Muthu Dalmally Hotel

The receptionist, who also worked the bar, was pleasant and helpful, but the place had the feel of a closing down sale. It can provide a room if that’s all you need, though there’s nothing special about it. Dinner was supposed to stop at 9, which meant coats on and staff heading home at 9. We got back from walking and sat down at 8:40, managed to order a main from the limited menu, then the waiter vanished before we could order dessert. The bar offered one bottled lager, one bottled cider, one malt whisky and a few cans of soft drinks. No draught beer or lager, and no other spirits. Breakfast was basic too: two cereals, toast to make yourself, instant tea or coffee, apple juice, and an okay fry-up. The three of us were served about five minutes apart, so one person had finished before the others got theirs. It looks inexpensive, but breakfast brings the cost close to other places. At least we each got a room, probably because it was nearly empty. I wonder if they’re just waiting for bus tours to start up again.

The staff were lovely, and the rooms were adequate, if quite dated. The restaurant was awful. For £10.95, the fish and chips was a small handful of oven chips, a frozen breaded fish patty and frozen garden peas. My fish was still frozen in the middle. Other guests were sending their meals back too, but the kitchen kept bringing out the same rubbish. Breakfast brought back memories of that 'a la carte kitchen' advert from the 80s.

We were lucky to get a room for the whole family, even though we arrived late at night. The receptionist was really friendly and helped us sort out the rooms. The place was good in general, and the rooms were comfortable. We had breakfast in the morning, with a variety of dishes on the menu. I stayed for one night in April, and we had a good experience.

The staff were actually quite nice and helpful, though they have to work with what they’ve got. Everything else made for a terrible stay. The hotel was old, dirty and in poor shape. There was a booking mix-up: we’d reserved a double, but got two single beds. The mattresses had awful dips in them. Reception moved us to another room with a double bed, but its wallpaper was peeling, there were water marks on the walls, the shower was in terrible condition, and the room smelled horrible. I didn’t feel comfortable sleeping undressed there. We spent the night fully dressed on top of the bed, without the sheets over us. It was a horrible night. The restaurant menu was minimal and far too expensive. I ordered venison stew but got beef stew, with more sauce than meat. Breakfast cost extra and was too expensive for what it was, with bad, runny eggs. This is one of the worst hotels I’ve ever stayed in. I wouldn’t recommend it unless you’re desperate. Even then, you might be better off sleeping in your car.