The Traitors has established itself as one of the BBC's most beloved reality shows, thanks to its high-stakes drama, clever gameplay and spectacular Scottish Highlands setting – as well as its slick, seamless production.
One of the best examples of this came in the opening episode of The Celebrity Traitors, when the now-iconic Land Rovers transporting the contestants pulled up in perfect unison to deliver them to Claudia at the infamous Scottish castle.
But like any hit show, The Traitors' success also comes down to the quiet work happening behind the scenes, and much of the production is deliberately kept under wraps by the BBC to preserve the illusion of the game.
While many details fly under the radar, one question viewers repeatedly ask is where the contestants actually sleep – and the answer is probably not where you would expect.
Where do The Traitors contestants sleep?
While breakfasts, challenges and roundtables all take place in and around the grand Ardross Castle, the contestants are taken off-site when filming wraps each day.
Despite pre-filmed scenes suggesting they head straight to bed at the castle, they are actually taken to a Marriott hotel by Inverness Airport.
In an interview with The Daily Beast, The Traitors US host Alan Cumming revealed: "They all stayed in the airport hotel in the Inverness airport," before joking: "How glamorous – you come to Scotland, and you stay in the Inverness Airport Hotel."
Meanwhile, Jonathan Ross confirmed the same on his podcast Reel Talk, telling his daughter: "We all stayed in the same hotel, I believe, but I can't say that for sure because you never saw who was in which room or where. We stayed at the Inverness Airport Hotel, which was lovely. It was fine. You wouldn't normally stay there for a few nights at a time, I guess."
He added that filming became slightly "claustrophobic" towards the end, explaining there was no bath, meaning contestants had to settle for a shower after a long day of challenges.
However, UK host Claudia Winkleman has since suggested the setup may be more complex. Speaking on the Dish podcast, she said the contestants sleep in "different hotels".
She explained: "Everybody is man-marked, they have somebody who is looking after them, and when they leave the castle, they don't see each other until they arrive at breakfast."
As for where the hosts stay, Alan revealed: "I stayed in a little house in Inverness. But I had a room in the castle where I would get made up and dressed.
"It had a huge bed in it, so I did actually sleep quite often – but not overnight."
Where is Ardross Castle?
The show's striking backdrop is a 19th-century Baronial-style estate located on the River Alness in the Scottish Highlands.
While there is "no availability whatsoever" for 2026 or 2027 according to the official website, the private castle can be hired as a wedding venue and is frequently used as a TV and film location.
In June, executive producer Rosie Franks told the Los Angeles Times: "The castle has contributed so much to the identity of the show. We'd struggle to make the same show without it. It is a gift of a location because you don't need any TV trickery."
Claudia echoed the sentiment in December, telling the BBC: "The Scottish Highlands might be the most beautiful place on the planet. It's a privilege to spend so much time surrounded by the jaw dropping landscape. I've never been anywhere like it."
She added: "There's something about the expanse of sky, the breathtaking lochs and the flora and fauna. I am officially in love with gorse. Not only that, the people we meet in Inverness are the warmest and greatest and now we've been back a few times, it's lovely to see familiar faces."