Ben More Lodge Cabin Retreat

This was our first proper experience of Scotland. The place had a lovely atmosphere and location, and the staff treated us really well. We had a typical Scottish breakfast and found the facilities clean. It seemed to be family-run, though I'm not sure.

The lodge itself was comfortable, the bed was good, and the shower was hot. It was a rainy weekend, so we made a lot of use of the Dimplex heater. Rachel and David were welcoming, though they seemed a bit overwhelmed. The steak pie in the bar was particularly good. The main problem was feeling as though we were in the way. Our booking said breakfast was included, and reviews had praised the full Scottish and generous continental breakfasts. After dinner we asked when breakfast started and were surprised to hear 8:30. We only had a fairly short Munro planned, so figured the late start would be manageable. The next morning we were told breakfast wasn't included. I checked and confirmed it was, and they honoured the booking with porridge, cornflakes and coffee. My husband also got a bacon roll for free, though that wasn't part of the continental breakfast. Our host gave me antibacterial wipes for the tables we'd nearly sat at, then decided against. I couldn't tell if he was joking, so I wiped them down. On Sunday we waited around the entrance for an hour, then gave up at 9:30 and went elsewhere for breakfast. If we'd known not to count on breakfast, we'd have made other plans. Instead we felt awkward, like we were intruding. The rate seemed reasonable even without breakfast. Service could use more staff and better stock planning, since the beer ran out on Saturday evening. It seemed like too much for a couple to manage. They were clearly trying hard to make the place work, but struggling. There's a lot of potential here, but I wouldn't say it suits walkers who need a drying room. The lodge was cosy, but frequent use for drying could make it humid and damage the wood. The TV only worked intermittently, perhaps because of the weather. For getting up a mountain, a bowl of porridge available well before 8:30 would have been more helpful.

The lodge was just right for our night here while walking the West Highland Way, and the food was fantastic. The owners made us feel very welcome and were extremely friendly. I'd highly recommend staying.

After a day walking in heavy rain, a big hearty dinner was just what we needed. We all enjoyed our meals, and my Cajun chicken burger had great flavour and a nice level of spice. It was a quiet, wet Sunday so the place wasn't busy, but the service was excellent and everyone was really friendly.