King Malcolm Hotel

The soup and sandwiches at lunch were good, with a nice range to choose from. The tea, coffee and shortbread were very good too. I was at the King Malcolm Hotel for a course that lasted less than a day. The meeting room wasn’t especially modern, but it was pleasant and fit for purpose, with decent equipment. I’m not sure whether that came from the hotel or the course provider. I’d probably need a longer stay at the hotel to give more feedback.

The people working there were warm and friendly, and I couldn’t fault them. The room was clean, but it felt very dated and the furniture looked grubby. The food was cheap and okay, nothing special. Breakfast was basic and cold, and the tea tasted like coffee because it came in pots used for coffee. I wouldn’t pick this hotel again. It badly needs updating.

We’d stop coming if the quiz weren’t so good. We visit the pub for it sometimes, and the quiz itself is fantastic, but the service can drag, with the bar often unattended. Prices also seem to vary. Last time, two soft drinks cost £6.95, far too much for us for one can of juice and a pint of draft lemonade with a dash of blackcurrant. The place could do with a serious clean too, there’s an unreal amount of dust.

Inside, things are a lot better than the outside, which looks like a motel from a horror movie. The service was really nice and helpful, and breakfast was delicious. The rooms are small, and the carpets are creepy. The TV has HDMI, so you can connect a PlayStation or laptop. The bed is pretty comfortable, even if you’re 200 lb, but the bathrooms are old and not very nice. You can manage if you need to stay here, though it wouldn’t be my first choice in the area.