Atlantic View Cottage Entire home · 2 bedrooms Rated 5.00 - Revenue
- £90,287
- Occupancy
- 59.5%
- Daily rate
- £513
Airbnb market data · 202612 months to October 2026
The average Airbnb in Western Isles brought in £19,006 over the 12 months through October 2026, about 34% less than the Scotland average of £28,841.
The short answer
Western Isles is cheaper but busier than the Scotland average. Listings averaged £171 a night and were booked on 55% of available nights, against £205 and 49% for the Scotland average.
Timing matters: in May, the best month, the average listing earned about 2.7 times as much as in February, the slowest. With only 32 active listings, a few bookings can reorder the months.
With 32 active listings, Western Isles is the 150th-largest of 330 Scotland markets AirROI tracks.
Browse the live Western Isles Airbnb market See Every Western Isles ListingRevenue
Gross bookings per Western Isles listing averaged £19,006 over the 12 months to October 2026 (Scotland average: £28,841), before cleaning, platform and management costs and taxes.
The average Western Isles listing brought in £3,580 in May, its best month, and £1,310 in February, its slowest.
In a typical month, a top-quarter listing earns at least 1.9 times as much as a bottom-quarter one.
These are monthly figures for listings active in each month. The annual average above also counts listings that operated for only part of the year, so it runs below twelve times these figures.
May earned about 2.7 times what February did
Average revenue per active listing, by month, October 2025 to September 2026
The dashed line is the average of the months shown, £2,510.
Latest 12 months in the October 2026 data. October's figures are still coming in, so the rows run to September.
May 2026 led on revenue and bookings; nightly rates peaked in October 2025.
| Month | Avg. Revenue | Occupancy | Avg. Nightly Rate | RevPAR | Booking Lead Time | Avg. Length of Stay |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | – | – | £174 | – | – | – |
| Nov 2025 | – | – | £173 | – | – | – |
| Dec 2025 | £1,803 | 29.0% | £173 | £58 | 10 days | 4.8 nights |
| Jan 2026 | £1,423 | 22.3% | £169 | £46 | 26 days | 5 nights |
| Feb 2026 | £1,313 | 31.1% | £169 | £47 | 26 days | 9.5 nights |
| Mar 2026 | £1,913 | 34.7% | £166 | £62 | 36 days | 8 nights |
| Apr 2026 | £2,367 | 46.9% | £171 | £79 | 51 days | 6 nights |
| May 2026 | £3,580 | 72.1% | £169 | £115 | 79 days | 4.3 nights |
| Jun 2026 | £3,082 | 69.6% | £165 | £103 | 94 days | 4.1 nights |
| Jul 2026 | £3,133 | 67.1% | £160 | £101 | 90 days | 6 nights |
| Aug 2026 | £3,155 | 69.6% | £159 | £102 | 78 days | 3.7 nights |
| Sep 2026 | £3,362 | 69.2% | £173 | £112 | 62 days | 4.2 nights |
Averages per active listing in each month. Highlighted: the highest-revenue month of the 12. RevPAR is the month's revenue spread over its nights, booked or not. Booking lead time is the days between booking and check-in, and length of stay the nights per booking, for stays in that month.
These are market-wide figures. To see what one particular Western Isles home could earn, enter its address, bedrooms and guests in the Airbnb income calculator; it compares the home with similar listings nearby.
Profit
Yes, when it's run well. The average Western Isles Airbnb took in £19,006 in the 12 months to October 2026, and run by its owner at everyday costs, about £1,100 a month of that is left after running costs, so a home that costs less than that to own or rent makes money. A listing in the top quarter leaves about £1,500 a month.
Cleaning it yourself keeps the £760 a year guests pay in cleaning fees, for about £1,160 a month. Handing the listing to a co-host at about 10% of nightly bookings still leaves about £950 a month.
These amounts come before housing costs. Where the mortgage or rent is less each month, the difference is profit; a home owned outright keeps it all after property tax, home insurance and any building or condo fees.
| Line | Average listing | Top-quarter listing |
|---|---|---|
| Money in | ||
| Nightly bookings | £18,246 | £24,770 |
| Cleaning fees guests pay4% of Western Isles bookings | £760 | £1,030 |
| Gross bookings | £19,006 | £25,800 |
| Running costs | ||
| Airbnb's feeAbout 15%: 15.5% for the 97% of Western Isles listings on Simplified Pricing, 3% for the rest | −£2,870 | −£3,900 |
| Cleaning and laundryPaid for by the cleaning fee; £0 if you clean yourself | −£760 | −£1,030 |
| Utilities and internetAbout 5% of bookings | −£950 | −£1,290 |
| Guest suppliesToiletries, coffee, paper goods: about 2% | −£380 | −£520 |
| Repairs and upkeepIncluding linens and small replacements: about 3% | −£570 | −£770 |
| Short-term rental insuranceOne policy, on top of Airbnb's free AirCover | −£190 | −£190 |
| Permit and registrationWhere one is required | −£100 | −£100 |
| Management£0 when you run it; co-hosts charge from about 10% of nightly bookings | £0 | £0 |
| Pricing and messaging toolsOptional; Airbnb's own tools are free | £0 | £0 |
| Lodging taxesAdded to the guest's bill and passed on | £0 | £0 |
| Total running costsAbout 27% of bookings, plus cleaning paid for by the cleaning fee | −£5,820 | −£7,800 |
| Left for housing costs, then profit | £13,186about £1,100 a month | £18,000about £1,500 a month |
| Housing costs | ||
| Mortgage or rent, property tax, home insurance, building or condo fees | Depend on the home | |
The estimate starts from Western Isles's average listing, run by its owner. Change how the listing performs, who runs it and who cleans to see what is left for the mortgage or rent.
To work out the profit on one Western Isles home, with its price, its mortgage or rent and your own costs, use the Airbnb profit calculator. It starts from the comparable listings around the address.
What a listing keeps comes down to the figures this page measures: nightly rate, nights booked and the months it's open. A listing at the top-quarter mark takes in about £2,150 a month, against £1,580 for the average one.
Occupancy
Western Isles listings were booked on 55% of the nights they were open over the past year, 6 percentage points above the Scotland average (49%) and 14 points above the U.K. average (41%). Occupancy swings from 22% in January to 72% in May.
The busiest tenth of listings are booked about 2.1 times as often as the bottom quarter.
May was the busiest month in Western Isles, January the quietest
Share of open nights booked, by month, October 2025 to September 2026
The 12-month rate of 55% averages each listing's whole year, slow months included; each month here counts only the listings booked in it.
Nightly rates
The average nightly rate in Western Isles, known as ADR (average daily rate), was £171 over the past year, about 17% below the Scotland average of £205 and about 12% below the U.K. average of £195. Rates barely change through the year, staying between about £160 and £175.
The top 10% charge about 2.3 times the rate of the bottom quarter.
Average nightly rate by month in Western Isles
Average nightly rate (ADR), by month, October 2025 to September 2026
The dashed line is the average of the months shown, £167.
RevPAR, or revenue per available night, divides a listing's income by every night it was open to book, so it rises with both price and bookings. In Western Isles it averaged £85 over the past year, from about £46 in January to about £115 in May.
Per open night, by tier:
May RevPAR was about 2.5 times January's
Revenue per open night (RevPAR), by month, October 2025 to September 2026
The dashed line is the average of the months shown, £82.
Seasonality
With only 32 active listings, the monthly pattern in Western Isles is noisy, since a few long or pricey stays can lift a month; revenue peaked in May and bottomed out in February.
Guests book Western Isles stays 72 days ahead on average (about two and a half months), so guests here plan well ahead. June stays are booked furthest out, about 94 days ahead, and December stays closest to arrival, about 10 days. A typical June booking is made in mid-March.
June stays are booked furthest ahead
Average days between booking and check-in, by month of stay, October 2025 to September 2026
The 12-month figure of 72 days averages each listing's year as a whole; each month here averages only the listings with stays in it.
Permits
31% of the 32 active listings in Western Isles display a registration, permit or license number. The share shows what hosts display, not what local rules allow: it can't show whether new permits are still issued, or whether limits on nights, zones or property types apply.
Registration, permit, zoning and tourist-tax rules vary by address and change often, so confirm them with the local authority before buying or listing in Western Isles.
Neighborhoods
AirROI's area guide picks seven Western Isles neighborhoods that draw short-term rental guests, led by Tarbert, Castlebay and Callanish. The picks reflect guest appeal, not earnings data or permit eligibility, so check local permit rules for a specific address before buying.
| Area | Who it suits | Landmarks nearby |
|---|---|---|
| Tarbert | This isthmus village anchors passenger routes via the ferry slipway to Uig on Skye and the intersection between North and South Harris. Road-trippers, whisky enthusiasts, and hikers use the local hotels and services before traveling onward to Atlantic beaches. | Isle of Harris Distillery, Tarbert Ferry Terminal, Harris Tweed Shop, Sir E. Scott School Community Swimming Pool |
| Castlebay | As the main ferry port and service point on Barra, the village draws island-hoppers arriving directly from Oban. Walkers and cyclists book stays here for access to coastal roads, boat tours, and services before crossing the causeway to Vatersay. | Kisimul Castle, Dualchas Heritage Centre, Barra Atlantic Gin Distillery, Castlebay Ferry Terminal, Our Lady of the Star of the Sea Church |
| Callanish | Archaeology enthusiasts and coastal road-trippers base themselves around this west-coast settlement to access prehistoric monuments without long drives. Properties serve small tour parties and photographers wanting early morning or evening access before tour coaches arrive. | Calanais Standing Stones, Calanais Visitor Centre, Cnoc Ceann a' Ghàrraidh (Calanais II), Callanish III Stone Circle, Loch Roag |
| Ness | Situated at the northernmost point of the archipelago, this district draws birdwatchers, outdoor walkers, and family groups seeking coastal trails and open beaches. Stays cater to visitors seeking remote coastal scenery reachable via the A857 road. | Butt of Lewis Lighthouse, Port of Ness Harbour, Eoropie Dunes Play Park, Eoropie Beach, Comunn Eachdraidh Nis (Ness Historical Society) |
| Lochmaddy | The primary port on North Uist connects passengers sailing from Skye to the interconnected southern causeway network. Anglers, birdwatchers, and cyclists stay here for maritime excursions and easy access to local inlets. | Taigh Chearsabhagh Museum and Arts Centre, Lochmaddy Ferry Terminal, Hut of Shadows Camera Obscura, Hamersay House Pier |
| Lochboisdale | The southern gateway to South Uist serves travellers coming off vehicle ferries from Mallaig and Oban. Marina users, sea anglers, and route-tourists book lodging here to explore machair lands and local fishing lochs. | Lochboisdale Marina, Lochboisdale Ferry Pier, Lochboisdale Church, Kildonan Museum |
| Balivanich | Positioned centrally between the northern and southern isles, the settlement houses the regional airport, central hospital, and core commercial conveniences. Business contractors, healthcare professionals, and transit travelers select accommodations here for central road connectivity across the causeways. | Benbecula Airport, Balivanich Beach, Cille Pheadair (St Peter's Church ruin), Nunton Steadings |
Area descriptions are AI-assisted from public sources and are not checked against zoning.
Listings
Entire homes make up 81% of listings in Western Isles, alongside 6 private-room listings (19%). Houses are the most common property type at 66%, about 4.2 times the share of hotels, guesthouses and B&Bs (16%).
Mostly entire homes, with a private-room segment
Western Isles Airbnb listings by room type
| Room type | Share of listings | Listings |
|---|---|---|
| Entire home | 81.3% | 26 |
| Private room | 18.8% | 6 |
Listings by property type
Western Isles Airbnb listings by property type
| Property type | Share of listings | Listings |
|---|---|---|
| House | 65.6% | 21 |
| Hotel/Boutique | 15.6% | 5 |
| Cabin/Outdoor | 9.4% | 3 |
| Apartment/Condo | 9.4% | 3 |
The most common size among Western Isles's 26 entire homes with a bedroom count is two bedrooms (12 homes).
Western Isles entire homes by number of bedrooms
Entire homes with each number of bedrooms, of those with a bedroom count on file
| Bedrooms | Share of entire homes with a bedroom count | Entire homes |
|---|---|---|
| Studio | 3.8% | 1 |
| 1 bedroom | 34.6% | 9 |
| 2 bedrooms | 46.2% | 12 |
| 3 bedrooms | 7.7% | 2 |
| 4 bedrooms | 7.7% | 2 |
Most Western Isles listings are sized for couples and small families: 85% sleep four guests or fewer, and just 4% take eight or more. Shares are of the 27 listings with a guest capacity on file (84% of the market).
Western Isles listings by guest capacity
Share of listings by the number of guests they sleep, of those with a capacity on file
| Guest capacity | Share of listings with a capacity on file | Listings |
|---|---|---|
| 2 guests | 29.6% | 8 |
| 3 guests | 7.4% | 2 |
| 4 guests | 48.1% | 13 |
| 6 guests | 7.4% | 2 |
| 7 guests | 3.7% | 1 |
| 8+ guests | 3.7% | 1 |
Western Isles hosts set up an average of 2.2 beds per listing, close to one bed per bedroom. Only 38% of listings show their exact location on the listing map; the rest show an approximate area.
Free on-site parking is close to standard in Western Isles: 94% of listings offer it.
Share of Western Isles listings with each common amenity
Guests
Western Isles splits its demand between home and abroad: 39% of guests who left reviews live outside the United Kingdom, led by visitors from Germany and France. Guests speak a mix of languages: English leads at 48%, followed by French and German.
61% of Western Isles guests are domestic
Where guests who left reviews live
Where Western Isles guests come from: top cities
Share of guests who left reviews
| Origin city | Share of guests |
|---|---|
| Glasgow | 5.3% |
| Edinburgh | 4.2% |
| London | 3.0% |
Where Western Isles guests come from: top countries
Share of guests who left reviews
| Origin country | Share of guests |
|---|---|
| United Kingdom | 60.7% |
| Germany | 9.1% |
| France | 6.5% |
| United States | 5.8% |
| Australia | 2.9% |
Languages spoken by Western Isles guests
Share of guests who left reviews
| Language | Share of guests |
|---|---|
| English | 47.6% |
| French | 14.5% |
| German | 12.4% |
| Spanish | 8.3% |
| Italian | 7.6% |
Western Isles Airbnbs average 4.95 stars, and 81% of listings hold Airbnb's Guest Favorite badge. The category scores are tightly bunched, and value for money is the lowest, at 4.88.
Communication scores highest in Western Isles; value is lowest
Average guest rating out of 5 by category; the bars start at 4.0
| Category | Average rating (out of 5) |
|---|---|
| Accuracy | 4.95 |
| Cleanliness | 4.97 |
| Communication | 4.99 |
| Location | 4.94 |
| Check-in | 4.98 |
| Value | 4.88 |
Booking patterns
84% of Western Isles listings are open to guests more than 180 days a year, but only 16% are booked or blocked that many days. The most common booked-or-blocked total is 91 to 180 days a year, covering 63% of listings; blocked nights include any the host closes off.
Days a year Western Isles listings are open to guests
Share of listings by days a year
| Days a year | Share of listings | Listings |
|---|---|---|
| 271-366 days | 28.1% | 9 |
| 181-270 days | 56.3% | 18 |
| 91-180 days | 15.6% | 5 |
Days a year Western Isles listings are booked or blocked
Share of listings by days a year
| Days a year | Share of listings | Listings |
|---|---|---|
| 181-270 days | 15.6% | 5 |
| 91-180 days | 62.5% | 20 |
| 31-90 days | 9.4% | 3 |
| 1-30 days | 12.5% | 4 |
The average Western Isles booking lasts 5 nights, longest in February and shortest in August. Listings took about 23 bookings each over the year. More than six in ten listings that give a check-in time set it at 4 p.m., with check-out usually at 10 a.m.
Average length of stay by month in Western Isles
Average nights per booking, by month of stay
About half of listings in Western Isles accept stays of one or two nights.
Minimum stay set by Western Isles listings
Share of listings by the shortest stay they accept, from one night to 30 or more
Firm is the most common cancellation policy in Western Isles, used by 31% of listings; it refunds guests in full only if they cancel at least 30 days before check-in. Nearly half of listings offer Flexible or Moderate terms and 53% use Firm or stricter ones, so neither camp dominates.
Cancellation policies of Western Isles listings, from most to least flexible
Share of listings by the policy they use
About a quarter of Western Isles listings charge a cleaning fee. Fees here tend to be small: for listings that charge one, cleaning fees make up only about 4% of gross revenue.
Top earners
The top-grossing Airbnb in Western Isles, a two-bedroom unit, took in £90,300 over the past year, about 4.8 times the city's average of £19,000. Four of the six listings below have two bedrooms or fewer, so size alone doesn't explain the top of this market.
Atlantic View Cottage Entire home · 2 bedrooms Rated 5.00
Valasay Crofthouse Entire home · 2 bedrooms Rated 5.00
An Lochan Entire home · 3 bedrooms Rated 5.00
Kelp Cottage Entire home · 1 bedroom Rated 5.00
But n Ben Holiday Homes - 3b Entire home · 2 bedrooms Rated 5.00
Harriet's House Entire home · 4 bedrooms Rated 4.98 Professional management companies run 16% of Western Isles listings and owners run the rest. Two-thirds of listings are run by Superhosts, so a strong review record is the norm here rather than an edge. Airbnb's Simplified Pricing, where the host pays the whole service fee and guests see one price with no separate Airbnb charge, covers 97% of listings.
Nearby markets
Of the eight nearby markets in the table, all within 76 km, Portree (71 km away) earned the most per listing, about 2.4 times as much as Western Isles. Uig, Dunvegan, Roag and Portree were the busiest, each booked on 59% of nights against 55% in Western Isles.
| Market | Listings | Avg. annual revenue | Avg. nightly rate | Occupancy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stornoway 32 km | 68 | £22,770 | £144 | 55% |
| Staffin 51 km | 46 | £32,361 | £214 | 58% |
| Uig 53 km | 48 | £38,240 | £220 | 59% |
| Glendale 61 km | 52 | £42,283 | £233 | 58% |
| Dunvegan 62 km | 33 | £35,620 | £196 | 59% |
| Roag 67 km | 37 | £32,323 | £197 | 59% |
| Portree 71 km | 186 | £45,035 | £250 | 59% |
| Carbost 76 km | 37 | £36,138 | £259 | 58% |
See all 330 Scotland Airbnb markets
Markets elsewhere in the United Kingdom with a similar nightly rate and occupancy to Western Isles:
FAQ
An active Western Isles Airbnb grossed £19,006 on average in the 12 months to October 2026, according to AirROI's tracking of 32 active listings. That is before cleaning, management, taxes and financing. Busier, better-run listings do far better: the top quarter took in £2,870 or more in a typical month.
It depends most on the home's size, location and how it's run. The middle half of Western Isles listings earn between £1,460 and £2,870 in a typical month, and the top tenth £3,870 or more. For one home, enter its address and bedroom count in the Airbnb calculator: it compares the home with similar listings nearby.
Listings in Western Isles were booked on 55% of available nights over the past year. That compares with 49% for the Scotland average. May was the busiest month.
The average booked night in Western Isles cost £171 before fees. Half of listings charge between £115 and £160; a few high-priced homes pull the average above that range.
In Western Isles, 31% of active listings display a registration, permit or license number. The share shows what hosts display, not what the rules allow, so confirm registration, permit and tourist-tax rules with the local authority before buying.
Yes, when it's run well. The average Western Isles Airbnb grossed £19,006 in the 12 months to October 2026, 34% below the Scotland average of £28,841. Run by its owner, with the cleaning fee covering the cleaner and everyday costs for Airbnb's fee, utilities, supplies, upkeep and insurance, £13,186 a year (about £1,100 a month) is left before the mortgage or rent. A home that costs less than that to own or rent makes a profit, and a listing at the top-quarter mark leaves about £1,500 a month. Check a specific home in the Airbnb estimator.
May paid best over the past year, at £3,580 per active listing, and February paid least. The month-by-month table above shows how rates and bookings each move.
Each night a Western Isles listing was open to book earned £85 on average over the past year, booked or not. That figure, revenue per available night (RevPAR), folds price and occupancy into one number; the top 10% of listings made £126 or more.
Western Isles stays were booked 72 days (about two and a half months) before arrival on average over the past year, so a listing that opens its calendar late misses many bookings.
The average Western Isles Airbnb stay lasted 5 nights over the past year. A listing took 23 reservations over the year on average.
Guests rate Western Isles Airbnbs 4.95 out of 5 on average. Guests score communication highest and value lowest.
Tarbert, Castlebay and Callanish draw the most short-term rental interest in Western Isles. The neighborhood guide explains what brings guests to each.
AirROI counted 32 active Airbnb listings in Western Isles as of October 2026. The closest tracked market is Stornoway, 32 km away.
In Western Isles, about a quarter of listings add a cleaning fee, and the fees tend to be small: for listings that charge one, they make up only about 4% of gross revenue.
All of Scotland had 15,191,000 overnight visitors in 2024, VisitScotland reports. AirROI estimates 744 Airbnb stays in Western Isles, UK in the 12 months to October 2026, which counts bookings and not tourists. See Scotland tourism statistics.
Method
Figures on this page cover 32 active Airbnb listings in Western Isles from November 2025 to October 2026 (trailing twelve months). AirROI refreshes them monthly from listing-level booking and calendar data covering 20+ million properties worldwide. AirROI measures bookings in US dollars; this page shows them in British pounds at £0.74 per US$, the typical rate from November 2025 to October 2026. Annual revenue averages every listing active during the period, including those listed for only part of it; monthly figures average the listings active in each month; the tier lists show the spread. Neighborhood descriptions are AI-assisted. See the methodology for definitions.
Need this programmatically? The same metrics are available through the AirROI Airbnb Data API and bulk downloads in the data portal.