Marina View Guest House

Clean room and good value for money in this basic self-service guest house on Irvine harbour. It was a little cold, and there are no catering services.

We felt surprisingly connected to the place despite there being no one physically present. It's a gem and one of our favourite stays, and we'll come back. We love the sea, and I love ships, so the theme was right up our street. The area was quiet, and we had a perfect night's sleep in a comfy bed. Our large room had a fridge, TV, tea and coffee facilities, a wardrobe, side units with reading lights, and a chest of drawers. The ensuite had a powerful shower, toilet, and sink, with toiletries from a well-known, higher-end Scottish brand. The view looked onto the back of the property, but they'd painted a nice mural on the wall, which was better than a blank one.

The location was fabulous, with lovely restaurants and their patrons and owners along Harbour street. The room, though, left a sour taste. We arrived exhausted and hadn't received the entry code by email, so we had to track someone down to get in. The bathroom had overwhelming mold, and with the one-night guests it felt like a brothel. Our towels were changed only once in eight days, the bathroom bin overflowed because it wasn't emptied, and it took five days to get the floors vacuumed. I wouldn't recommend or return here. It was cheap for a reason, as you get what you pay for. My travel companion booked the room, and after this, they're never allowed to book a hotel room for me again. Just being honest.

The room was a decent size and the bed comfortable. Having a fridge and microwave in the bedroom was unexpectedly useful, and the view was nice when the car park wasn't in the way. The bathroom was large, though the shower was a tight fit for larger bodies. The woman who brought us fresh towels was really friendly, and there's a nice bistro next door. The paintwork could use attention, and the small upper windows in both rooms were extremely hard to reach.