Garner Hotel Eight Acres Elgin by IHG

The grounds looked neglected, with overgrown hedges, poorly marked parking, and exterior lights hanging loose or not working. Inside, the room was freezing and the radiator barely worked. The bed was lumpy, the carpets felt unpleasant underfoot, and the rooms were badly outdated. Flies were an ongoing problem, and you had to ask reception for cleaning or fresh towels. Check-in itself went smoothly, and the staff were very friendly. But we were told the leisure facilities had closed, the restaurant wouldn’t be open that evening, and the shower needed to run for 5-10 minutes before use. Breakfast was mediocre, and the bar had no draught beer, just expensive bottled drinks and little atmosphere. The place felt almost abandoned when we arrived. It badly needs renovation, and I wouldn’t recommend staying for long.

The staff were excellent, and they brought more coffee when I asked, though the room attendant later took it away. The room was dated, and the pillows were hard. I’m from Elgin, so it’s disappointing to see this once-great hotel and venue looking so old-fashioned and in need of urgent updates. Breakfast was the worst I’ve ever had. Everything was cold and hadn’t been replenished, and the sausages were horrible. Staff did refill things when asked. The electrical equipment had PAT tests last done in 2019. This once-proven hotel really needs updating.

After another hotel let us down following a 500-mile drive, we called the Eight Acres at 23.30. They found us a room at very short notice and had the heating turned up for our arrival half an hour after the call. The staff were friendly and went out of their way to help. The location was quiet, the room clean and comfortable, and the price reasonable. We slept well and woke refreshed. Breakfast was all-you-can-eat, and nobody rushed us to check out. We had a pleasant stay and would highly recommend it.

The restaurant was a poor experience too. On a quiet evening, we waited 45 minutes for frozen scampi and chips. I’d have been fine with frozen fish, but the chips were still frozen in the middle. It’s a large, soulless room where you can hear everyone’s conversations. Parking signs are poor, and the bays aren’t clearly marked. The hedges and trees need trimming. Check-in was pleasant, and the receptionist was helpful, but the key for my room on the far side of the building didn’t work. They let me in, but hadn’t checked the key, so I had to make another trip. The room was dated and disgusting. Flies kept coming in, the curtains had dirty brown streaks, and dead flies on the floor showed it hadn’t been vacuumed. The mattress topper was a couple of inches thick, which made me wonder what shape the mattress was in. Avoid this hotel if you can.