Ariundle Accommodation

I stayed one night in the Bunkhouse only because there was no alternative accommodation near Strontian. I left without breakfast the next morning. The bedroom was very basic and certainly not worth £40 a night, with no soundproofing from other rooms. The shared kitchen was filthy. The fridge smelled awful and had brown liquid across its top shelf. Pans were piled by the sink, including a frying pan with charred food still in it and another with potato and turnip mash left over. There were dirty towels, a damp blanket hanging on the kitchen door, and the only sofa was covered in washing with a mattress on it, so it couldn’t be used. I told the host, who gave me clean hand towels and said tea towels would be brought down when evening staff arrived, and the fridge would be cleaned. It took over an hour, and the cleaning was only superficial. The place needs a deep clean. Hygiene was shocking.

Kate is an absolute gem, and the new chef seems like a genuinely good guy. This is a rare, beautiful place with real charm and character, and the welcome is warm and cosy. There aren’t many spots like this left.

The bill came to £20 for two toasties, tea and a lager, and I left feeling the visit was a complete waste. The toasties used two thin slices of supermarket bread with a little melted cheese and came with just three crisps, no salad, garnish or care in the presentation. My loose leaf tea was the one good part, though its fine china cup was stained and didn’t look clean. Before that, the place felt gloomy and neglected. The big open seating area was very dim, with just one small lamp. The room you pass through to reach the bar and serving counter looked disorganised. We chose a table by the log burner hoping for warmth, but it barely gave any off. The table was sticky and crumb covered, and bits were falling from a vase of dead heather into the nearby sugar bowls. We ordered two basic cheese toasties, with extra fillings available for about £1.50. My cheese and tuna one cost £8, which already seemed steep. The Ariundle Centre felt unbelievably dated, like stepping back in time. A very disappointing lunch, and I won’t be repeating it.

The noise carries straight through the thin walls, the rooms smell strongly of damp, and even the towels had that same unpleasant smell. The shower barely had any water pressure. There were no comforts at all, no hairdryer, WiFi, tea or coffee. When we arrived after 4 pm, our room was still dirty from the previous guests. We were told to come back after 5, when someone responsible for bookings would be there. After dinner, we were finally given a different room. Cleanliness was terrible, far below an acceptable standard. We’re used to simple budget accommodation, but this place was rock bottom. It may be cheap, but it isn’t worth the money. Don’t go.