The Inn at Kippen

The restaurant and breakfast room were both very pleasant, and the young lad serving us handled everything competently. He showed us to our room, took our dinner order, served the food and covered the bar, then was on breakfast duty too. The breakfast was beautifully cooked, probably the best of our Scottish road trip. Dinner was tasty as well, with fish and chips and steak pie, though the so-called triple cooked chips weren't anything special. The exterior needs a makeover, and the bedroom looked tired. It was spacious, with a large en suite, but the quirky wooden additions in both rooms felt unnecessary, the bath had seen better days, and the basic ceiling light and TV wiring looked ridiculous. One curtain tieback was missing. Wi-Fi wouldn't connect in the bedroom, though it worked in the dining room. The bed was comfortable, and we slept decently apart from some road noise through the single glazed windows. A fresh coat of paint outside and a bedroom revamp would make it much more appealing.

Breakfast was fabulous, with plenty of coffee and a good choice of teas, juices and cereals. Leslie was friendly and efficient, and having the full Scottish included made it feel like excellent value. Mark also looked after us really well at dinner. The restaurant was quiet, the food was excellent and beautifully presented, and he was attentive throughout. We were so glad we stopped overnight on the way from Gairloch to the Lake District. Room 4 was cosy, warm, clean and comfortable, with a TV and kettle, tea and coffee. The en suite was a good size, and the shower was hot and clean. The towels folded into swans on the bed were a lovely touch. A wonderful stay, especially for a stop on a long drive, and definitely recommended.

We booked at the last minute on Thursday night. The rooms were a good size and clean, with drinks and a kettle. The food was superb, we had chicken terrine followed by venison and steak pie, and the service was courteous and attentive. The decor could use some work, but it's still excellent value. The curtains are thin, as another review mentioned, though there is a blackout blind behind them. Definitely recommend.

Breakfast the next morning was good, and the overnight room was fine apart from the thin curtains. I was awake by 5am and couldn't get back to sleep. We stayed and had dinner at the pub, but the whole experience left us unhappy, and we wouldn't return or recommend it. Both steaks were significantly overcooked. Nobody checked in, so we didn't get a chance to say anything. At £33 a plate, that really wasn't acceptable, though we didn't feel comfortable sending them back in a village pub. We ordered an Italian Merlot but were served a Chilean one. We have dogs at home and knew the place allowed dogs, so that wasn't a problem in itself. But a very reactive dog barked loudly every time someone entered or left, for over an hour. It made it hard to relax, and eventually we had to ask to move. There was outdoor seating, and I think staff should have dealt with it. Having worked in pubs and restaurants, I was genuinely surprised it was allowed to carry on. We aren't people who like making a fuss, but staff missed several chances to improve things. Even at checkout, no one asked how our stay had been.