Laxdale is mainly a campsite together with a 16-bed-bunkhouse, and I was at the bunkhouse for two nights during the Hebridean Celtic Festival in July 2010. The bunkhouse consists of 4 bedrooms sleeping four each, one bathroom with shower and toilet, one extra toilet, one extra shower, a kitchen, a living room and a drying room. All rooms are in one building, but there is no corridor connecting everything, thus all the doors leading directly outside. But there are porch roofs, so normally you can change between the rooms without getting wet.

The kitchen is very well equipped with two fridges, two stoves, and also everything else in really sufficient quantity. If the bathrooms are not enough, you can also use the bathrooms of the campsite, where is also a washing machine and a drying machine. The bedrooms are very, very small, but in an ingenious way so arranged (with curtains and enough height also in the lower bunkbeds) that you don't really feel cramped. Leisure time you cannot really spend there, but kitchen and living room are cosy and big enough. And in the bedrooms there are lockers where a normal backpack easily fits into. But, as the bedroom door is heading directly outside, you hear the people outside chattering and especially creaking through the gravel.

The staff is nice, and the bunkhouse is very clean.

The biggest disadvantage I felt is the location. From the Stornoway harbour and bus station you walk nearly half an hour. There are busses, but they are not going too often, especially in the evening. So, if you want to spend your holidays in Stornoway, you are too far off at Laxdale. But if you want to experience the remoteness of the Outer Hebrides, you are by far too close. In Laxdale itself there is not much to see and do. And the price is with 15 Pounds too high.

So, altogether, I would prefer Hebhostel, if I wanted to stay at Stornoway, but if Hebhostel is fully booked or if I would just look for a nice place to stay and read some books or something like that, Laxdale bunkhouse is fully convenient.