At Loch Melfort - Argyll Bute

I visited this restaurant last week for lunch while in the area and had a delightful experience. The fish was fresh and served in a generous portion. The wine selection was also good. While the prices were a bit high for a lunch meal, the food was excellently prepared and presented.

We went for lunch on a Sunday without realizing that they don't offer it. The lunch menu was simple, but the dinner menu was extensive, which seems to be the main focus for residents. The food we did have was good, and the service was attentive. The restaurant has beautiful surroundings with a stunning view. The bruschetta didn't have tomatoes, but instead had mushy peas and flavorless cheese. Other dishes were delicious, with the raspberry meringue dessert being a standout. We spent £75 on a glass of sauvignon, a coke, two starters, a main course, two desserts, and a coffee, coming to roughly £40 per person. The bar lounge has a relaxed and laid-back atmosphere. It would be great if they added more main course options like chicken or steak to create a Sunday lunch experience. I visited with my clients, but next time I will try the Kilchrenan Inn for Sunday lunch.

We booked (24hrs in advance) for an afternoon tea for two, and we were not disappointed. They'd reserved a lovely spot for us looking out to sea across the Isles, and all colleagues were very attentive right from the get-go. The decor and ambience of the room were very nice, it's a bright and airy setting with a stunning view. The afternoon tea was plentiful, there was no need for the side order of chips we placed, although they were very, very nice. The sandwich selection, the many cakes, and the four scones were very well presented and delicious. They were more than enough. The service was excellent too, nothing was too much trouble for the colleagues and they did everything they could to make it a memorable occasion. Thank you very much.

Well.. Again for the 2nd time an unbelievable bad experience at this hotel/ restaurant, we first went for a meal last year which turned out to be a very poor meal with terrible service and the staff being rude complete with dirty clothes on. Upon leaving them a review and an offer to talk to us about it we had no reply at all. So a year passed and we thought we would give them another chance hoping that this would be a one off experience so I booked up to go for a meal. Upon arrival we were welcomed and sent through to the restaurant and was seated at the table, then another member of staff came over to tell us that we were not welcome here and were asked to leave, because we gave them an honest review over a year ago, we were quite shocked at this as had travelled ouf to this venue for lunch buc guess they had waited until we arrived to tell us this rather than saying at the time of booking which was done 2 weeks prior, I guess from this that they have not upped their game at all since our last meeting and instead of proving that the first meal we had there was just an off day have shown that this is the norm from them. So if you like poor service from rude staff when they can be bothered to come to your table in dirty well stained clothes that look like they have been used as a cum cloth in the hotel, only expect half of your order to arrive at your table and that half being of a poor standard, that is if you don't get told you are not welcome there as they cannot be bothered to serve you incase they get a bad review then this is the place for you, otherwise avoid it like the plague, as that's probably what you will end up getting if you don't die of food poisoning or starvation first. PLEASE GO ANYWHERE APART FROM HERE, anywhere

The hotel sits in a fantastic spot half way between Kilmelford and Craobh Haven with a fantastic vantage point with a view down the west coast slate islands and beyond. The grounds are expansive with well surfaced paths and dogs are welcome. Our food was okay. Just not great value. The chips were not hand cut as advertised, there was only a choice of five sandwiches, one soup, teas and coffee and cakes etc. Fine for a pit stop, but more of a range would be good. The sandwiches were fine. Thin bread, not particularly well filled, sparse salad without any discernable dressing, signs promised table service, but we were then told to go to the bar. Not a deal breaker but the transactions were charmless. They do have a kind of captive market here, there isn't much else on offer in the locale. The hotel is pleasantly decorated with lots of local art, some of which was for sale, the grounds are immaculate and the smell of the fire is heaven. I just feel they could do better. The limited choice, dour service, and slim portions felt more like a contractual obligation than welcoming service. You expect better for a tenner a sandwich. I might suggest the service would be better if the tip was not by default.. we always tip well for good service. All the ingredients are there, but it just felt a bit miserly and charmless. Easily sorted guys. Nicer thicker bread, a little bit more generous with the fillings.