Larger towns nearby include Alsfeld in the north, Fulda in the east, Friedberg in the south and Gießen in the west.

The officially recognised climatic spa lies between 168 m and 773 m above sea level on the western slope of the Vogelsberg Mountains.

Schotten is a tourist town thanks to reliably high snowfall in the winter and hiking opportunities in the summer in the extensive forests.

Besides the main town, which bears the same name as the whole municipality, Schotten is divided into the following communities: Betzenrod, Breungeshain, Burkhards, Busenborn, Eichelsachsen, Einartshausen, Eschenrod, Götzen, Kaulstoß, Michelbach, Rainrod, Rudingshain, Sichenhausen and Wingershausen.

Several barrows bear witness to prehistoric times as do the "Alteburg" and "Wildhauskopf" ringwalls, whose building date is unknown.

[citation needed] A particular problem on the highway is the "Applauskurve", a 180° bend in the road between Schotten and Laubach, known to motorcyclists all over Germany.