stunning location

expensive rooms that didn’t live up to expectations and limited food choices that were extremely overpriced and left us all still hungry. our bed was small for two people when the other friends we were staying with got huge beds for one person. our shower flooded the bathroom every time.

Food was very good.

Nothing.

Vegetarian cooked breakfast was awful

Phone charge for local call was exorbitant Room tiles cracked

Wonderful hotel with grand sitting areas, delicious dinner and drinks and expansive views of the Scottish coast. Not a golfer, but wish I was after seeing that beautiful course.

The property is stunning - you just cannot fault the setting. There is tasteful artwork throughout and the rooms and lounges are appointed beautifully. The food was outstanding.

There are several concerning aspects. I had arranged with the hotel by email to collect us from the airport. After waiting 20 minutes, we decided to walk there - no mention was ever made of their forgetting to come. The staff were very friendly, however it soon became apparent that almost all of them were agency workers over for a short term (one of the girls was there for a week and then being taken back to Edinburgh). That’s usually OK, but what it meant was that the service was Fawlty Towers-esque. They forgot to offer us dessert one day, forgot to bring over bread the next. One day, oysters were 3 for £12, the following day 2 for £12. One day, one of us had the Monkfish starter (two nice looking pieces of Monkfish tail in a lovely sauce), so the following day I thought that I would try it. About ten minutes after ordering, one of the less subtle bar staff was shouting about Monkfish being all out - five minutes later our two starters arrived as a half portion each, but charged at full money (£14 each). It was only when the bill came that we challenged them, and they removed it from the bill - but why on earth would you try to get away with this when someone’s spent over £2k on three nights in the hotel? On the last morning, we went for a cup of tea in the Stag Lounge (a lovely room overlooking the golf course). We got charged £10 for one pot of tea and three cups. Stupid stuff like this just leaves a bitter taste and a feeling that you’ve been totally ripped off, which is such a shame as the hotel is beautiful and all the staff were very friendly - just not very good. Interestingly, I stayed in the Islay Hotel before which was nowhere near as luxurious, but just as comfortable, far cheaper and the staff always did what they said they were going to do. Almost every single Islander who asked where we were staying this time, upon discovering we were staying at The Machrie, all said the same thing: “Beautiful hotel, shame about the service”.

Location. Nice modern design. Comfortable. Good food. Good value. Best hotel on the island

Restaurant a little slow at times, but staff very nice

Great golf course, good food, fine service, pleasant rooms

location friendly staff comfort

waiting staff need a little more training but will come with experience

clean and attractive

room was too hot