Melrose Lodges

Melrose is the kind of Scottish Borders town that makes you slow down. A ruined abbey sits at the end of the main street, the three rounded Eildon Hills rise behind it, and the River Tweed loops past on its way to the sea. It’s a place for walks, heritage and long evenings, and a holiday lodge suits it better than a hotel room or a holiday cottage in town.

There’s no big lodge park in the town itself. The best Melrose lodges are dotted around it in woods and river valleys, all a short drive away. We’ve picked six parks in the Scottish Borders from 13 to 41 minutes out, each with hot tub lodges and dogs welcome, so you can relax under dark skies after a day out. There’s plenty to explore. It’s the perfect escape for a couple, a family or a group of friends.

Below you’ll find the parks compared, what each is like and the best things to do in the Scottish Borders from your lodge. To widen the search, browse all our lodges in Edinburgh and the Borders.

Melrose lodges at a glance

All six parks have hot tubs and welcome pets, so the real choice is how close you want to be and how many of you are going. Sort the table by drive time or sleeps. Tap Yes or No to filter.

Hot tub lodges and log cabins near Melrose

These are the luxury lodges and log cabins in Scottish Borders countryside that we’d book, starting with the closest. Drive times are from the town centre.

Lilliardsedge Holiday Park, Scottish Borders

Driving Distance: About 13 minutes (8.5 miles) | Sleeps: Up to 8 | Pet friendly? Yes

What to expect: The closest of our parks, set in over 100 acres of rolling landscape and natural woodland with walks straight from the door.

Who will love these lodges? Bigger families and groups, as the lodges sleep up to 8. It’s dog friendly, and the hot tub lodges suit couples after a romantic escape.

• A 9 hole golf course on site
• A climb to the Monteath Mausoleum on the hill above the park
• Rated 4.8 by guests

Thirlestane Woodland Lodges, Lauderdale

Driving Distance: About 20 minutes (13.9 miles) | Sleeps: Up to 6 | Pet friendly? Yes

What to expect: A peaceful woodland retreat on the Lauderdale Estate, with views over the Leader Water down to Thirlestane Castle.

Who will love these lodges? Couples and families of up to 6 who love the outdoors. Dogs are welcome and there are hot tub lodges, and guests rate it 4.8.

• Walking routes from the estate
• Local golf courses
• Fishing on the Tweed, one of Scotland’s great salmon rivers

Riverside Park Hawick, Teviotdale

Driving Distance: About 22 minutes (14.4 miles) | Sleeps: Up to 6 | Pet friendly? Yes

What to expect: A tranquil 10-acre retreat on the banks of the Teviot, surrounded by unspoilt Scottish Borders countryside and nature.

Who will love these lodges? Couples and small families of up to 6 who want a quiet riverside lodge with a hot tub. Dogs are welcome.

• The highest-rated park in this guide, at 4.9
• The river right on your doorstep
• Jedburgh and Kelso close by

Springwood Holiday Park, Kelso

Driving Distance: About 25 minutes (14.4 miles) | Sleeps: Up to 6 | Pet friendly? Yes

What to expect: Luxury lodges with private hot tubs a stone’s throw from Kelso, plus a bar, an owners’ lounge and outdoor fire pits.

Who will love these lodges? Couples and friends who like a sociable evening at a luxury lodge. The Roxburgh bar serves everything from fresh coffee to a cold beer, and dogs are welcome.

• Outdoor fire pits for the evenings
• Kelso and Floors Castle on the doorstep
• Rated 4.6 by guests

Coldstream Holiday Park, Coldstream

Driving Distance: About 33 minutes (22.2 miles) | Sleeps: Up to 8 | Pet friendly? Yes

What to expect: Quality holiday homes and luxury pods a short walk from the historic town of Coldstream, some with outdoor hot tubs and countryside views.

Who will love these lodges? Families and small groups of up to 8, and their dogs. Each stay has a spacious living area, a well-equipped kitchen and comfortable bedrooms, making it a good family escape.

• A verandah with outdoor furniture at every unit
• Rated 4.8 by guests
• Within reach of Eyemouth and the Berwickshire coast

Glentress Forest, Peebles

Driving Distance: About 41 minutes (23.4 miles) | Sleeps: Up to 10 | Pet friendly? Yes

What to expect: Cabins perched among the pines, each with its own hot tub under wide-open skies, open since winter 2024.

Who will love these lodges? Groups of up to 10 in the treehouse, or couples in a cosy log cabin for two, deep in Scotland’s forests. Dogs are welcome.

• One of the 7stanes mountain bike trail centres
• Peaceful ponds and hillside paths
• The closest park to Edinburgh

Choosing your base in the Scottish Borders

Each park puts you near a different Scottish Borders town with its own feel:

• Near Jedburgh for the shortest drive. Lilliardsedge is under 15 minutes away, and Jedburgh has its own ruined abbey.
• Lauderdale for woodland and walking. The Southern Upland Way passes through Lauder.
• Teviotdale for the river and quiet valleys to the south, plus a famous knitwear heritage.
• Kelso for a sociable stay. Its wide cobbled square is one of the prettiest in Scotland, and Floors Castle is a grand stately home on the edge of town.
• Peebles for forest cabins, mountain biking and the easiest run to Edinburgh.
• Coldstream for an easy hop to the Northumberland coast and the fishing harbour at Eyemouth.

Things to do from your lodge

The town packs a lot into a small space. Most of the sights are within a short stroll of the Market Square.

Melrose Abbey

David I founded the abbey in 1136 as Scotland’s first Cistercian monastery, and it was rebuilt in the 1380s after English raids. Look for the carved pig playing the bagpipes. Robert the Bruce’s heart is believed to lie in the chapter house, marked by a small memorial.

Visiting the abbey

• Open daily, 9.30am to 5pm from April to September and 10am to 4pm from October to March
• Audio guide included, and tickets are best booked ahead on the Historic Environment Scotland website
• The grounds, cloister and museum are open, but the church itself is closed while high-level masonry is inspected

The Eildon Hills

A circular route from the Market Square climbs all three summits in about 5.3 miles. Mid Hill is the highest at 422 metres, with panoramic views over the abbey, the Leaderfoot Viaduct and the rolling hills beyond. Below the summits at Newstead lay Trimontium, the largest Roman fort north of Hadrian’s Wall. The Trimontium Museum in town tells its story.

St Cuthbert’s Way

This long-distance trail starts beside the abbey and runs 62 miles to Lindisfarne on the Northumberland coast. The first stretch over the hills makes a great day out. If you’d like to finish on the coast, see our guide to lodges near Berwick-upon-Tweed.

Abbotsford and Scott’s View

Sir Walter Scott built Abbotsford beside the Tweed between 1817 and 1825, just west of town. East of town, Scott’s View was the writer’s favourite outlook, and Dryburgh Abbey, where he’s buried, is just beyond.

Harmony and Priorwood gardens

These two National Trust for Scotland gardens sit next to each other near the abbey. Harmony looks across to the hills, while Priorwood is known for its dried flowers and historic apple orchard.

Events worth planning around

• Melrose Sevens: rugby sevens was invented here in 1883, and the tournament still draws top teams each spring
• Borders Book Festival: more than 100 events over four days in Harmony Garden each June

Both weekends fill local lodges fast, so plan early.

A perfect first day

1. Coffee in the Market Square, then the abbey when it opens
2. Climb the hills for lunch with a view across the Scottish Borders
3. Wander Harmony Garden on the way back down
4. Head back to your lodge for a soak in the hot tub

Dog friendly lodges near Melrose

Every park here has pet friendly lodges, and the Scottish Borders countryside is made for dog walks. Dogs are welcome on a lead in the abbey grounds, the waterside paths are flat and easy, and the hills are a proper leg-stretcher. Keep dogs on leads near sheep and farm animals. You can filter all our dog friendly lodges to see more.

How do you get there?

• By car: about an hour from Edinburgh and just under two hours from Newcastle
• By train: the Borders Railway runs from Edinburgh Waverley to Tweedbank, about two miles away along the river path
• At your lodge: you’ll still want a car, as countryside buses are limited

What to pack

Borders weather can change fast on the hills, so pack for walking and for evenings in the hot tub.

Lodges here sleep up to 6, 8 or even 10, so a group self catering break can cost less per head than a hotel. Use the calculator to split it between you.

Lodge FAQs

Ready to go? Start with the parks above, or browse our lodges in Roxburghshire and log cabins in Selkirkshire. Adding the coast to your trip? Our lodges near Bamburgh guide is a good next stop, or see every lodge with a hot tub.