Moulin Hotel

The rooms were warm and the shower was properly hot, and we ate very well, especially the mince and tatties and breakfast kippers. The fire in the bar was lovely, and the staff were super and so dog friendly throughout our three-day stay. A perfect visit for Jo, Willie and Pepper the Shorkie, who ate all your bar gravy bones. Thanks, everyone xx

The waitress at breakfast was lovely and couldn't do enough for us, and the views and location looked promising when we arrived. But the rest of the stay was awful. We waited quite a while to check in because nobody greeted us. When the receptionist finally dealt with us, she looked thoroughly unimpressed. Where's the hospitality and customer service? Our bedroom was at the top of a narrow, winding staircase that felt dangerous with luggage. Anyone with feet bigger than a size five would struggle on those steps. There was no lift, which would have helped. The room was dark and dingy, apparently untouched for over twenty years, like the rest of the hotel. Loose wires, peeling wallpaper and plug extensions were everywhere. The place needs a serious upgrade. The restaurant had dirty cutlery and unclean tables, and we felt hurried out after barely eating a mouthful of lumpy potatoes. Breakfast wasn't good either. I'll let other reviews speak to that, but I'm fairly sure leftovers were redistributed. The owners need to take responsibility. Why aren't the rooms maintained, updated and kept safe? A coat of paint and proper repairs wouldn't go amiss. We won't use the hotel again unless they dig deep and get things sorted.

We stayed in one of the Holiday Cottages, and I'll review that separately, positively. The hotel itself was packed, turning people away because it was full, and the toilets were very clean. I enjoyed the Tempura starter and haggis, neeps and tatties, and got a great pint of Guinness, which isn't something I say often. The helpful, caring staff were delightful, thank you kindly. There were several gorgeous, well-behaved dogs around, which made me smile. I lost my eldest dog just last week, so it was lovely to see them. I really enjoyed the atmosphere, and was glad there was no TV because I couldn't have borne to watch Scotland v Greece. The only downside for me is that I'm very ill and couldn't manage the long hill up from Pitlochry. My friends made it up fine.

The staff were a mixed bag, and nobody offered to help carry our luggage. At 11:40pm, we had to knock on the next door room and ask the guest to lower her voice because we could hear the conversation clearly through the wall. Later, when I went downstairs to complain, there was no night porter or other staff around. Even the doors creak badly, they could use a serious dose of WD40. The rear car park was uneven and could do with white lights to make it easier to see in the dark. Breakfast service was nice, and the Full Scottish Breakfast was pleasant, but skimpy, with just one small rasher of bacon and one egg among the other items. The food was very dry. There was taxidermy everywhere in the public areas, which was off-putting when foxes, badgers and dead birds were right beside us as we ate. Room 9 was full of character, but sadly I wouldn't stay again. It needed a proper clean and upgrade. The old mattress was lumpy and creaky, though the duvet was warm and the pillows firm. There was dust in places, a rip in the wallpaper behind the double bed, marks by the single bed, and the whole room looked dated and worn. The bedside lamp clicked and wobbled, and the wallpapered ceiling was coming apart at the seams. The windows leaked badly, with condensation by morning. The bathroom looked so outdated, like the 1970s, that it was off-putting to use. Three floor tiles were cracked, and there was previous guests' hair, both long and short curls, on the floor by the bath. Thick grey dust covered the door frame, skirting and extractor fan. There were cobwebs in the corners and a spider above the bath. We decided not to shower there. No one was at reception in the morning, so we left the keys and went home to shower. Very disappointing.