The Garrison

The restaurant was closed for renovations, so breakfast came in bags to our room. We could pick from a small menu and choose the delivery time, which was handy, though the food quality could’ve been better. The room at the Garrison was warm and cosy, with a super clean bathroom and rainfall shower. The two women at reception we spoke with were both very pleasant. We really enjoyed our stay overall.

We stayed in a suite at The Garrison Suites, Fort William, and honestly couldn’t fault it. The room was spacious, spotless and beautifully finished, with very comfortable beds and a great TV setup that made it hard to leave. The staff made the stay special: warm, attentive and welcoming in a way that felt real. They treated our dog like royalty, even bringing him cooked square sausage in his own bowl. It’s a lovely place to stay with a dog, and we’ll both be back.

We booked a two bedroom apartment for four nights in February, off peak. It was on the road behind the main hotel, something that wasn’t very clear on the booking site. A few days after booking, we got an email about construction and noise. They were building an extension between the hotel and the apartment. On arrival the apartment looked modern and freshly decorated, but the strong oil based paint smell was awful. We asked to move and were told it had been painted a week earlier. It seemed nobody on staff had checked recently whether it was habitable. We took a room in the main building with a sofa bed for our son and made it work. Two days later, my wife heard another guest complain about the paint smell too. There was a lift sign advertising breakfast, though the area seemed closed. No construction workers were around at the weekend, but on weekdays they arrived and played the radio full blast from 7am, waking everyone. Once the work is finished, it may be a suitable place to stay. It’s very central for the Fort William high street, with places to eat and drink a short walk away, and the price was reasonable. Parking at the hotel was limited to a few spaces, while the apartments had enough spaces for their number of suites.

The room was a little tight for two people with all our luggage and extra bags, but we managed and it wasn’t an issue. We came over from the United States for a few concerts, and this was our first hotel stay in Scotland. The staff were amazing and friendly, and breakfast was nothing short of amazing too. There was plenty to do in town during our two nights, and the locals were super friendly. A great experience overall, 9/10, highly recommend.