Hope the new owners make a difference
by TripAdvisor Member bjh1
It is nine months since the previous review so an up date may be useful. Firstly this is no longer the Swallow Golf View Hotel. Swallow went in to receivership, and although the hotel is trading under new ownership it is now simply the Golf View Hotel. The hotel has a prime location by the sea front in Nairn. It is well presented and furnished and has lots of comfortable seating in the public areas. Our room was splendid - large four poster, comfortable sofa to watch TV, a selection of DVDs to rent if we wished, a very well appointed bath room (with Moulton Brown toiletries) and stunning views across the Moray Firth. There is ample parking and the hotel is within walking distance of the town. There were a couple of down sides however. The food was only average - an ambitious menu was not terribly well executed, although the conservatory restaurant is pleasant enough and will be a great place to eat on a summers evening. The best meal we had was fish and chips - more exotic offerings were not great. The second problem was the staff. Not that they were not interested when you found them - it was that there were so few of them. This may have been something to do with the fact that the hotel was being handed over to the new owners while we were there, but we repeatedly had to find someone to serve us with drinks or food, and indeed when we arrived we had to wander off into the hotel to find some one to check us in. There is a leisure centre which we saw from afar - although we did not use the pool it appeared well kept. So all in all a mixed review, however we would give them another chance in the hope that food improves and they improve the staff/guest ratio. On the basis of our visit I do recommend it but take heed of the warnings about food and staff in case they have not improved.
Pleasantly impressed
by TripAdvisor Member sgmg
We spent Easter weekend here on a D,B&B basis with 2 children under 5 in a family room.This was our first visit and first impressions were good . There are great views from the hotel and the location suited us. The room was ideal for our purposes. We found the staff to be polite, helpful and attentive although they were clearly short handed for breakfast one day.The pool was clean and tidy and ideal for us but not for anyone wanting to put in some lengths .We ate in the conservatory and found the food to be generally of a high standard but they are not going to win a michelin star. Re the previous review I agree the 6-6-6 table d'hote menu could have been more varied but in my view you are better having a few things done reasonably well than too large a choice done badly.If there were specials they were never offered. We would definitely recommend it for a family break based on our experience and will be back.
Beware of Hidden Costs
by TripAdvisor Member linksgolfer1
Stayed for three nights during mid April 2007. This is the second time we visited this year. Booked latest trip through the Lastminute website.
First time was nice and left a lasting impression on us, which was why we returned a second time. Only downside to the first trip was the food. We ate in the restaurant the first night and to be honest it was nothing exceptional. Otherwise, we had a room overlooking the sea and had an enjoyable stay.
The second trip was less memorable. We were given a room overlooking the car park. It was musty and the extractor fan in the bathroom didn't work. Consequently, the bathroom ceiling was crumbling next to the shower cubicle. The drains in the bathroom were smelly and revolting and we were forced to ask for bleach to be poured down them. No-one actually got round to doing this. Even worse was the discovery of a smelly ashtray in one of the bedside cabinets, in what is a non-smoking hotel. Also noticed general cleanliness of the hotel, especially the breakfast dining room was disappointing.
Spoke to reception who told us that if we wanted a room overlooking the sea, we would be required to pay a 'supplement.' This despite, the hotel being virtually empty! A supplement to see a view which is owned by no-one! Receptionist admitted that 'Lastminute website guests' were given a room 'through the back.' We felt let down and that we were being treated second class because we had booked a room on a discount website.
Overall, enjoyable. But the Hotel is getting tired and in need of a little care and attention. In conclusion, if booking through a source other than the hotel, beware of the two tier system!
Way Below 4 Star Standard.
by TripAdvisor Member McG22
My husband and I stayed at this hotel from last week (supposedly for 3 nights but we checked out after 2). I have to write to say that the break we had looked forward to was made quite unsatisfactory by the service offered by staff at the hotel. From arrival our request for a 'sea view' room was not even acknowledged at reception even though we had mentioned this when booking. Invariably we ended up in a non sea view room !
The lift was broken and we had to go up and down the three flights of stairs, there was an elderly woman who was put on the 3rd floor and I did hear her family complaining. When entering the bar for a pre-dinner drink on both evenings we had to wait an unforgivable amount of time to be served (on both occasions there wasn't any bar staff present). We were continually asked for our room number by the same staff which was annoying as we had only given them it probably half an hour before! It wasn't just my husband and I that was frustrated with this, everyone in the bar was.
Dinner on Friday night was an experience that I have never come across in any hotel or restaurant and that was the main reason we decided to check out early. Even though orders were taken in the bar we still were brought in late for dinner, the table was dirty, no wine glasses or water glasses, the starter was cold and we had to wait 25 minutes for the wine we ordered in the bar and for the glasses to be brought. We ate our starter without the wine obviously (my soup was already cold!).
We were told the wine would be 'on the house' but quite frankly we would rather have bought the wine and had good service. The main course when brought was cold but at this stage we didn't want to complain as everyone else clearly was! Breakfast on both occasions we were made to wait at the entrance for over 10 minutes which was quite embarrassing because the poor woman on duty could not keep up with the orders. We were told that there had been a staff party and no-one had turned in!
I have to say that as frequent travelers both for business and pleasure I have never stayed at a four star establishment that offered such low standards of service. We both felt that we were an 'inconvenience' to staff and I was glad to go home. The managers who allowed this to happen in the bar, dining room and breakfast room have obviously no real concern for their paying guests as our weekend away was not only spoilt but cut short because of these incidents.
Pretty nice
by TripAdvisor Member klp179
My partner and I stayed at this hotel for a wedding we were attending. The hotel was nice and the room was lovely, with a partial view of the ocean. The staff were decent and friendly enough, no real complaints there. My only problem was the breakfast was a bit of a nightmare as pretty much everyone I knew (many guests!) had mixed up breakfasts, cold breakfasts, and/or breakfasts arriving at different times at the same table. Aside from this, we enjoyed our stay and would stay here again. The location is fabulous as well!
Sign in with Facebook
