The commodore…read more Situated right across form the foreshore the commodore can be an amazing place in the summer months as they have a massive beer garden situated at the front of the hotel where you can sit of or hours enjoying the scenery. This is very much a Toby carvery type place where you can buy a cheap breakfast in the summer months and your Sunday roast in Sundays. Good selection of beers, and wine at the bar, with the food being reasonably priced you feel as if your on a winner. I had come with another Yelper for an easy cheap lunch that consisted of burgers, calamari & garlic bread. The burgers where descent and tasty, calamari tasted very anchovy, years back in the food trade this was a trick go make it taste fresher. Cost per head was £22.00 including drinks. Overall good place for drinks, food is a little on the expensive side .

The Commodore Hotel…read more Situated toward the west end of Helensburgh's waterfront, The Commodore Hotel nestles in a block of the residential area. It's the absence of surrounding shops and the presence of some greenery that help give The Commodore a pleasant, relaxed atmosphere whether you're out in the beer garden or in the sizable bar/restaurant area. Having never stayed in the hotel itself, I can't review the quality of the rooms here, but I've attended events in the large function suite and it's a pretty good venue for say, a large party or a small wedding reception. It is deep within the centre of the building, though, so if you were hoping for a view or some evening sun streaming in then you'll have to look elsewhere. In the main restaurant & bar area, the horse shoe shaped bar itself isn't particularly large considering the number of drinks to be served, and it's here that the cracks start to appear in the makeup of the place. On a busy weekend night it can be a challenge to get served, but fortunately this isn't a factor if you're there midweek to enjoy the selection of lagers and ales on offer. As a real ale pub, The Commodore tries its best, with the ever-present Deuchars IPA being joined with a revolving cast of decent ales that are reasonably well kept. A member of the bar staff attempted to pull me a pint of Purity's UBU with a sparkler on the pump nozzle recently. After failing to do so, he took the sparkler off and mentioned that he "wouldn't be able to put a head on it" for me. It's real ale - it doesn't need a Stella-esque head on it, but that this was lost on the barman somewhat betrays the fact it's a chain pub serving real ale, as opposed to an establishment that's truly nailed the CAMRA flag to its mast. Still, there's nowhere else in town that has as good a selection of ales, so it seems petty to complain about how the bar staff are serving it up. On that note, the demeanour of the bar staff has quite a range in it. From upbeat, polite and friendly to cold and detached - it's a bit of a lottery. This isn't so much a factor when you're in for a few beers, but if you've come for some food it hardly helps things go with a swing if you end up being served by Mr or Mrs Roboto. Can't help but think a few of them need a trip to charm school. The food itself is good, but maybe a little pricey depending what you go for. I recently ordered a pâté & toast starter that turned up with a generous serving of pâté to go with what amounted to two slices of toast. Why are they scrimping on toasted bread, yet serving it with enough delicious pâté that I had enough to spread on both sides of the toast *and* the plate? It wasn't cheap, either - but one more slice of toast would have made it feel more balanced and better value, so it just seemed stingy to me. Another time I had a fantastic grilled chicken dish for lunch in the coffee bar side of The Commodore. It was so good that when I was in a couple of weeks later I asked if it was possible to have it as a main dish in the evening. The member of staff I asked retorted that it was a lunchtime dish and not on the menu. That kind of response is defensive at best, but bordering on rude - I only asked, for goodness sake! And that's why I can only give a potentially four star venue a meagre three stars. The Commodore has all the ingredients of what should amount to a great place to drink and dine, but whatever it is that turns a run of the mill place into somewhere special just seems to be missing.

Myself and my mother and my sister stayed here and was horrified the mess and dirt that was in our…read moreroom my sister has lupus and other health problems and so does my mother we went into the room after being out most of the day and upon looking about the room the dirt was obvious the cabinets had inches of dust on them along with the bedside table , lights , wardrobe , tv , skirting and window ledge being someone with asthma I was up all night and couldn't sleep due to this I went into the toilet and went to dry my hands on a towel on the rail only for the rail to come away from the fitting it simply was left loose and should have Been fixed and checked the bathroom floor had so many stains it was hard to find out what they were some was make up urine and other sticky substances stuck to the floor the toilet tissue was left on the dirty floor as well upon checking the beds we discovered that the mattress topper was covered in little black dots and stains which if we do not again what they were. We went down to speak to someone regarding this to be greeted from rude staff whom were dismissive and told to email the manager which I did who again just said she has passed it over to someone else this hotel isn't clean has rude staff we won't be coming back to this hotel my sister was spoken to like garbage. None of us got any sleep due to this and there is no one in the reception to ask to move room I would rate this hotel 0 stars if I could we also eat out of the restaurant and ended up with food poisoning due to this unclean hotel please read the honest reviews please before u book

I would rather stay in a Turkish Prison…read more 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.

It is in a beautiful location. The scenery stunning to say the least. The signage very poor…read moreespecially for someone who has never been there before - a weary traveller from Ayrshire. The entrance very confusing. The restaurant was lovely but some staff more attentive than others. We asked for the bill twice before having to go up ourselves. The portion size was out of proportion e.g. my husband had loads of hummus left because he only received a few crackers. The leisure facilities had no staff there - you were left to your own devices to find out how everything worked. The lockers were complicated - again signage very poor. Nothing flowed properly. Quite disappointing really. We got this as a gift - not sure if I'd go out of my way to return.

I had a lovely one night stay over the weekend that was a birthday gift for my partner. We had the…read moredeluxe bed and breakfast stay with dinner included in the cost (worth £150). Service upon arrival was fantastic and and were quickly checked in and given directions to our room (thank goodness!) The room was spacious and had its own sauna which was super cool. Each room had a balcony and the shower/sinks had an interesting layout without a door, but somehow fitted well with the design of the room. It was quite rustic in terms of design and I've rated one less star because the room was dusty (I pulled up the blind and heaps of dust fell on me) and the walls appear to be paper thin (10pm and I could hear conversations through the wall and children carrying on in the hallway). The views from the room look directly over the lake and mountains in the background which was utterly breathtaking. So onto food. We were seated by the window with great views of the lake again. Service was prompt and friendly which was lovely. For starters: bread with oil and balsamic, and scallops with black pudding. Both pretty good and the scallops were cooked well. Mains: beef burger and the rib eye cooked rare. Again, both good, not amazing though. Dessert was the peanut butter parfait which was clumsily plated but tasted good. Overall it was... good. There was really nothing that stood out or wowed me though. Breakfast the following day was good, we had the classic Scottish breakfast which was hot and tasted good, but again nothing remarkable. Overall a lovely stay due to the views of the lake. It was generally peaceful and relaxing and a really great gift idea.

Modern amenities, friendly staff, and tucked slightly down the road from the main drag of…read moreHelensburgh. This place is an absolute gem and the food was also extremely tasty, plus well priced.

Checked in early and room wasn't ready but the got me into another room quickly, which was nicer…read morethan my original room. It was nice to get in early to take a nap after long travel day overnight. The room was eerily quiet, maybe next time I'll ask for a fan just for the noise. The view out my window was awesome. The staff was very friendly and breakfast was good with good selections.

We came across this hotel after getting off the extremely short ferry trip from Rhubodach (the…read morenorthern end of Bute) which literally takes two minutes and covers about 400 metres. You could swim it! Take a right when you get off the ferry and only a couple of hundred metres away you find this lovely hotel on the road which doesn't go anywhere else. Inside you'll find lovely old-school interior (it made me think of Babbity Bowster in Merchant City) and a very warm welcome. There's a big blackboard which has the food menu on it, assuring you that their food is fresh and local. They serve bottled beers from Fyne Ales and have a Fyne Ales beer on tap too - lovely stuff and not super expensive either. It's really doggie friendly too, with the owner coming out with her labrador to play with our Luna, then kindly opening the gate to the garden so they could play together safe from the road... not that many cars pass the place anyway! On a nice day you can see for miles down the Kyles of Bute in a wonderful setting.

Fabulous hotel and pub. We had a great meal and great stay on Saturday night. The hotel has…read morebeautiful views, is really cosy and the welcome faultless. The hotel has a lovely pub serving beautiful fresh food and a restaurant as well. It's definitely worth stopping by for a drink, some food and staying the night. Thank you for a great stay!

We were in the area and stopped off for lunch. The service is impeccable and so friendly which is…read more the main reason for the score. We have a 6 week old baby and it's so nice when staff are understanding of the difficulties faced at times with a newborn. The staff seated us next the fire so that we were warm and away from drafts. The food is wholesome but doesn't really rock the tastebuds. My starter of breaded Brie was done well and Hubby's lentil soup was piping hot (a must for soup!). Both were palatable and enjoyable. I opted for lasagne which was served with salad and chips. It almost reminded me of a school lunch in that it was comforting. Hubby's burger was well seasoned and quite tasty! Dessert was homemade profiteroles in chocolate sauce. It was tasty but didn't rock the tastebuds. It's a little out the way from Glasgow as it's just outside of Kilwinning. However there's a good sized car park and the staff are simply lovely. Great value for money in that we both had 3 courses and a few non alcoholic drinks for the grand total of £25. All in all we were happy with the meal and the staff made it even better.

Excellent food at a very reasonable price. Good service and pick the conservatory when dinning as…read moreit over looks the river, peaceful and relaxing outlook.

Fan bar. Great banter. Staff awesome. All latest sports plus monthly live actaread more

My guy and I were in Greenock for an evening concert at the Beacon and decided to get a hotel room…read moreso we didn't have to worry about rushing for the last train back to Glasgow. This Holiday Inn Express was perfectly positioned so it was close enough to the train station, the Beacon and all the pubs and shops in town. Its also in the middle of a business park, so for anyone traveling for business in the area this could be a great hotel choice. I'm also a rewards member for any Intercontinental Hotel Group hotels, so aside from getting a great room with free breakfast at an affordable rate, I also get points towards free stays or upgrades! Win win! We were welcomed as rewards members and were offered a late checkout for free which was nice. Our room was cozy and clean and the bed was comfy. We didn't have any issues with noisy neighbours or late night parties. The only noise we really heard were the birds chirping outside as we left one of our windows cracked open over night. Breakfast was free and consisted of a huge selection of buffet items. Yoghurts, cheese, mixed fruit, juices and a coffee machine to make a variety of drinks. There was a selection of dry cereals, croissants, muffins, breads to toast, eggs, sausages and beans. To be fair, even though there was a huge spread, we would have enjoyed bacon over sausages, as the sausages were quite mediocre. Otherwise, we filled up in preparation of our day. Check out was seamless and we were on our way in no time. I recommend this hotel as some place to stay in Greenock for business or travel.

A very nice place to stay that is warm and cozy. Reminds you of your home and the people are…read moreextremely friendly and helpful! Our family was really welcome and we enjoyed ourselves. Great food Great accommodation Great people Can't wait to return

This was the setting for my sisters 50th birthday meal, and what a great setting it was…read more We arrived a little early to deck out the table and area with a couple of balloons and banner, the staff couldn't have been more helpful allowing us to sort it all out before the guest of honour arrived. This done we waited on the rest of the party in the residents lounge, where there were plenty of comfy seats and tables in the conservatory with a well stocked bar (a plethora of whiskeys on offer as befits a bar not far from the ferry terminal over to Islay and Jura) just off it with craft beers etc. On the arrival of the rest of the party while we sorted out drinks in the lounge the waitress dished out menus and after a suitable time perusing, took the order for the meal, allowing us a little time to catch up before informing us that the starters were ready and allowing us to decant to the table in the other end of the conservatory. Bright and spacious surroundings in the restaurant and comfortable seating make this a pleasant place to be. The food was superb starters consisted of scallops which were seared to perfection on black pudding, pulled pork on a black pudding with a poached egg on top and all cooked perfectly. Mains were Fish and chips with a healthy bit of fish and chunky cut chips, rump frites again a perfectly seared and not insubstantial lump of rump and skinny fries, mac and cheese with the option of spicy sausage through it, creamy and delicious, rib eye steak again juicy, beautifully prepared and with sides of mushrooms and vine tomatoes. Deserts were rather good as well, all in all a fantastic unrushed night and great company in clean, comfortable surroundings.