The Victoria Hotel

Very Good
Traveller Type: Traveling as Couple
  : We went to Bute to walk the West Island Way and this hotel is very convenient for that, being 2 minutes walk from the ferry terminal, the bus station (for buses to the start points of different sections of the walk) and a co-op (for food for packed lunches). Our bedroom was very comfortable and clean, with a large bathroom and excellent shower. We had a fantastic view over the bay (see attached photo) and could watch the ferries arriving, impressively lit up at night. Breakfast was fine, well cooked and presented. We also had dinner one night in the hotel; the food was good and reasonably priced and the menu had a wide range of options.
  : I would have liked more non-cooked options for breakfast e.g. fruit and yoghourt. As others have remarked, the hotel looks a little scruffy from the outside. Inside it is in very good shape, however.

Fair
Traveller Type: Traveling as Couple
  : Staff wer friendly
  : Very dated and not for disabled

Very Poor
Traveller Type: Traveling as Couple
  : The view from our bedroom window was nice, once you had trudged up to the 3rd floor. Really that's the only positive comment I can make.
  : On arrival we were asked for our breakfast choices for the following day. The elderly owner took ages to write it down with a pencil. Next morning we waited 25 minutes after the booked time of 9.00am, before having to ask why we weren't being served. The waitress told us, 'We only have 4 eggs left....if you want a cooked breakfast you will have to wait a very long time.' We asked for tea/coffee and some toast in the hope that our cooked breakfast would arrive, but it didn't, so after a further 25 minutes we left and asked the waitress to fetch the owner to the reception. As we got from our table, another guest said, 'this place is like Fawlty Towers.....we too. had to wait for ages!' When the owner eventually turned up, I explained what had happened - that we'd paid for a cooked breakfast but hadn't received one. And so we wanted a refund in respect of that. The owner, Ian Bruce, seemed to doubt we were telling the truth, and said he would need to conduct 'an investigation.' I put it to him, 'just ago and ask the waitress, she will confirm what I'm telling you.' But this he refused to to do. He assured me he had all our contact details and would be in touch. I sent him an email on 11th September confirming the circumstances, and asking for a refund fo the non-appearance of the cooked breakfast which we had paid for when making our booking. Not to my surprise, he has not replied. The photos of the front of the building on various websites is not representative of how the Victoria Hotel actually looks. Either they were taken 25+years ago, or have been photoshopped. (See attached photos). There is a basic lack of security to these premises in that you enter at street level to find a reception at first floor level which clearly is often unmanned in there is a notice saying, 'If reception is closed, please see a member of our restaurant staff or phone 07837 259923.' So anybody could wander about.

Wonderful
Traveller Type: Solo Traveler

Pleasant
Traveller Type:
  : Breakfast was fine
  : Shower was really bad trickle of water from shower head

Wonderful
Traveller Type: Solo Traveler
  : Like stepping back in time Staff were delightfulCouldn't do enough for me Made me feel ready welcome

Pleasant
Traveller Type:

Wonderful
Traveller Type: Traveling as Couple

Very Good
Traveller Type: Traveling as Couple
  : Location
  : Didnt expect the single beds to be so narrow

Wonderful
Traveller Type: Solo Traveler
  : Breakfast very good
  : Nothing