WILL WE MEET YOU IN SCOTLAND? well, we like to meet as many guests as we can, if we are in the same place at the same time we generally arrange to meet up, we do all we can!
Official travel agents for Clan Gillean USA | We are used and recommended by VISITSCOTLAND | Official agents for 2009 Gathering
The following questions have been grouped to help you get to your answer quickly Simply click on the question and you will be taken to the answer. If you cant find an answer to your question please CONTACT US and we will be able to help?
Financial matters
Useful Information about Scotland
Other
What kind of tours do you offer? We offer every kind of tour! From self drive, driver guided, coaches, groups, no driving tours, trains and boats, whisky, golf, the list goes on and on! Please just ask us if you do not see what you want on our site, we specialise in designing tours for every occasion, even Scottish weddings and renewal's!
Do you offer tours in winter? Aye we do, in fact 12 months a year every year! Scotland is very different in the winter, changing colours, not so many tourists and a wonderful place to be! We arrange many whisky and curling tours in our winter months and the pace is slower with not so many tourists around, real open fires, a dram and relax - superb!
How do we book a tour? Tell us how many people, how many nights and as much info about your needs, we do the rest for you. HOW TO BOOK; book@mcleanscotland.com
How do we know we can trust you with our tour and do you have any recommendations ? Yes to both, for 15 years or so we have been taking tours in Scotland and Ireland, but don't take our word for it, see what other people say about us.
Dear Liz, We met our guide Paul McLean whom we came to adore. Wearing kilts each day he made our trip a journey through history, incited our interest in Scottish culture and generated lots of laughter. No one else could have kept four ladies happy and comfortable, each with different thermostats! Liz, he made our trip a total joy.We are grateful and he will remain in our minds and hearts a very long time .DeJuana Jones DC
Which airport should I fly into? Scotland has 3 main international airports: Glasgow, Edinburgh and Aberdeen. Glasgow handles most non stop scheduled flights from North America The highest fares are from mid June to mid September and Christmas/New Year. Please note that if using internal flights (or to Ireland) check on luggage allowance, it may be significantly less than internationally.
How do you select our accommodation? We will work with you to determine if it is a hotel, guest house or B&B, a pub or even a castle. After asking you many questions, we design your whole tour to suit what we think are your requirements, then we go that extra mile to make it even better! Almost all the accommodations we have stayed in ourselves and many are tested each year!
Is my accommodation prepaid by mcleanscotland ? All accommodation is prepaid by us and is reserved under your name, on arrival please just quote mcleanscotland and your name. Anything you charge to your room must be paid on departure.
What is a double room? A double room has one bed and is for 2 people, this is a typical room in Scotland. It is unusual to see two larger beds in one room. Double rooms can sometimes accommodate a single or to accommodate a child.
What is a twin room? This room has two smaller beds and is designed for 2 people, this is a typical room in Scotland.
What does B&B mean? It means your accommodation is on a bed and breakfast basis not room only. B&B accommodation is generally a room in someone's house, slightly smaller than a guest house, breakfast will be provided, although B&B at a hotel is your room and a breakfast.
What is a Guest House? A typical guest house has 6-10 bedrooms and usually a guest lounge to relax in. The owners usually live on site. Breakfast will be provided.
What is a single supplement? In Scotland accommodation is based on the number of guests in a room, a sole person in a room generally has to pay a higher rate, this is called the single supplement.
Can I rent an auto shift vehicle? Most vehicles are stick shift but auto shift can be reserved.
Is Sat Nav included in my car rental? Sat Nav is not provided as standard but is an optional extra.
What is a driver/guide? Your own driver who is knowledgeable of the area you visit. It is a great way to be introduced to Scotland especially for the first couple of days to get you used to our roads. It is more cost effective for a small group.
How do I obtain my ferry tickets? mcleanscotland give you a reservation number and your tickets will either be posted to you or ready to collect at the ferry terminal, they are pre-paid by us.
Which currency does Scotland use? The basic unit of currency is the pound sterling (£), split into 100 pence (p). Coins are in denominations of 1p, 2p, 5p, 10p, 20p, 50p, £1 and £2. Notes generally are: £5, £10, £20 and £50 bank. Use the Currency Convertor to check for conversion rates .
Is my credit card accepted? Cards are readily accepted except American Express in some places.
What are the banking hours? In most towns in Scotland and in some wee places, you'll find a high street bank. However, in remote parts you may find only a mobile bank that runs to a timetable. General banking hours are Monday to Friday from 9.30am to 4.30pm.
Should I bring travellers cheques? Travellers cheques are hardly accepted in Scotland, they are outdated and we do not advise quests to bring them. We suggest you bring cash for the first 2 days and then more cash from a local bank or ATM
Tipping? There are no fixed rules for tipping. If you've received good service (particularly in restaurants) you may want to leave 10% of the total bill (unless service has been included). Generally we do not normally leave tips in pubs, although bar staff sometimes will be happy if you say "and one for yourself". You would expect to tip taxis, hotels porters, bellboys and table waiters as their wages tend to be lower, also any driver or guide you employ.
Can I use my own electrical appliances, hairdryer etc? Many accommodations provide basic hairdryers. If you wish to bring your own it must be dual voltage, a travel adaptor itself does not ensure it will work in Scotland. Alternatively purchase a cheap hairdryer locally – around £12. The current is 240v AC, North American appliances need a transformer and adapter; Australasian appliances need an adapter.
How do I use a laundry service? Coin-operated laundries are in Scottish cities and towns. A wash followed by a spin or tumble dry costs about £5; a "service wash" (your laundry done for you in a few hours) costs about £3 extra. Large hotels offer a next day service but it is expensive.
What type of clothing should I bring? Always bring a light waterproof jacket, we recommend layers, so you can dress as per the weather. A selection of smart casual and casual is ideal (in city restaurants you may feel more at ease in smart/casual - rather than jeans, trainers/sneakers)
What is the weather like in Scotland? The graph below shows you average temperature and rainfall, for a forecast 5 days before arrival in Scotland please see: www.bbc.co.uk/weather we don't have a climate, we have weather!
What is the time difference between Scotland and home? GMT is used from the end of October – end March. The rest of the year the country switches to British Summer Time (BST), one hour ahead of GMT.
What are the general opening hours? Traditional shop hours are Monday to Saturday 9am to 5pm. In the bigger towns and cities, many places open on Sundays and late on Thursdays. Large supermarkets typically stay open till 8pm or and a few are 24-hours . In the Highlands and Islands, you'll find hardly anything open on a Sunday and many small towns also retaining half days (often Wednesday ) when shops close at 1pm.
Can
you recommend Travel Insurance MCLEANSCOTLAND do not have any
commitment or financial agreement with any of these companies,
we are placing them here for your benefit and are suggested
companies only;
www.duinsure.com
www.totaltravelinsurance.com
www.aaa.com
www.travelinsurancecenter.com
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How do I see a Pharmacist?
(chemists) only dispense a limited range of drugs without a
doctor's prescription. Most are open standard hours. If your
condition is serious , you can turn up at the Accident and
Emergency (A&E) department of local hospitals for
complaints that require immediate attention. Obviously, if it's
an absolute emergency, ring for an ambulance (tel; 999). These
services are free to all. You can also get free medical advice
from NHS Direct, the health service's 24-hour helpline
0845/4647
When are the Public Holidays in
Scotland?
January 1st and 2nd, Good Friday and Easter Monday, first and
last Mondays in May, Christmas Day and Boxing Day
Do you have
public payphones? There are payphones in the
cities but not frequent in smaller towns. Payphones take coins
from 10p upwards, some take only phonecards and credit cards.
Phonecards are available from post offices and newsagents.
Will my
cell phone work in
Scotland? Before you leave home check with your service
provider whether your phone will work abroad and what the call
charges will be. You need a tri-band phone, it's unlikely that a
mobile bought for use in the US will work outside the States for
example. Mobiles in Australia and NZ generally use the same
system as the UK. Please note that the network coverage in
much of the Highlands and Islands is pretty poor
Are you two married?
Aye the question everyone
asks us! The answer is No. We are best of friends and business
partners who have known each other for too many years to
remember! We met years back in Perth but strangely enough, were
brought up as wee nippers only miles from each other.
WHO ARE WE?