Eastbank Hotel

Our room faced the main street, and heavy lorries rumbled past all night. We were told check-in was available until 23:00, but on arrival the place was deserted. A note on the door directed me to an unlocked lockbox for the key. Self check-in can be fine, but this felt neither secure nor welcoming. We rushed to leave the next morning. The bathroom was oddly almost as large as the room, yet bare, with nowhere to put toiletries. Its mouldy power shower had terrible water pressure and sat in one corner. There's faded grandeur, and then there's just faded. A notice said the bar and restaurant were closed because of staff shortages, and signs of neglect showed elsewhere. I'm sure they're trying their best, but the place is old and not very clean.

We came as a group of eight for the Speyside whisky festival, and the hotel suited us perfectly. It's a budget place with modest facilities, but the staff were excellent, everything was clean, and the food and drink were just what we needed. Our room overlooked the road and was noisy, though that's part of staying in the town centre. For this sort of trip, it's a highly recommended spot if you're after comfort and good care at a fair price rather than a five-star hotel.

The golf course was great, and we got coffee and a bacon roll there. Rothes let us down a bit because there weren't many places open during the day. At the hotel, we had a warm, welcoming one-night stay. Our room was roadside, but I didn't mind hearing the lorries go past, it was to be expected. The rooms were a bit dated, though they had everything we needed and were very warm. I'd recommend it for a cosy night or two away.

It was a quaint place to stay, with friendly staff and a handy base for nearby distilleries and walking trails. Our room was beside the highway, though, and stayed noisy until 10 pm. There were no blackout curtains either, so the outside streetlight kept the room bright and made it a little hard to sleep.