Rivendell

We had a great night's sleep, a good shower and a room that suited the style of the house. A few little touches, like bigger fluffy towels and a valance on the bed base, would make it a five-star room. Breakfast was lovely, with a nice dining room and music, perfectly cooked eggs and quality bacon. The waiter and chef did a very good job. We paid under £60 for B&B, which felt like excellent value, and I think the place is worth more, especially with a little TLC and sprucing up. Arriving around 8.30pm, we had to phone for the key safe code and let ourselves in. Since the house is bedrooms, dining room and private kitchen and office, there wasn’t a friendly face to welcome us. My first impression was shabby, a bit hostel-like, though by morning I appreciated the house more. We needed a stopover travelling from Aberdeen to the south coast. It’s worth the detour from the motorway, looping back via Gretna, and Dumfries has a lot to offer. Casa Mia is highly recommended for dinner.

Breakfast was a tasty cooked English meal, with coffee and fresh juice. The room was tidy and clean, with plenty of tea, coffee and biscuits left for us. The shower was lovely and hot, and there were soaps and shampoos in the bathroom.

We slept really well on both nights of our two-night stay at Rivendell. The house was very well presented, there was plenty of parking, and our room had everything we needed, including a very comfortable bed. The chef was accommodating and the food was excellent. He also shared some background about the area and the football club Queen of the South, which we were going to watch on Saturday. The price was great and felt like very good value. We’d happily use this guest house again and recommend it to others. Thanks for making our weekend away that much nicer. Brandon and Sharon

Clean, but unfriendly and not a nice place to stay. It looked good outside, but on arrival there was nobody there, and I had to phone to get access to the key. My room was in an outbuilding round the back, with the door opening straight onto the car park. I had to call again to find out how to lock it. I could hear the TV upstairs, and felt cold coming through the wall from outside. I also had no idea whether breakfast was included. They insist it’s 0.6 miles from the city centre, though others disagree. If you’re carrying luggage, get a bus. The owner and son came in and seemed to argue the point about the distance from town.