I'll be honest, I was puzzled by the location of this boutique hotel and wine bar. Having lived in…read moreStirling for five and a bit years, I knew that Friars Street was the street which students ascended/descended to reach either the club on the street at the bottom or the club at the street at the top. After all, I was a Stirling student for four years - a reasonably well-behaved one! - and had seen firsthand the havoc that takes over Friars street in the wee hours. So, I was a little perplexed that they'd picked such a central location for the hotel, all things considered. And, not long after Friars Wynd had opened its doors, there was a deadly attack on the street. Jeez. Forgetting the location, Friars Wynd is completely different from its much-loved predecessor, The Junk Rooms. And they have done such a good job of making the place look so fresh and bright. There's a lovely bar in the corner and ample room for seating, and a selection of fresh cakes displayed by the window. You can tell instantly that Friars Wynd is worthy of the 'Boutique hotel' title because it feels so luxurious from the moment you step inside. And if the rooms are adequately soundproofed then I'm sure a night's stay would be a blissful one. I've had both lunch and drinks at Friars Wynd and I was impressed by both. The owner is a really lovely, passionate lady who, on both my visits, welcomed me and even remembered me the second time. Lunch was delicious and it was just the spot for the kind of evening drink we were after. My only comment would be that some background music would really do good in creating even more of an atmosphere, especially in the evenings. I do know that the owner is looking to branch out to live music and jazz would be just perfect for Friars Wynd! I do hope Friars Wynd grows, because they've got just the right attitude for a new business; in aiming to impress absolutely everyone that comes through their doors.

I'm. Never this quick at adding a review but this place deserves it. Early on a Sunday morning…read morewell 8am. In the back and beyond of sterling in search of an elusive breakfast we stumble upon what is apparently the only place that seems to realise that people want to eat before 10am. We came in and both ordered the full Scottish breakfast and wow was it worth it. Locally sourced meats and cooked to perfection. My only slight down point is my tattie scone was a little hard for my liking however the other half likes hers hard enough to hit a nail with so I won't mark them down for this. The food was freshly cooked and bacon was crispy. Coffee was nice and well made. The service was impeccable. While we were in another customer came in and asked for something off the menu and it was instantly accommodated. If I could give 6 stars I would.

This place is a quaint little restaurant at the bottom of the ravine. The day was gorgeous…read more We chose to sit outside and share a glass of wine or two! It's located outside the Stirling Castle. Seating inside is limited. However, plenty of room outside. You have to go inside to order. I don't recall seeing any waitstaff outside. Food was not that good. I've had much better at various locations throughout Scotland. Easy come and go pub. Location is awesome. Service is just ok. September 2023

After visiting Stirling Castle we decided to grab a quick bite before heading off to our next…read moreadventure. Very old building with such a cute old Scottish feel. We ordered the soup of the day which was vegetable lentil soup. It was very good! Perfect for a foggy cool day. We also had to try their sticky toffee pudding which was some of the best I have had. We saw what others around us ordered and everything looked wonderful. Cute, non-touristy place. I would definitely eat here again if we are back. The service was excellent.

This was our 4th stay at the Stirling Highland over the last 9 years, and sadly it will be the…read morelast. Check In: Arrived early and waited in the lobby. Not sure if room was ready before 4:00, as no one let us know. Had to ask for a second key, when there were obviously two of us. Headed back to the desk for assistance with radiator; however, no one could explain how it worked. The Room: Nothing has been updated. Had to crawl behind a chair to plug in the phone, when they could have just replaced the wall lamps with ones with USB ports. Things also haven't been maintained (huge crack in bathroom floor tile, mold on ceiling molding, and missing and dirty caulk). The Restaurant/Bar: No food being served to hotel guests because of a private event Thursday evening with no notice at all. Had 2 bags of chips from the bar for dinner. Breakfast was passing at best (no scrambled eggs one morning and hard and gross the next). Filthy carpet, with stains and black stuff stuck to it. Lack of upkeep, and not too appetizing either. Finally: Our first night, we were treated to a small dog running down the hallway barking all the way, twice (about 2:00 a.m.). We were just a few rooms down the hall from Reception, so no idea why staff didn't address it. Then there was the dog in the hotel bar off leash that kept escaping out the door. If you're wondering if we have anything against dogs, we are the ones who kept an eye on her and put her back in the room and closed the door multiple times, so she wouldn't wander off. Dogs at hotel, fine; guidelines and staff follow through, needed. Would have loved to give this feedback to the hotel directly, but at the end of a 2-week trip, the Stirling Highland was the only business that didn't reach out for feedback. Is the Stirling Highland afraid of what people will say, or do they already know?

This has to be by far one of the most underwhelming stays I've ever experienced…read more We paid quite a decent price for this hotel and expected an actual 4 star hotel. Now I don't know what you need to get 4 stars in Scotland but I think the hotel would have a tough time even competing with 3 star hotels. The rooms are extremely outdated and definitely not what I would expect for that price. In the bathroom, the fake marble counter tops are not completely glued together anymore, so it feels like the bathroom is actually falling apart. It honestly feels like the newest thing in the bathroom is the shower curtain that appears to have been put there years ago. The bed also seems to have aged quite a bit - the mattress doesn't even lie flat on the bed anymore. That being said, the bed sheets fall off at every single movement as they're not fitted anymore... The hotel rooms had extremely thin walls and you were able to hear everything that was going on in the hallway and every single step people were taking. Additionally, the floors felt like they were going to break every second. BUT the biggest disappointment was BY FAR the breakfast. First of all, you have to wait quite a while for a staff member to check you in so you can get to the buffet style breakfast. We paid extra for the breakfast but should've rather went to a local café. Almost everything was out of stock at 9am (breakfast lasts until 10:30 on Sundays) and when asking the staff members for things such as more toast, they gave an annoyed look and came back with about 10 slices of bread that were gone in seconds. Not to mention that there is no such thing as cheese or salami or anything. The Nutella was empty too. The worst thing was the coffee which tasted like a mix of instant coffee and chlorine. There also was no juice left and all the staff was doing was standing literally right next to the juice containers and not filling them up but rather appeared to have private conversations. When entering the hotel, you are greeted with a nice smell of moisture combined with mold. Only good thing was the view which was nice and the size of the rooms which sadly doesn't make up for all the negative aspects of this hotel. Honestly would never come back to this so called 4 star hotel.

Not a bad place but not great. Arriving late, we decided to…read moreeat in the restaurant. Their selection of beer was minimal. I wanted their pork-chop and was told they were out of them as well as T-bone steaks. So fish and chips it was. Breakfast was fine. I had the Scottish breakfast, wife selected from the continental buffet. We did have to ask twice for bread. Breakfast second morning was also ok, however wife did see ants on one of the buffet tables and the coffee had the consistency of having sat in the pot overnight. When asked for a new cup, they offered hot water to dilute what I had. The room was fine, large enough for us. Only down side was the worn carpet. I can live with that. I'm general, the place has, based on looks and atmosphere, great potential. Unfortunately it looks tired. Staff was mostly young and with the exception of the desk clerk, didn't deal with issues well.

Note: This location is prime in the heart of Stirling, 5 min walk to castle, and 3 minutes away…read morefrom restaurants and bars. Just stayed here one night as I was exploring the country. Wanted to see the heart of the country and Stirling. SO glad I did. Got a fantastic rate on this hotel and it looked gorgeous so I thought Id give it a go. I was not at all disappointed. The location as mentioned was key. It is literally right there. Walk to everything you'd want within minutes. To top it off they had a great restaurant and bar in the lobby. The room was huge and the bathroom spectacular with very modern amenities, a giant glass shower and spa tub. The people were super welcoming and accommodating. I'd absolutely recommend a stay here as it simply could not have been any better.

Beautiful location, shockingly bland food…read more We visited Portcullis in Stirling and, unfortunately, this ended up being the worst meal of our trip. I ordered a glass of wine that wasn't great, though my fiancé did enjoy his beer. He ordered the battered haddock with peas and a side salad. The fish was fried well with crisp breading, but it had almost no flavor. The tartar sauce helped, but the standout issue was the sides. The peas tasted exactly like a frozen bag that had been defrosted, rinsed, and put straight on the plate no butter, no seasoning, literally zero flavor. I didn't realize peas could be that bland. The coleslaw was tough to get through. It tasted like thick whipped mayonnaise with a bit of cabbage mixed in no acidity, no sweetness, just heavy and flat. The side salad did at least have fresh produce. I ordered a cheeseburger, which was extremely disappointing. The burger was dry, bland, and actually made my stomach upset I had to take an Alka-Seltzer afterward. The cheese was fine, but the meat had no seasoning at all. The fries were very oily and completely flavorless, though they did stay hot. Every sauce we used ketchup, mustard, creamy dressing came from packets. The packaged ketchup and mustard were fine because you can't mess those up, but the packet "creamy dressing" was essentially mayo with no flavor. Overall, this was the blandest, most forgettable meal of our entire trip. Stirling is beautiful and full of history, but the food here does not match the setting. I hope they improve, because the location truly deserves better.

Cosy setting. Food nothing special but expensive considering quality of food. No plan to go backread more

Bed was hard and lumpy and they had flat hard pillows. There is water damage on the ceiling and…read morewalls and a leaking rad in the bathroom. The shower is on the small side, there is almost no water pressure, and hot water ran out after first person showered. There are no toiletries beyond hand wash, no coffee maker, but there is a kettle for making instant coffee and tea as well as a few complimentary snacks. There was a hairdryer, fan, iron, and ironing board in the cupboard. The 'included' breakfast is very basic and they offer you the option to pay more to order off of their 'other' breakfast menu. Overall this place feels like a restaurant renting out a couple of rooms and not an inn interested in welcoming guests and providing quality service.

I should have read the previous review before I booked here. I agree with the reviewer. The hotel…read moreis not great. It was worn and dirty. I recommend you look for someplace else.

Abbey Craig was my absolute favorite B&B on my recent trip to Scotland and rivaled that of hotels…read more Location: Within 15 minutes walking distance to Stirling Castle and City Centre; even less to the Wallace Monument Amenities: --Beautiful rooms with plush and comfortable beds and pillows --Flat Screen TVs with DVD Players (and DVDs in the Breakfast Room to borrow) --Extremely fast and reliable Wifi --Great list of things to do in the area upon arrival --Mini refrigerator in room --Hot tea tray with biscuits waiting for you --Neat showers with LED lights in them --Hair dryers for the ladies --Extremely accommodating hostess, Annette, who will accommodate your specific breakfast needs and wants Parking: Available on-site Annette could not have been friendlier or more accommodating. She was so friendly; I wish I had stayed here a couple extra nights!

1st time I stayed here, I was very impressed with the friendliness, the service, and the…read morecomfortable rooms. I'm now staying here for the 2nd time tonight, and I have to say that the service has become a little sloppy, and the wireless internet unreliable. Overall though, it's quite reasonably priced, and the rooms are still comfy. The hotel is in a great spot, with ample parking. I will stay again, but if the staff appear to be more sloppy next time, I shall be looking elsewhere. It will be a shame if it comes to that, as this is a nice little, comfortable hotel...

This restaurant was delicious! We decided to do a high tea experience. For the high tea, each…read moreperson picks a main meal and then they bring out scones with cream and jam, a selection of desserts, and tea. We tried the roast, steak pie, and Mac and cheese for our main meals. They were all delicious! The scones were also delicious. There was so much food, that we couldn't eat our dessert. They brought us a box so we could take our sweet treats home. We really enjoyed the food and service.

Everytime I visit Scotland, The Golden Lion becomes my 'home'. Our room, the breakfast and the…read moreservice ..... truly above the bar!! We loved it! Can not wait to visit again.