Just a wee update - the hotel is having a refurbishment and is already looking very smart indeed…read more We stayed for a couple of nights in one of the new rooms (the 'super-king superior') - actually, we were the first guests in there - and really enjoyed the 'new look' of the place, even though there is still building work going on. The bar-restaurant area has been completely redesigned with more seating space and a larger bar with separate eating area behind. The decor is very 'country estate' with flagstone floors and rustic wallpaper. They've hung a selection of pictures, mostly etchings of historical figures, which we were told have some connection with the estate (Marie Antoinette?). Every table held a hand-made flower holder hewn from a length of tree branch, and there's a wood-burning stove straddling the wall between the bar and eating area that I imaging will keep things cosy in the winter. Our room was lovely, with a huge four-poster bed and a vague rococo feel to the furnishings and decor, although the fixtures were bang up to date. We especially loved the walk-in shower in the en-suite (with choice of 'normal' or 'rain' shower head), and if that wasn't enough for you, there's a bath as well! We ate dinner both nights of our stay, and the food hasn't deteriorated since our last encounter I'm glad to say. The server on the second night was a young boy who was clearly in need of some further training in customer relations, but the rest of the staff were really friendly and made us feel right at home.

My wife and I visited for lunch stop while on a road trip. We took a seat in the pub and ordered a…read morecouple of ales. They had a decent selection of whiskies so I ordered a premium Scotch whisky. Afterward, we had a nice lunch. Everything was very pleasant until I got the check. There was an additional premium whisky added onto the check. I know that errors can happen but we were the only people in the pub. It didn't sit well with me. When I pointed out the extra charge, it was removed but it just didn't feel right to me.

My boyfriend and I booked in to stay here one of two nights we were in town. Originally we planned…read moreon staying two nights here, but they didn't have two consecutive nights available and in the end, we were ok with having to move to another hotel. This is a basic travelers lodge that has seemingly had a complete refurb in the lobby and restaurant areas, but the room we were given did the job, but felt quite tired and old. There really was nothing special about this place, the walls were paper thin and we could hear our neighbours loud and clear all the time we were in the room the same time they were in theirs. Luckily, once sleepy time came, everyone seemed to quiet down. We had dinner here and some prosecco and the dinner was pretty tasty. Everything seemed fresh and cooked well. I went with the fish and chips, a hearty portion that my boyfriend helped me finish eating. He ordered the Balmoral Chicken which was chicken stuffed with haggis, wrapped in bacon. One of his favourite things to cook and eat. He was well chuffed. For dessert, I ordered the sticky toffee pudding which came with ice cream and he ordered the cheese board. Both very tasty. Breakfast the next morning was your bog standard fry up which filled us up and gave us energy for the fun day we had planned after we left the hotel. I wouldn't necessarily come running back here, but for what we paid, it was worth it.

I didn't stay at the hotel, but my husband and I ate at the restaurant, and it was lovely. The soup…read morewas good, the starters were tasty, the steak and ale pie had exceptional-quality meat, and the desserts were delicious. The burger wasn't anything to write home about, and I probably wouldn't eat it again, and the ice cream sundae was a bit blah, but the sticky toffee pudding was very good, and I'd have the leek and potato soup again in a heartbeat.

This is an old world European hotel. It has a lot of charm. The staff and new General manager are…read morevery nice and welcoming. The grounds are meticulously kept and surrounding area very beautiful. If you love the outdoors, old world charm, and a feeling of what it was like to stay at an exclusive large estate manor 100 years ago, this is the place to come. My wife and I personally love it. That said it does need some major updating. The decor is definitely aligned with the local area so the theme is outdoors, hunting, etc. this is fine but it could be done in a much more updated manner. The restaurant is unfortunately average and not up to the level of the hotel. Not sure why but unlike modern hotels, the pool and gym close early. We stayed at one of the lodges. Very nice but also definitely in need of update. We were charged separately ~$100 dollars for the electricity we used during our weeklong stay, a first after 40 years of global travel. Having the Lodge cleaned once during our stay would cost 60 pounds or about $80 dollars. If you're going for the old world experience, rustic charm of the grounds, welcoming staff, etc. Then come have a unique experience. For those looking to stay at high end luxury, this may one day get there but not yet.

I expected a lot more. Food was okay but nothing outstanding. Beer taps were broken and that was a…read morebig disappointment. Liver and onions was good and breakfast was good. The grounds and setting were spectacular and I do like the big-old-Scottish- Manor feel to the place, it was fun. I might go back if the price were right. There's a walking path along the river into town, but I didn't get to go as I was just passing through. The Whiskey at the checkin counter was great! Thanks for the sample.

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.

Thoroughly enjoyed our stay here. From walking into the hotel, you are greeted by friendly staff…read more The hosts Karen and Dave can't do enough for you. The lounge is warm and inviting with a wood fire burning and lots of comfortable chairs to relax in. We ate in the bar, there is also a restaurant, great choice of food which was excellent. Again service was very good. Our bedroom was amazing! The king bed was very comfortable, the room spacious and beautifully decorated with an en-suite bathroom. I would absolutely recommend the Bein Inn Hotel. It is charming and welcoming, fabulous service and great food, perfect for everyone! Will definitely be returning. Thank you Karen and Dave for a wonderful stay.

Plenty of parking - although across a busy road... Very welcoming looking hotel/restaurant... When…read moreentering the reception are we were met by the chef as no receptionist about but this was done with professionalism and cheer. High level of cleanliness and even on a wednesday at 1pm there were a fair few tables full. We were seated and shown the menu, ordered a drink and the specials were explained with enthusiasm. We ordered and mentioned that we had a voucher and this was dealt with without issue. Main course arrived within 15 minutes and was piping hot, well presented and delicious. Would absolutely recommend as the food was excellent, service excellent and the atmosphere was also excellent

Definitely stop in here when in The Trossachs area. Beautiful old hotel with a history and an old…read moreworld charm. Beautiful grounds for peaceful wandering. Non-hotel guests warmly welcomed. They have a main restaurant and also a little bistro in a separate onsite building, called The Potting Shed. We ate in the bistro. Food was incredibly good. Parsnip fritters for a starter were the best food we had during our time in Britain! The unusual take on Sticky Toffee Pudding, with layers of brown sugar, was an improvement on the classic. Short walk to the river. What would be better than a stop here? A stay here! Pricey, but warranted. Look for low rates and deals off season.

Wow -- even if you don't stay here you MUST visit this lovely old 17th Century house now turned…read morehotel -- with many interesting rooms downstairs to look at and walk through. The outdoor grounds provide a peaceful place to walk -- and the flowing river is just 100 yard down a short hill. The real star is the Bistro restaurant next door which turned out to be our best meal during our two week tour of the UK. Only reason we wound up there is because they were full at the main hotel "fancy" restaurant - the the desk manager steered us to The Potting Shed. Chef was Polish and is certainly going places -- as for VERY reasonable prices we got amazing, beautiful dishes like Beet Root, Parsnip Fritters, Chicken wrapped in Parma Ham, Fish and Chips, Lamb, and the most wonderful Bread and Butter Pudding for desert. Atmosphere was rustic and charming -- sit on the small covered patio for that view. Would HIGHLY recommend if you are anywhere near this area -- it's worth a special trip just to see the Peacocks parading on the lawn.

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.

The secluded Country House and grounds are beautiful…read more On offer in the restaurant, was a prix fixe (UKP 65) three course dinner, plus an amuse bouche. The food was very good and the service, although a little slow, was impeccable. The beautiful restaurant is like a room in a stately home with artistically painted wall panels. There are some other sitting rooms and a nice bar with a real fire. Incidentally, the bar is open 24 hours for residents at the time of writing. Unfortunately, the accomodation was disappointing to say the least. On arrival, we found that we would not be staying in the Country House building, but instead, in the "Sportsman's Lodge". Okay, we thought, ' still sounds good. However, when we drove a minute or two down the road, we discovered that the "Sportsman's Lodge" was, in fact, about 20 little Butlins style cabins with no WiFi. Sparcely furnished and worn, and the mattress was so soft and thin, that we "bottomed-out" on it. Each cabin had it's own bathroom, but it was a big let down compared to where we thought we would be staying.. That said, it wasn't crazy expensive (~UKP 140), so I guess we got what we paid for, and the (extra cost) dinner and breakfast in that beautiful restaurant partially made up for it. Beautiful grounds too, but the bait and switch on the accomodation was definitely disappointing. None of the pictures on the (third party) website showed the exterior of the "Sportsman's Lodge", just the beautiful Country House.

If you're looking for a quiet get away for a week or just a weekend then this is just the place for…read moreyou. The Ballathie House is an old country house which has been converted to a hotel. From the moment you walk in the front door you know you're staying somewhere special. We stayed for two nights, on the Friday and Saturday night, and after our disappointing stay at the Dunkeld Hilton, this cheered us up. We didn't stay in the main hotel building but were lodged in the "Riverside Suites". The room was perfect and had a door leading out on to a small covered balcony overlooking their fishing beat on the river Tay. The balcony had a table and a couple of chairs so you could sit and take in the view and fresh air. We arrived a bit too late for lunch so opted for afternoon tea in the drawing room which is this big old room with those lumpy comfy chairs you'd expect of a pile such as this. On the first night we opted to dine in starting with aperitifs in the bar. The barman knocked up a couple of mean bloody mary's to get our appetites going. The restaurant is top notch and I found my three courses of scallops, chicken (really regretted not having the fillet steak after I spotted it on another diner's plate) and desert exquisite. The saucing and presentation were outstanding. As you would expect from an establishment such as the Ballathie their wine list is pretty extensive and they also have a decent selection of "new world" wines. We opted for a bottle of Angus The Bull to go with our dinner which was excellent. All in all I couldn't find a fault with the Ballathie, it would have been nice to stay in the main building, but we weren't disappointed with the river side suites. I'll definitely be back.