Islay House ★★★

"I had really high hopes for Islay House, but left with somewhat mixed feelings - from arrival that impressed me as soon as we parked and entered the main floor, than to a complete disappointment when we entered our tiny super hot (literally in the first days of May so I am not sure how bad it gets in the summer time) room, for which the shower drain got stuck as soon as we used it the first night, to then enjoying the whisky on the ground floor... it's such a spiral of emotions LOL The room was terrible, the small bed with the baseboards on both sides making it impossible for taller people to even sleep normally, the windows barely opening due to the side blockers, I have to be honest probably one of the worst rooms I had in a really long time, and I usually don't complain - I couldn't wait to be out of this room, and luckily of the 2 nights stay, we arrived late the first night and chilled in the lounge area/bar, the full day in between we spent in full exploring Islay's whisky distilleries, and then final day we left pretty early just to hit the road - which is basically what everyone else probably would and does when staying on Islay but this could have been soooo much more - this place has such a great potential!!! Breakfast - go for the Scottish breakfast, it was a very nice quality breakfast - during first morning I opted for something else and after I saw how the Scottish set looks like I did regret that I didn't take it twice in a row - it was delicious :) coffee pods provided really nice coffee as well - the area for breakfast is huge, and although looking fairly simple the breakfast was a great quality one Whisky Bar - there is a decent bar inside the hotel, majority of the staff are still learning whisky so give them some slack, but I think it's a great benefit of staying at this hotel - to have access to this bar - if this is not enough there is an amazing Whisky Vault about 5 easy minutes walk away from the hotel (reviewed separately) Restaurant - unfortunately during our stay there was no option for lunch or dinner, and that was a big flaw as well - there is a hotel with a restaurant called Bridgend Restaurant nearby, you could technically walk there but driving is a better option (reviewed separately) Stairs - there is no lift/elevator here, so if you stay on the 3rd floor then it's a bit of an exercise - luckily, the stairs are very wide and it helps with "ascend" LOL Overall, if you are looking for a memorable/dramatic stay at a "castle" type of hotel then this is the place for you - despite this terrible room I still have a good memory and after staying at another "plain hotel" I got at peace with Islay House - not sure if I would repeat this room (we did ask for another option as soon as we saw it but they said they are full...) but if someone offered us a room on either 1st or 2nd floor, and not that "attic" low and hot room I would probably stay again"

Another Place - the Machrie ★★★★

"A very perfect hotel, the best choice for golf lovers, the hotel is clean and the service is thoughtful. I will come again."

Port Charlotte Hotel ★★★★

"The hotel is in a lovely location, right on a wee beach, and has a warm, friendly atmosphere. The staff were particularly welcoming and helpful. The building itself is old and does have some maintenance issues. There is no lift, and there are several fire doors annd steps. Our rooms were quite small for the amount of furniture in them, although they were nicely styled. The bathroom had been modernised, but the shower was over the bath with no hand shower attachment, and the screen leaked quite badly. The pub downstairs was very busy and had a lively atmosphere. Food was served until 2 pm and then again in the evening. The restaurant menu was excellent, and the food and wine were both very good. Breakfast was also very good: a huge full Scottish breakfast, although the choice of fresh fruit was rather limited — there were tinned peaches. The towels were great and I appreciated the extra ones for drying your hair. Overall, the best thing about the hotel was the attitude of the staff and the quality of the food. However, given the condition and size of the rooms and some of the facilities, I felt the hotel was rather expensive for what it offered."

Port Charlotte Youth Hostel ★★★

"This was one of the very best SYHA hostels that I've visited. The people running it were very hospitable and concerned for their visitors. In many ways you could see how thoughtful they had been to make it a good and interesting experience for all. The kitchen, common room, showers, drying room etc were all excellent. I recommend it heartily."

The Bowmore House Bed and Breakfast ★★★★

"This is my third stay at Bowmore House, my first being ten years ago. The room was excellent and comfortable, with a superb bathroom and a powerful shower. The cleanliness and order were impeccable. I highly recommend the full Scottish breakfast, which includes tattie scones and haggis. Andrew, the proprietor, provided a complimentary dram to each guest."

Glenegedale House ★★★★★

Beautiful 10 person modern bungalow in Bruichladdich with stunning views ★★★★

Cozy Cottage In Picturesque Scotland ★★★