The Traitors' Real Accommodation: An Airport Hotel, Not the Castle
One of the most intriguing behind-the-scenes secrets of the hit BBC reality show The Traitors has been revealed: while viewers see contestants living in the opulent, gothic Ardross Castle in the Scottish Highlands, the stars actually sleep in a far more mundane airport hotel located forty minutes away. This stark contrast between on-screen glamour and off-camera practicality has surprised many fans of the popular programme.
Filming by Day, Hotel by Night
By day, the iconic Ardross Castle serves as the dramatic setting where contestants gather for breakfast, debrief after challenging outdoor tasks, strategise in the drawing room, and face tense round table banishments. However, once filming concludes, the participants are transported in 4x4 vehicles to their actual accommodation: The Courtyard by Marriott hotel at Inverness Airport. This functional four-star chain hotel, situated near the airport runway, offers average rates of approximately £53 per person per night and features amenities including a restaurant, fitness centre, meeting spaces, a convenience store, and a business centre.
Practicality Over Luxury
Insiders explain that the choice of hotel is driven entirely by practical production needs rather than luxury. The airport hotel is large enough to accommodate both the cast and production staff simultaneously, crucially allowing the team to keep participants separated and monitored when they are off-camera. Host Claudia Winkleman has emphasised that all contestants must return directly to their individual rooms after filming and are prohibited from interacting with each other or anyone outside the game to preserve the integrity and secrecy of the competition.
Celebrity Reactions and Fan Queries
Alan Cumming, host of the US version of The Traitors, previously offered an insight into the accommodation, remarking to The Daily Beast: "They all stayed in the airport hotel in Inverness airport. How glamorous – you come to Scotland, and you stay in the Inverness airport hotel." In contrast, former contestant and TV presenter Jonathon Ross expressed satisfaction with the setup, commenting on the show's official X account: "It’s a very nice hotel and the food is good. No complaints." The show's account replied: "Good to know." A fan subsequently asked Ross if contestants had to drive back to the castle in the evening for the turret scenes, to which he clarified: "No. We wait there until all the Faithfuls have left."
Hotel Reputation and Guest Reviews
The Courtyard by Marriott at Inverness Airport holds a respectable 4.3 out of 5 rating on TripAdvisor, based on 250 reviews. One guest praised the staff's resilience, writing: "I stay regularly at this hotel. Yesterday the staff had to work really hard under pressure after many flight cancellations due to bad weather at the airport. The staff in the bar, restaurant, reception and housekeeping remained upbeat and efficient with a changing set of guests, accommodating their needs of all types." Another satisfied traveller noted: "Stayed at this hotel on several occasions and every stay has been great. Staff are very friendly and food is good. The rooms are modern and very comfortable."
This revelation underscores the meticulous production logistics behind The Traitors, where the breathtaking castle serves purely as a filming location while the airport hotel provides the necessary controlled environment for housing contestants and crew off-screen.
