The Ancient Unicorn

We had a good stay at the Ancient Unicorn, though the whole setup was definitely unconventional. The room was very clean and comfortable, with tea and coffee facilities, and the spacious en suite was clean too. We had a very good night’s sleep and never felt unsafe. The location is quiet, appears to be in a low crime area and has CCTV. We spent a pleasant evening having snacks and watching TV, which had enough channels. On the day we arrived, we were told there’d be no evening food, but there were other places to eat nearby. We’d eaten during the day and brought snacks. We were sent a code to enter the building, but the door was already unlocked and we were told to leave it that way. We found our room and used a second code to get the key from a security box. There was no Wi-Fi signal at all, and the code on the information card was wrong. The listed contact lady didn’t answer when we called, so we had no internet. When I went to the bar to ask for help, we found there was nobody else in the whole place, no staff or other customers. In the morning, one gentleman was in the kitchen and bar area. He’d set the table and put out cereals and other choices, then cooked us a very nice full English breakfast. We left soon after. One suggestion for management would be to look at how the Ocean view near Laide in Scotland operates. We stayed there before. The couple who run it welcome guests in the late afternoon and provide key codes for going out later. They take orders for simple home-cooked evening meals and attend to the bar, then return in the morning to serve continental breakfasts. It’s seasonal and closes in winter. A similar arrangement might be worth considering for the Ancient Unicorn. I’ve read other reviews, and in such an old, historic building, changing room or bathroom layouts may not be possible, but perhaps the day-to-day running could be reconsidered. We definitely enjoyed our stay, even if it was unconventional.

Breakfast let the stay down. The bacon and fried eggs were overcooked and the quality was poor. Staff were efficient, though not especially warm, and the room was okay, but neither of us slept well. The converted stables were quite unique. The bar and restaurant felt rustic, or really rather featureless, and at this price I’d expect more effort to make it a standout rural bar, perhaps with horse brasses or copper pots and pans. The pool table in the bar and restaurant, along with the fruit machine, didn’t look great. I wouldn’t recommend it or return.

I’d be happy to choose The Ancient Unicorn again if I needed to stay in the area. We were there for two nights for a nearby wedding and found the welcome very friendly. The room was lovely, clean and comfortable, and the shower was powerful and as hot as you like. I enjoyed a few beers with some local people, who were friendly and happy to bring me into their conversation. My one disappointment was that the 'Unicorn Burger' is only made of beef! :)

The room was small, but perfectly fine for a single night. We stopped at this brilliant pub with rooms to break up the long drive home from northern Scotland. The staff were friendly and breakfast was decent.