Barony Castle Hotel

The room was dirty, with blood on the door frame, things left on the floor and dirty bed covers. The whole hotel felt dated and tired, and didn't match the price or advertised standard. Guests there on the same date had the same problems. We were left with nowhere to wait when early check-in wasn't available, since there was no luggage storage. A wedding fayre we hadn't been told about had also filled the seating and public areas, so there was hardly anywhere to relax. The pool was extremely small for a hotel presented at this level, and the sauna wasn't working. Service varied. Some staff were pleasant, while others were unhelpful and had a poor attitude. When we raised several issues, the manager didn't properly address them, and there was no apology or real effort to put things right. Food and drink service was poor too. Starter choices were limited to secondary options, drinks took around 25 minutes, and one order never arrived. Getting a refund for those drinks was unnecessarily difficult and frustrating. For the price, this was very disappointing and nowhere near a 4-star stay. I wouldn't recommend it. I've included photos to support the review.

The rooms were dated and not fully clean, and for the price this felt much closer to a 1-star hotel than a 4-star one. On arrival there was nowhere to leave our bags so we could use the facilities. The sauna was out of order anyway. Staff on shift said they were very short staffed and couldn't do much about it. From beginning to end, the stay could have been a lot better.

The mattress was poor enough that I could feel the springs, and it really needs a topper. The room was warm even with the heating off, though a fan was provided despite it being a cold November weekend. The bath in the family room they kindly gave us was very small. The bathroom door creaked, the toilet seat was loose and the TV remote was useless. We didn't raise these things with reception, as earlier reviews made it seem there wasn't much point. Still, the staff were welcoming and the customer service was good throughout. We were there for two nights with a large group booking, and our prebooked three-course evening meal was good. We'd probably stay again if the price was reasonable.

The grounds were stunning for a morning walk, and exploring the historic surroundings was a pleasure. We also discovered the Polish map of Scotland right there on the grounds, an amazing piece of art. The rooms were spacious, clean and beautifully decorated. Dinner was great, and breakfast was even better. Staff were welcoming and attentive from the moment we arrived. They were genuinely dog-friendly, which is rare to find. We had a brilliant stay at Barony Castle Hotel and highly recommend it for a relaxing break.