Ulbster Arms Hotel - Luxury Caithness Hotel & Restaurant Near Thurso — Hotel in Great Britain

Booked in advance after viewing their misleading website. On arrival my wife and I were told our room was in the 'Comm' building which is some walk back up the road away from the main building, rooms are above a pub, no mention of this on the website. Access to the building was tight through some dirty and very unwelcoming double uPVC double doors. Making our way up the staircase we entered our room which was below average, the walls were dirty and it was in need of redecorating. Advertised WiFi was very poor and kept dropping out. No sign of the advertised Halkirk biscuits, just two packets of Crawford's biscuits. There was tea making facilities but only one mug! The bar was open so I made my way downstairs to ask for another mug, there were a number of locals present who were all sat next to each other, no social distancing here. The elderly lady from behind the bar was sat with them and took it upon herself to try and embarrass me in front of her customers, very uncomfortable. Returning to the room I checked out the bathroom which consisted of a small shower cubicle, basin and loo. All of an age but functioned as they should, there was no lock on the door. There is a wall heater which gets very hot, dangerous in such a small space. There is nowhere to eat in the village so we opted for a meal at the hotel, this was served in a marquee behind the main building. Power to the tent was from a diesel generator with fumes blowing in, most people dwindled away and the generator was turned of which in turn, turned the heating off. Food was fine. Time for bed, pulled the covers back to find a big dirty mark on the fitted sheet. Not what you want to see after a busy day and desperate to get your head down. The following morning I discovered there was no lock on the sash window which led out onto a flat roof, I opened the window to let some fresh air in only to find it wouldn't close. Breakfast was served in the main hotel dining room (a walk in the rain to get to it) due to Covid restrictions we were served at the table. The service was good as was the selection of food. This hotel is staffed by young person's who, at times, appeared completely uninterested. On leaving no one asked us how our stay was, probably fearful of the feedback.

Update - less than 24 hours after posting I was contacted by the general manager, Anthony by phone. Anthony and I had a conversation around the points raised, feedback which I genuinely believe he took on board. Anthony restored my faith in the Ulbster Arms and as a result I would definitely consider booking with them, staying in the main hotel building, should I ever visit this beautiful part of...

We had a fantastic stay at the Ulbster Arms in Halkirk - The location is perfect, with a beautiful walk along the river right on the doorstep, ideal for a relaxing stroll before or after your dinner!||We enjoyed an evening meal with family, and everything was spot on. The food was absolutely amazing, with something for everyone. Although the bar was full of busy customers, service throughout the evening was warm and attentive, making it a memorable experience. We moved our drinks through to the library/lounge area to carry on the night, which was a lovely touch. ||Our room was spacious, clean, and very comfortable. We had a peaceful night’s sleep and appreciated the early morning breakfast, which was fresh, filling, and set us up nicely for the day ahead. ||The front desk staff were extremely helpful, and checking in/out was smooth. We were on the road in good time for our boat to Orkney the next morning, which is only a short 15-minute drive to Scrabster! Another stop we made was to Dunnet beach which is again only a short drive away and is absolutely breath-taking! ||All in all, a great place to stay! Whether you're passing through or spending time in the area, I’d absolutely recommend it. ||Thank you to all the staff for helping make our trip...

Cannot recommend a stay at the Ulbster Arms highly enough, whether you're in the area for fishing on the River Thurso, or travelling to experience the many other wonderful activities on offer in Caithness. This hotel is THE place to stay.||From start to finish during our 4 day trip (with baby and dog to add to the challenge!) staff at the hotel were consistently amazing, and truly went the extra mile to ensure our family trip was smooth and relaxing. Nothing was too much trouble for them, whether that was setting out our beautiful room with everything we needed for our baby, a clean high-chair ready and waiting for us in the restaurant each breakfast and dinner, or even a sausage for the dog at breakfast. 10/10 staff and service!||Food in the bar/restaurant in the evening was outstanding - don't miss the venison curry - WOW! Great selection of beers on tap too (Beavertown Neck Oil on draught is a great touch) and some lovely local spirits too, even one named after the hotel itself.||All in all, a wonderful atmosphere, stunningly decorated, clean well-appointed room with a really good shower, and great food and service. A special place which truly encapsulates the essence of the far north of...