Caledonian Hotel

We were in Dumfries for a wedding. The room had a working radiator, and it was nice to find a kettle, tea, coffee, hot chocolate, water, shampoo and shower gel. The hotel itself was clean and tidy, and we knew the rooms were dated when we booked. There was a burn mark on the floor, and the carpet beside the right side of the bed was wet. The window wouldn't open at all. The bed was hard as a rock and really uncomfortable, so we skipped breakfast and just wanted to get home.

The parking was the best thing about the place. It felt more like a bed and breakfast than a hotel, and it badly needs a major revamp. I wouldn't recommend it or come back. I also refused to eat there because the state of the rooms made me wonder what the kitchen was like. The shower tray filled up like a bath because the drain couldn't cope. The walls were so thin you could hear everything in the next room, even the toilet flushing. In the room, the carpet was disgusting, with big burn marks in the middle, and it clearly hadn't had a proper vacuum. Paint was peeling all over. The wood around the door was broken, as if someone had forced entry. The blinds were missing, with only the curtains left on their brackets. Old, dated and dirty. It was like a two-storey version of Faulty Towers.

We were eight people on a golfing trip and had no complaints. Alba looked after us all so well, friendly, efficient, polite and professional. The dining room was lovely, and breakfast was a fantastic buffet with fruit juices, cereals and all the hot English breakfast items. The rooms are basic but clean, and the shower was spot on. The only downside was that the bar was closed for renovation.

We stayed in the guest house next door. It was clean and comfortable, with an excellent buffet breakfast and plenty of parking. The centre of Dumfries is about a 10-15 minute walk away.