Riverside Lodge Hotel

We ate well on the two-course half-board option, and the à la carte menu was there if the set choices didn't suit. The serving girls were spot on, friendly and attentive, though there was a wait between courses. The hotel was busy, so that was understandable. Breakfast was less organised: items were spread around, and hot food wasn't topped up quickly enough. We came down around 9am at peak time, which probably didn't help. We'd booked five rooms for my husband's 60th birthday and kept the family stay a surprise for him. The hotel kindly upgraded us to the Arran Suite. It was spacious and beautifully presented, with a very comfortable bed. Even though the hotel was full, nights were completely quiet. We had a lovely weekend and would happily return.

We paid £130 for two-course dinner, bed and breakfast, which still felt like a good deal. The hotel looked stunning outside, and the reception and bar were lovely. Dinner was tasty and came quickly, though we had to remind the staff three times about our drinks. At breakfast, the buffet was fine, but fried eggs had to be requested, which seemed a bit lazy to me. The scrambled eggs were so buttery I stopped after one bite. The setup was cramped beside the tea and coffee, with people squeezing past when it got busy. Our room was basic, which was fine, but the beds felt stiff and uncomfortable, like sleeping on a slab of concrete. When I mentioned it at checkout, reception didn't seem too bothered. Maybe we should have said something on arrival. Hopefully they'll update the mattresses.

The hotel was clean, had dog-friendly areas, and the reception staff were brilliant. They even gave us a doggy bag for our dog when we arrived. We were pleased with breakfast and its decent choice, and most of the restaurant food was good too. The chicken tempura was brick hard, though, and I got a refund for it. Restaurant and bar service needs work. We booked for 6:30, had a drink, then waited 40-45 minutes with nobody coming to take our food order, so we had to ask. We had to ask again for cutlery for the starters and for condiments. The bar and waiting staff need to get their act together or have extra training. Quite a few rooms are a long way from reception.

The fish tank was amazing! The hotel was spotless, and the staff couldn't do enough for us. My sister booked an overnight stay for us and our partners after a close family friend recommended the place. Both our rooms had a bottle of wine and two glasses waiting after check-in. We'd booked dinner and B&B as a deal, so we went to the restaurant at 1900. The food was awesome and the portions were huge. We'll definitely come back and recommend it to friends.