I would rather stay in a Turkish Prison.
This is the 5th time my wife and I have stayed at the Argyll hotel. We have seen it through changes of ownership and understand the economic challenges it, and the local area are facing. This experience was unforgiveable however and we will never return while it remains with the current owners. Hopefully they will go bust soon as they rightly deserve.
The room was filthy. There is a chair with stains so bad, it gives me the fear. There are stains all over the walls and dirty, torn wallpaper. Cracked tiles with dirt in the bathroom and filth on almost every surface.The carpet is seriously old and smells fusty. I would doubt it has been deep cleaned in the last 3 years. There are many horrendous and filthy stains, as have all the other furnishings. After a struggle, one might get to the window in its cramped alcove only to find there is a view of the gutter.
Feel free to review the attached photos if you think I am exaggerating.
Bed had the most uncomfortable and clapped out old mattress I have ever encountered (outwith a council garbage dump) in a dirty, broken and neglected room. I hadn't the courage to remove the sheet and inspect it. I hoped it was nothing like the chair, which was the stuff of nightmares.
The floorboards must be from a haunted house originally.
The window handle was broken so that the window cannot be opened although this helps muffle the noise of screaming drunks at the kebab shops outside. I cannot stand up straight without my head being pushed down by the ceiling. I am just under 6 feet.
The last time we stayed a year ago, we were given a reasonably clean and comfortable room with 4 poster bed and sea view for around £130 per night. Nothing particularly special but adequate. We even recommended that friends join us this year and so we booked 2 rooms this time.
We were told at reception that the lift was slow but it worked. We then waited on the elevator for 10 minutes before a staff member turned up to tell us there were actually people trapped inside on the top floor (they had been trapped since before we checked in but nobody told reception). The lift was not fixed at any point during our stay despite being told it would be fixed that evening. 6 flights of stairs whenever we wanted to go back to the room. Incidentally, the stairs smell as old, dirty and stale as the room did.
We booked a year in advance, on a previous stay. I cannot forgive the fact that the hotel knew my wife is disabled, and allocated us a room on the top floor. My wife was physically unable to cope with more than one journey in and out of the room each day.
Breakfast was abysmal in almost every way including the service which was basically two bored teenagers running in and out of the kitchen to giggle or check their phones. As a party of four, they literally could not cope with a couple arriving slightly later and ordering from the same table as friends. It was like giving a sheep an I.Q. test. Food mostly inedible, especially the sausages. It doesn't matter how well you cook cheap and nasty food, that's all it can ever be
Overall, the service in the hotel was really bad. One nice chap on check in, the rest generally rushed about stressed, glaring at you if you might smile or say hello. The man walking about pretending to be important was worst of all. Just came across as very obnoxious and officious and did nothing to help. I am told that there was a falling out with the very nice staff member who checked us in and out the previous year. She is sorely missed.
I really haven't got anything good to tell you about this place other than well located. We had no alternative to this hotel as it was such a busy weekend for the town other than to go back to Glasgow. We are not considering a return and recommend you do not stay at this hotel under its current ownership. Ever.
Stayed: August 2018, with friends. Cowal games weekend. read more
