Guest User
September 25, 2023
We toured the NC500 staying at seven different BandB/Hotels. This hotel was the most expensive of all our stays yet failed to deliver when compared. The lounge area was cold, the settees tired and worn. The bar area come restaurant was pleasant enough until we asked for a slice of lime in one of our drinks. The bar man proceeded to cut a lime before attempting to place it in our drink with his fingers. The manager stopped him, apologised and informed us he was in training. Accepted, we moved to our rooms which were adequate. The website said they were refurbishing the hotel. It was difficult to see where this refurbishment was taking place. We walked through the dining area and noted vacuum cleaners and other cleaning materials left next to the toaster. Evening meal was fairly priced and adequate. Breakfast was poor. We noted the waiter (same person as the barman the night before) was wearing the same clothes. He had a outdoor coat on with sleeves that looked like they had been used to wipe something with. He looked unkept and his hair was dishevelled. We saw a caravan in the grounds and thought he might be living in it. We did not eat our breakfast but took tea and left. On paying our bill it was also noted the manager was in the same attire as the last evening, trainers and t shirt. There was no front of house dress code, Hygiene did not appear to be high on the hotels agenda nor did the etiquette, such as not leaning over your plate to deliver a tea pot. The website and reviews do not reflect what we experienced. Sadly, in this area of Scotland, you tend to be a captive audience with very limited alternatives.