Riverbeds the right option for glamping in Glencoe for you? Let’s get into it!
Where is Riverbeds Luxury Wee Lodges?
Riverbeds is located here, within walking distance to the banks of Lochs Levin and Linnhe and less than a ten minute drive west from the heart of downtown Glencoe.
Glencoe is renowned for its towering green mountains and countless waterfalls and is considered by many to be the outdoor capital of the United Kingdom. There’s tons of hiking trails and other outdoor adventures to be had in Glencoe and the surrounding area and it’s inarguably one of the best home bases for your adventures, like the one and only Hogwarts Express train in Scotland or the Hidden Valley hike.
The Grounds at Riverbeds Luxury Wee Lodges
As mentioned above, Riverbeds in Glencoe is tucked away from A828 and the banks of Loch Linnhe in a densely wooded area, along a rushing river.
To get to the property, you’ll drive down a well-maintained gravel road to a lot, with plenty of space to park. Next to this lot, there’s a building with reception, as well as a communal lounge area.
Other than that, there’s a limited amount of communal amenities at Riverbeds (don’t you worry, though—there’s plenty of good stuff at the cabins!), but there are quite a number of add-on activities that Riverbeds offers at the property.
For example, it shares its property with the Woodlands Golf Course, named by Golf.com as one of the top-50 nine-hole golf courses in the world. So whether you want to play a round of golf or partake in some more family-friendly adventures, like a Segway tour of Glencoe, archery lessons, or e-bike rental, you have a number of options that you can choose from, which can be reserved here.
The Cabins at Riverbeds Luxury Wee Lodges
From the reception building, the tiny cabins for Riverbeds Luxury Wee Lodges are all nestled away in the surrounding forest. The property has done a really excellent job of spacing the cabins out amongst the trees, so that each one feels incredibly peaceful and private.
Each cabin has a spacious wooden terrace, most of which overlook the river, with a recessed hot tub, portable and modern fire pit (with firewood available for purchase in the registration lobby), and table for two to make the most of the outdoor space.
I’m going to be honest—about 90% of the reason I booked this hotel was because it came with its own private hot tub and I have no regrets! It was awesome to come back from a long day of hiking and have a glass of bubbly or a beer and just watch the river rush by, whilst soaking in the toasty warm water.
They’ve also been really thoughtful about making the terraces as private as possible, with little details, like adding privacy panels in certain areas where your neighbors might be able to see into your space—so if you want to hot tub it up in your birthday suit, you’ll certainly have the seclusion to do so!
Tip: If you’re visiting from April through September, midges (small, biting insects that are similar to mosquitoes) can get quite bad in the Highlands and can make doing pretty much anything outside decidedly unfun. Remember to bring along some bug spray so you can make use of your private terrace at Riverbeds! Fortunately, we didn't notice them at night and they were only an issue in the mornings.
Okay, let’s talk about the cabins themselves—they’re frickin’ ADORABLE! From the charming Dutch doors to the ENORMOUS window overlooking the forest, these cabins have been designed to be as charming as possible and really have everything you need.
On the left hand side of the cabin, you’ll find the kitchenette, which includes a microwave, sink, Nespresso coffee machine (with tons of espresso pods), toaster, and mini-fridge.
Unlike other accommodations I’ve stayed in, they provide pretty much any of the tools you’d need to prepare a light meal, from a can opener and bottle opener to bowls, plates, and utensils. I really LOVED this aspect—between being vegan and having most of the restaurants in the area close absurdly early, Justin and I wound up making a couple of meals in our tiny cabin and had absolutely no problem whipping something together with the provided utensils and flatware.
Riverbeds in Glencoe have also thought of little details that make you feel pampered while you’re here—for example, they left us a bottle of prosecco and some cookies to snack on when we initially checked in.
You’ll also find the storage cabinets on the left hand side of the cabin.
If I had one major complaint about the Riverbeds, it’s that the provided storage is quite limited (i.e., too small to fit our 45L Peak Design Travel Backpacks), given the cabin’s small footprint. We just put our backpacks in one of the corners and it wasn’t that big of a deal.
However, if you have a REALLY giant suitcase or lots of luggage, you might have an issue storing it in the tiny cabins. I also think the tight space may get a bit grating if you’re staying for an extended period of time (e.g., five days or more).
The bed is quite large and is some kind of fancy Simba hybrid mattress. I’m certainly not a mattress connoisseur or anything, but it was quite comfy and, with the high-thread count, Egyptian cotton bedding, I definitely slept like a baby during our stay. There’s also a TV, tucked into a corner, over the bed, if you want to have a cozy movie night during your stay.
The only negative thing I’d point out about sleeping in the cabin is that, while the shades they use on the windows are black out, the edges of the windows peek out a tiny bit past the shades. So if you’re a light sleeper (hi, that’s me!) and want to sleep in, the small amount of light that bleeds past the shades may wake you up. #circlewindowproblems
On the right hand side of the cabin, you’ll find hooks with two waffle woven robes, a heated towel rack (HIGHLY recommend hanging your towel here for when you get out of the hot tub!), and an enclosed wet bath, which includes a sink, shower (with pleasantly hot water and great pressure!), and toilet.
Justin and I live in a travel trailer, which also has a wet bath, so this definitely was not that big of a deal for us—however, I know that some folks seem to get really annoyed or grossed out by having their toilet get wet from their shower (one TripAdvisor reviewer called it “unhygenic”, but some Japanese homeowners might take issue with that opinion). But I guess that’s kind of what makes staying in Riverbeds more a glamping kind of experience in Glencoe, right?
If having a wet bath REALLY bothers you, I’d suggest checking out Seabeds Luxury Lodges, which is owned and operated on the same property by the exact same people as Riverbeds, but offers a much larger, more luxurious (and, of course, pricier!) suites.
Finally, there is free wifi provided in the rooms—it ranged from really great to reasonably usable during our stay. If you’re planning on doing TONS of work Zoom calls or uploading YouTube videos or something while you’re here, though, I’m not sure the Riverbeds would be the best choice (for more reasons than just the wifi!).
All in all, we found the cabins incredibly cozy, modern, and well thought-out—10 out of 10, would recommend!
Tip: I’ve read that the Riverbeds Cabins 1-4 are along the golf course, instead of the river, and are supposed to be not quite as private- which, in my opinion, sounds a wee less magical. I booked our stay through Booking.com and then specifically emailed the hotel with our reservation confirmation, and asked for a suite along the river, instead of the golf course. If you’d prefer a riverside cabin as well, I’d suggest you do the same!
The Service at Riverbeds Luxury Wee Lodges
Because the cabins are so secluded, you don’t have an opportunity to interact with the staff as much as you would at a larger hotel or resort.
However, the limited experiences I did have with staff were all positive. For example, check in probably took less than two minutes—I was greeted warmly, handed a map of the property and my room key, and then was politely asked to confirm our dietary restrictions and whether we had any questions about the property.
Another aspect of the service that I appreciated is that breakfast is complimentary and delivered in a cute basket right outside your cabin door each morning around 8:30 AM.
I absolutely LOVE that they have vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free options available upon request. Initially, there was a mix up with ours and we were provided a non-vegan breakfast the first night that we stayed. Once we raised it with the staff, though, we received the correct breakfast and were BLOWN away by how yummy the food was—freshly baked bread, a tasty croissant, and delicious yogurt parfait. Definitely one of the highlights of our time at Riverbeds!
While I don’t have personal experience with this, I have read a few complaints about the strictness of some of the Riverbeds’ policies.
For example, unless you specifically choose the refundable (more expensive) option while booking, I’ve read that their cancellation policy is quite rigid—i.e., even if something catastrophic happens that prevents you from using your reservation, you will not be able to cancel and get a refund or move your dates. Check-in is at 4 PM and check-out is at 10 AM—and both early check-in and late check-out are subject to a nominal fee (11.95 GBP) and availability.
Some glamping places are on the more affordable end of accommodations, like the Dunvegan Camping Pods in the Isle of Skye. The Riverbeds Luxury Wee Lodges definitely aren’t exactly cheap, though, so I frankly find it a bit inconsistent with the excellent service we experienced that they don’t have a bit more flexible and accommodating policies.
That being said, they are very much upfront with these policies (they mention it multiple times on their website), so I’d just suggest planning your trip here with them in mind. For example, it’s always a good idea to get your trip covered with travel insurance, in case you need to cancel for any reason! We always do for international trips and it’s saved us big time on more than one occasion.
Sustainability at the Riverbeds Luxury Wee Lodges
One of the things that drew me to Riverbeds as a glamping option in Glencoe is their focus on sustainability. For example, their hot tubs use a heat pump that uses 25% of the energy as compared to a traditional hot tub. Additionally the property uses all electric vehicles, has two electric car charging stations, and provides reusable utensils and flatware instead of disposable ones.
There’s definitely room to improve (off the top of my head, they use Nespresso pods, which seems decidedly not so good for the environment), but I appreciate that they’re making efforts to be better for Scotland and the planet.
Review of Riverbeds Luxury Wee Lodges
So would I recommend the Riverbeds Luxury Wee Lodges?
Absolutely! If you’re looking for a romantic or unique glamping option in Glencoe, I don’t think you’ll find a better option than Riverbeds. Between the beautiful property, convenient location, and picturesque cabins, it’s the perfect place to call home during your time in the Highlands.
Just keep in mind that there are definitely a few quirky things about the property, like rigid cancellation policies, limited storage in the decidedly wee cabins, and a wet bath—but all of those quirks will quickly be forgotten when you’re relaxing in your own private hot tub with champagne in hand as a river babbles nearby.
I hope you have a better idea of whether Riverbeds in Glencoe is the right choice for you. Do you have any questions about staying here? Let us know in the comments below!
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