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Summary of reviewsThe Royal Hotel garners widespread praise for its prime central location, offering a convenient base for exploring local attractions, shops and museums in Forfar. The serene yet central setting makes it ideal for visitors attending events or enjoying the town's vibrant nightlife and restaurants. Guests appreciate the added amenities, including a pool, gym and spa, which enhance their stay in an atmospheric and historically rich environment.
The breakfast at the Royal Hotel receives rave reviews for its excellence and variety, particularly lauding the full Scottish breakfast. Guests find the breakfast experience delightful, highlighted by quick, friendly service and great accommodation for special dietary needs. Despite minor mentions of limited fresh fruit options, the breakfast is mostly seen as a high point of the stay.
Dinner is often marked as a standout feature with many guests praising the home-cooked, high-quality meals. The dinner experience is complemented by the attentive and friendly staff, making it an enjoyable part of the guests' stays. Although there are occasional critiques regarding the availability and quality of certain dishes, overall feedback on dining remains positive.
Rooms at the hotel receive mixed reviews. Positively, guests appreciate the clean, spacious and recently upgraded rooms which provide comfort and good amenities. Some guests were pleasantly surprised by delightful upgrades. However, there are notes on outdated decor and furniture, along with a few mentions of small, cramped rooms and issues with room temperature during hotter days.
Cleanliness across the hotel is generally noted to be high with diligent staff maintaining a fresh and tidy environment. While there are occasional mentions of the need for refurbishment, the overall clean ambiance positively impacts the guest experience.
The staff at the Royal Hotel are consistently praised for their friendliness and helpfulness, significantly enhancing guest satisfaction. Positive interactions begin at check-in and extend throughout the various services in the hotel with staff going out of their way to accommodate guest needs.
The swimming pool is a frequently praised feature, noted for its cleanliness and warmth, along with additional facilities like a jacuzzi and sauna. Despite its occasional unavailability and somewhat outdated look, the pool remains a delightful aspect of the hotel stay.
Parking at the hotel is favorably reviewed with ample, convenient and free private parking contributing to a hassle-free experience. This, paired with the hotel's welcoming atmosphere, enhances overall guest satisfaction.
While opinions on bed comfort vary, many guests find the beds comfortable and appreciate the clean, high-quality linens. However, feedback does include mentions of smaller bed sizes and some discomfort with experiences differing among guests.
In summary, the Royal Hotel stands out for its excellent location, high standard of cleanliness, exceptional staff service and enjoyable amenities like the pool and meals. Despite some minor criticisms in areas such as room decor and bed comfort, it is a well-regarded choice for visitors to Forfar. Show more
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Categories
Hotel near Golf Courses
Family Friendly Hotel
Hotel with Swimming Pool
Heated Pool Indoor Pool
Hotel with Parking
Hotel with Gym
Hotel with Indoor Pool
Hotel with Heated Pool
Room Types
Single RoomThese rooms feature free WiFi, a flat-screen TV with Freeview channels, tea/coffee making facilities, a hairdryer, ironing facilities and a private bathroom with a bath or shower.
Double RoomThese rooms feature free WiFi, a flat-screen TV with Freeview channels, tea/coffee making facilities, a hairdryer, ironing facilities and a private bathroom with a bath or shower.
Standard Twin RoomThese rooms feature free WiFi, a flat-screen TV with Freeview channels, tea/coffee making facilities, a hairdryer, ironing facilities and a private bathroom with a bath or shower.
Family RoomThese rooms feature free WiFi, a flat-screen TV with Freeview channels, tea/coffee making facilities, a hairdryer, ironing facilities and a private bathroom with a bath or shower. This room has interconnecting doors.
Guest Reviews
7.5
Good
Location
The Royal Hotel enjoys a prime location that has garnered widespread praise from its guests. Nestled in the town center, it offers a convenient base for exploring local attractions, shops and museums. Many reviews highlight the quiet yet central setting, making it an ideal spot for guests attending events or enjoying the town's vibrant nightlife and restaurants. The hotel is complemented by its own private carpark, a feature much appreciated by visitors.
Guests have commented on the added amenities such as a pool, gym and spa, which enhance their stay, alongside an atmospheric and historically rich environment. The hotel's cleanliness and the friendly, accommodating staff further contribute to its positive reputation. The breakfast receives favorable mentions, though with a minor note on the limited fresh fruit options.
Overall, the Royal Hotel stands out for its central and convenient location, comprehensive facilities and welcoming atmosphere, making it a great choice for those visiting Forfar.
Breakfast
Guests of the Royal Hotel have largely praised the breakfast experience with many highlighting its excellence and delicious variety. Phrases such as really good, lovely breakfast and excellent breakfast are commonly used to describe the morning meal. The full Scottish breakfast received specific commendation for its taste. Many reviews noted that the breakfast was included in the room price and consistently good each morning. Guests enjoyed the broad selection, mentioning it had everything one wanted and was superb with plenty of choice. The service also stood out, being described as speedy, quick, friendly and accommodating, particularly for those needing gluten-free options. Despite a few mentions of the breakfast being average or basic, the overwhelmingly positive feedback emphasizes the quality and satisfaction of the breakfast experience at the Royal Hotel.
Dinner
At the Royal Hotel, guests have highlighted the dinner experience as a standout aspect of their stay. Many have praised the meals as being the best part, describing the food as lovely, excellent and home-cooked. Numerous guests enjoyed tasty evening meals and appreciated the good quality of both food and the restaurant itself. Diners also noted the pleasant experience of being served breakfast and dinner by helpful staff.
However, some guests reported disappointments such as food being cold, overcooked or lacking in variety with certain items, like steak pie, missing from the menu. There is also a noted gap in food availability between 2pm and 5pm and after breakfast on Sundays, no food is served at all. Despite these issues, the overall sentiment towards dinner at the Royal Hotel remains positive with many finding it a delightful part of their stay.
Rooms
The Royal Hotel delivers a mixed experience when it comes to its rooms. Positively, guests often highlight the clean and spacious nature of many rooms with some recently redecorated or upgraded to a high standard. Rooms are described as very clean and fresh, providing a comfortable stay with good facilities and comfy beds, especially in the lovely, quiet end of the hotel. Some upgrades were delightful surprises, making the stay more pleasant.
However, the hotel does face some critical comments regarding its decor and furniture, which many guests describe as outdated, tired and in need of refurbishment. The size of the rooms varies with several being noted as very small, cramped and sometimes a bit uncomfortable due to hard mattresses. Certain rooms also suffered from being too warm, especially on hotter days and lacked air conditioning.
Despite these issues, the overall value for money is appreciated by some guests and the clean, well-kept public areas add to the hotel's appeal. The charming location in the town of Forfar and the helpful, lovely staff further enhance the experience, offering a blend of comfort and cleanliness despite the dated aesthetic.
Beds
The guest reviews of the Royal Hotel reveal a mixed but generally positive sentiment regarding the beds. Many guests found the beds to be very comfortable and appreciated the clean, good-quality linens provided. The comfort of the beds was frequently highlighted with several noting they were comfy or very comfortable. However, some guests mentioned that the beds were a bit on the small side, which may be an issue for those who prefer more space. Despite the largely positive feedback, there were a few remarks about the mattresses being too hard or the beds being uncomfortable, indicating that the experience might vary. Overall, the beds at the Royal Hotel seem to satisfy most guests in terms of comfort and cleanliness.
Cleanliness
Royal Hotel offers a generally high standard of cleanliness, as remarked by numerous guests. Many highlight the spotless and well-presented rooms and bathrooms, often noting that the staff work diligently to maintain this standard, making the environment inviting and satisfactory. Rooms are described as comfortable and tidy with bed linens and washbasins meeting clean expectations. Guests appreciate the fresh and clean ambiance throughout the hotel.
However, some reviews indicate that while the rooms are clean, certain areas could benefit from refurbishment. Specific mentions include aging carpets and dated décor, though renovations appear to be underway. Additionally, isolated incidents of less-than-ideal cleaning standards, such as visible cobwebs and unclean shower heads, were noted. Despite these minor setbacks, the hotel generally offers good value for money, combining cleanliness with comfort and a friendly atmosphere.
Overall, Royal Hotel’s commitment to cleanliness and guest satisfaction leaves a positive impression, balancing the occasional shortcomings with thorough attention from the staff and ongoing updates to facilities.
Staff
The staff at Royal Hotel consistently receive high praise for their friendly and welcoming demeanor. Guests highlight the team's exceptional helpfulness and accommodation, making them feel at home throughout their stay. The positive interactions begin right at check-in with specific mentions of attentive and wonderful receptionists. The staff's excellent service extends to various roles within the hotel, including cheerful assistance at the bar and proactive support addressing any specific needs, such as accommodating food allergies. Overall, guests consistently describe the staff as wonderful, knowledgeable and always willing to go the extra mile, enhancing the overall experience at the Royal Hotel.
Pool
The reviews highlight the Royal Hotel's swimming pool as a standout feature, frequently praised for being nice, warm and clean. It is described as lovely and well-maintained with the added benefits of a jacuzzi and sauna, although some guests noted that the sauna was occasionally out of order. Despite a few instances when the pool was closed for refurbishment or unspecified reasons, its cleanliness and overall quality left a positive impression on visitors. While some feedback mentioned the pool area as somewhat outdated, the swimming pool is generally considered a significant plus and a delightful aspect of the hotel stay.
Parking
The Royal Hotel offers favorable parking options for its guests. Ample off-street parking is available at the rear of the property, ensuring convenience and ease. The hotel provides free parking, which is particularly appreciated by visitors. Additionally, the private parking facilities contribute to a hassle-free experience. Guests have noted the friendly service that complements the parking amenities, enhancing the overall stay. Located at a good spot, the hotel combines practical parking solutions with a welcoming atmosphere.
Yes, Royal Hotel has pool(s) that belong to one or more of the following categories: Heated Pool, Indoor Pool.
No, a spa isn't available at Royal Hotel.
No, Royal Hotel doesn't allow dogs.
Yes, parking facilities are available at Royal Hotel.