Fairlie Hotel ( Top Pub )

The staff were lovely, so I gave the service some stars, but the lack of hospitality was mind blowing. We came in with our dog on a lead, who was very well behaved, and had a nice chat with the staff. We'd ordered and paid for a beer when the embarrassed staff told us we had to leave. Someone, apparently from upstairs or the back room, had said we were out. When we asked for a refund, they said we could take the beer away (illegal??). It was obnoxious, and we'd been warned, but experiencing it ourselves was something else.

As a local, I value the top pub in Fairlie and its staff, who are always cheerful and good company when we visit. What I saw the other day was the opposite of the complaints Karran and bobs posted about the service. I was having a few drinks with friends when two extremely rude, arrogant, disrespectful people came in. He demanded change for the large bills he'd brought, and the bar staff helpfully pointed him to the ATM a few metres down the road. He only had huge notes and apparently no money in his bank, got distressed, then lashed out with awful language before storming off. Thanks to the wonderful staff. Bob/karran, get a life!

The pork schnitzel was the worst I've ever had: smelly and disgusting, though thankfully the one bite I tried didn't give me food poisoning. Breakfast was frozen bread, jam, and cereal. The TV didn't work, and the communal showers and toilets were so basic that hostels or campsites have better facilities. Everything felt dated. The shared area was dark and smelled bad, the mattress was too soft, and there was only one light in the room.

Backpackers, be careful and don't go there. People aren't treated well, and the place isn't clean at all. Completely horrible, with a lot of bad stories to tell. You can find better places.