Great hotel near the seaside. Full breakfasts are…read moresumptuous. And the staff is very friendly.

From the owner: We use only the best of ingredients in our dishes and offer great value for money…read more We have an extensive menu that suits all types of palates. Gluten free menu available. We use fresh local produce Comfortable dining Excellent Modern Bar & Lounge

We stayed in town for a few days. We planned to have dinner here on our last night in the village…read more Menu looked good and feedback was good as well. Came here at 6pm. Our mistake was having no reservation. That's on us. We thought it would be no problem on a weekday. But the place was full at the time. The guy who welcomed us (owner/co-owner?) was pretty busy and stressed. Understandable. We were asked to come back at 7pm. Since right now they couldn't accomodate walk-ins. That was fine. So we went to the harbour for a quick walk and returned at 6.55pm. The same guy was there and told us that they were full. We explained that we just met an hour ago, asking us to return an hour later, so they surely could accomodate us at that time. He said he knows. But that they just had a walk-in a few minutes ago and now they're full for the night. We tried to explain that we just got sent away an hour ago because we actually were walk-ins. So why the other walk-ins got a table - even though we got promised one? He seems stressed and got quite strict, on the verge of being rude. We saw that talking wouldn't help the situation. We stayed calm - he said sorry - more sarcastically. So we left under the amused eyes of the guests. It wouldn't have been a problem if he would have just told us that they're full at the time we walked in at 6pm. That would have been easy. But: It was made very clear we're not welcome here. Maybe because we were foreigners? Maybe because my wife and me are a mixed-race couple? Or maybe because the guy just had a bad day? It's all possible. We'll never know. I rarely have to leave such a negative review. But this is one of the worst experiences we've ever had in a restaurant. And we've travelled often and far. But don't miss out on the village itself. Gardenstown is a wonderful village. Very pretty. We ended up back at the harbour. The chippy shop was still open and served dinner with a smile.

The scent of older times - sublime…read more Quietly nestled in the idyllic countryside about 15 minutes outside of Inverurie, the manor house was built in 1480. It is now a small hotel and restaurant. So quite, so green, so gentile. What a pleasant meal and evening with good friends. Its official: I love Scotland.

I don't know what else to say. The Dowan's has 4 stars on their sign, but I may come and add a…read morecouple in the middle of the night. Don't think I would have wanted to stay anywhere else. Clean, beautiful grounds, and even more beautiful people! Food was great and drink prices super reasonable. It felt more like staying in a huge house with family and friends than a hotel and its workers. I hope to one day be back to visit! Thanks for making our vacation that much better :)

The only reason I have left a 4 star review is because my steak was very undercooked (asked for…read moreMedium but was blue in the middle), but was replaced and dealt with very quickly and professionally. Is a beautiful location, stunning bar and the rooms were amazing. Service is first class and can not recommend highly enough. Slightly gutted to award 4 star and if the steak was cooked right 1st time would get it.

We stayed at the Mansion House Hotel last night (July27th, 2019). The Mansion itself is gorgeous…read more It looks like a small castle. I wouldn't recommend staying the night but I would recommend a reservation for dinner here just to have the experience. The negative: I felt like the price wasn't worth the stay. The pool was not open. The salon and spa were not operating during our stay either. These were some things I was looking forward to. I made the mistake of assuming and not asking because they are featured amenities when booking the hotel. There were also a few little things amiss. For example: trash behind the bed, the handle bar for the shower bar was missing a gasket and kept falling, the trash can in the bathroom was broken, the room was really hot (they did have a fan). Just a lot of small things that add up. The positive: The breakfast, dessert, and drinks we had here were delicious! The bar is pretty well stocked. I have a dairy allergy and my waiter and the cook took care to make sure there were no cross contamination's. The area around the mansion is gorgeous. This is a great place to take some fun pictures! Overall we did enjoy our stay. The staff was lovely. They do all leave for the night which is something to note. The place just needs more love and care.

We only stayed one night, but really enjoyed our stay here…read more The grounds and exterior are really beautiful. Our room was charming, the bed incredibly comfortable, and the bathroom was one of the nicest we had during our whole 3 week trip to the UK. Breakfast was delicious as well! The interior of the mansion is beautiful, but clearly is in need of some care. For example, we noticed an incredibly large rip in the felt on the pool table, there were a few spots where we noticed wear and tear on the walls, and our bedspread had a few spots where either someone burned it or it just wore through. We chose not to have dinner at the mansion because even though the menu at the restaurant looked amazing, it was VERY expensive. I'm very happy we chose to stay at the Mansion, and hope to visit again - it just needs a tiny facelift to be perfect!

This is a review of the Restaurant and bar at Sunninghill Hotel. Staying in Elgin for a weekend at…read morea B&B, I found myself looking for a place to eat. Alas Yelp was of little use (I've found that outside the US Yelp is a poor representation of dining options). I tried the Sunninghill for diner at the suggestion of a local shopkeeper. The Maître d' told us they were booked until 9pm (a good omen) but she would try to fit us in. While waiting we sampled their extensive selection of fine scotch. The bar staff was friendly and helpful. Once seated, the restaurant service was warm, and food was served promptly. All was good to excellent: well prepared and presented, although the meats tended to be over cooked. Desert was well worth the gluttony.

We celebrate all of our family and friends here. Without fail... they are overly accommodating ,…read morefriendly, professional and above all consistent. We just had the most beautiful evening to celebrate our parents 60th anniversary. Couldn't have asked for better service, food, beverages and company. 5 stars all round. Thank you to everyone who worked so hard, when you're busy it's challenging to assist everyone.. it didn't go unnoticed. Kudos !

As mentioned by the first reviewer, don´t trust your Navi, take the Portsoy Road than it´s a quick…read moreone to get to the Hotel. There are enough parking lots available, the Castle Hotel is a nice location, especially our Deluxe Room (more a suite) is awesome. The food in the Restaurant and Breakfast were very good, the personnel is not very experienced, this should be improved quickly.

I am the first, figures Yelp seems to just be starting in the UK…read more we were referred here by Ian at the Castle View B&B. we got lost and missed our reservation ( your navigation system will take you to a bridge that only someone walking can use. Take the portsoy road ) it was not an issue, the food was wonderful, the owner charming and the whisky worked to. I added some photos. Sunday supper rocks.

This fantastic hotel is situated in the small village of Garmouth near the mouth of the River Spey…read more I found the prices very reasonable and the rooms very clean and nicely decorated. The resturant downstairs had a large selection of meals available. I recommend the steak. The portions are excellent and are served by pleasant and attentive staff. After dinner, we headed through to the adjoining bar for a few drinks (I'll admit I had one too many). I was pleased to see a good selection of local whiskeys, very pleased (haha), which were served in 35ml nips. There was also a large selection of other drinks, for those who don't drink whiskey, like lager, cider and ales. The bar staff were friendly and talkative, as were the locals. I highly recommend staying here.

This is not your usual bed and breakfast! If you are lucky enough to stay at the Isla Bank House…read morewith Nick and Vena you are in for a truly wonderful experience. The House: It is a wonderful old (ancient by American standards) manor. My wife and I felt a little like we were staying at Downton Abbey. The home is mostly original and is being preserved and cared for respecting all of its beauty and history. You can tell that the home itself is a labor of passion and that Nick and Vena care deeply about it. I can not wait to see it again after hearing some of their plans for the future. You will enjoy a wonderful Scottish breakfast and can hear the faint and cheerful sounds of the classic rock music of my youth coming out of Nick's kitchen. His food is WONDERFUL and every detail is perfect. The dining room is comfortable and spacious and has everything you could ever need to accompany the view of the garden. The breakfast is a not to miss as they have sourced it locally and was the best "Scottish breakfast" we had during our 2 weeks of touring. Care for the small details is what sets the Isla Bank House apart from all the rest. We had remarked at the fact that the bed, after being in many institutional ones on our trip, was absolutely wonderful and Nick and Vena told us the story of the time they spent trying to find the perfect ones. They were not wrong! The small details in the room, the breakfast, the appointments in the bathroom.... All top shelf and impeccable. The kind of details you would expect to find at only a high-end London hotel and not in a country B&B. A note for American's that are used to going to wine country and just showing up for tours and tastings. On the Whiskey Trail you need reservations in advance. Nick will be happy to help you find the ones that suit your tastes and can make recommendations on many things in the local area. Take him up on his offer to do so as it is an earnest offer and between he and Vena they know the area. The hospitality and care were an absolute highlight of our trip and we hope to be able to stay at the Isle House with Nick and Vena again. If they are free and you are lucky enough to enjoy a dram with them do take them up on it. As others have said you will drive away with two new friends having stayed at a magnificent property.

From the owner: Exceptional bed and breakfast accommodation and hospitality in an historic building.read more