Willow Court - Hostel

The service was good, and my room was clean and spacious. There was no TV, the Wi-Fi was slow, and I found the bed very uncomfortable.

The Hermitage woods are farther north. I walked over vines and clambered across fallen trunks, like I was in an old adventure story, and found beautiful stone ruins overgrown at the top of the hill. For my university conference, the location couldn’t have been better, but it’s well north of town, so without a car you’ll need a bus to get into town. The hotel was fine for the price, with pretty bare rooms, as expected. My main complaint was the towels: there were no hand towels, and guests are only allowed one large towel. Asking for extras got nowhere. I was also woken in the night by a loud fire alarm, though hopefully that isn’t a regular thing. It’s a reasonable place to stay if you bear those things in mind.

I stayed on my own and got more than I expected. The grounds, including the route from Logie cemetery into the university, are beautiful, even in the rain. My room and private shower were spotless, with tea and coffee in the room. The staff were so polite, friendly, and helpful, and that made the experience much better. I honestly can’t fault the stay. Amazing value for money, and I’d highly recommend it.

The rooms were decent, but the service and organisation were a disaster. I booked a week ahead, then at reception they told me the booking had been cancelled, even though they’d charged my account. They only sorted it after I showed them my confirmed online booking, and said they were having system issues. The first room they gave me was already occupied. I opened the door with their key and found a man inside, which felt like a security risk. I went back downstairs, reported it, and waited about 15 minutes for another room. When I returned the next day, that room hadn’t been cleaned after the previous guest. The bed, bin, and floor were untidy. I had to report it at reception again before they gave me yet another room. This is the worst service I’ve ever experienced. Pathetic!