St. Annes Guest House

The location is the one real plus, less than a five-minute walk from the centre. We hadn't booked this Guest House ourselves; the receptionist placed us there, and our room didn't match the photos we'd seen. Cleanliness was poor and the bed was uncomfortable. When we told the owner, she said we could leave, and said nobody could clean the room until the next day. We stayed Sunday to Wednesday and it was never cleaned. I emptied the bin and washed the cups every day myself. To be fair, when I asked where to dry our damp towels, she put two plastic hooks on the ensuite wall, and the bed was made that time. We were told we could use a kitchen, but it was locked when we went looking for drinking water in the evening. The receptionist's advice not to have breakfast at the guest house should have been a warning. Sadly, the location is all I can praise.

The landlord wasn't especially friendly when we arrived, as she was busy with paperwork. We only got a room because there'd been a cancellation, and were just glad not to sleep outside, so we didn't expect much. It did the job, though it felt a bit expensive for what we got. The room was small, with single-glazed windows and noisy sheets and rugs. The shared bathroom was in poor shape, with a broken shower head and tube, mould, and no ventilation. Breakfast cost a lot for just toast and cereal.

There’s a lounge for relaxing, and the staff were friendly and keen to help. The rooms were cosy and clean, with a kettle and tea in each. Toilets aren't ensuite, but every room has its own private loo beside it. The hotel is well placed, about a five-minute walk from the distillery and ten minutes from the ferry. Breakfast is available for an extra £7, but I didn't try it, so I can't say what it was like, probably a decent continental breakfast. 100% recommended.

We were given another room at very short notice, and it was clean and pleasant, with a really comfortable bed. Breakfast wasn't available because of the pandemic, but there are lots of places to eat within walking distance. The location is good.