First up, wonderful building and setting. We aren't particularly fussy travellers, but there were some pretty poor aspects:
1. I've stayed in dozens of hostels across the world, and I can't recall being asked to vacate the building between 10am-3pm. Unnecessary, and if I've paid for the room (and not an inconsiderable cost either!) I should be able to come and go as I please! Give residents front door keys if necessary.
2. The cooked breakfast was pretty bad. I just went continental on the 2nd morning even though I'd paid for cooked.
3. Hard to put a finger on this one, but there was just a general lack of atmosphere.

Overall: just about worth it to stay in the grand building and if you have a car its ideal for exploring LL and even the highlands, but it is very pricey for what it is... If you can afford a little B&B instead, i'd take that any day.

I had stayed here in 1998 with my wife and returned this time with an old friend on a bit of a lads highland adventure. Well, 43+ year old lads that is, if you can give that any credibility in the 'adventure' stakes - more like two brilliantine stick insects trying to relive a youth that has long gone....and failing dismally.
Anyway, this hostel is lovely. It suited our needs perfectly - a great staging place as we had driven from Edinburgh and were Glen Nevis bound the next day. We got to the hostel late and were well accommodated in a decent dorm on the upper level. The room was spacious for six of us, and the bathroom facilities even more spacious - all in all, great accommodation for hostel fare. ANd the brekafast in the morning (full cooked Scottish is WELL worth the money IMHO).
We walked into Balloch that night for a pint and a filthy kebab down by the Loch banks. Though entirely unrelated to the hostel, I would say that the kebab was the only mistake during our stay at the Loch Lomond Youth Hostel - ever eaten a babies diaper? No? Well, after the kebab from Chillies in Balloch, I was sure that was what we had done...
Balloch is the only real life post near the hostel, and a bit of a walk at that (about 3km) so take a car unless you are planning on a few pints in one of the local pubs, in which case take a torch. The hostel is a bit isolated in that respect and not well lit for when you return - take a small torch for the return trip.
But I'd go back again, local kebabs aside...

Another great location for a hostel - near Loch Lomond. This was the 3rd hostel we stayed in on our holiday. Looks very grand from the outside. All rooms very spacious - grand entrance hall and staircases, great lounges, dining rooms and kitchen. Can see why it’s hired out for weddings and parties. Showers and loos need a refurb. Ate dinner there – had vegetarian options.

Felt the hostel was very overrated for the price, not at all impressed with being asked to leave the premises between 10am- 3pm daily. This was very inconvenient and had it not have been for our strong protest at this it could have ruined the reason we came up to this area in the first place for a wedding down the road, which started at 1pm. Please not it does state on the front door of the Building (Very Convenient place to put very important information) that this is the case, but not in the YHA handbook you are handed once you check in. We had to beg the manager on duty to open the door for us at 12:15pm so we had time to get ready, which to his credit he did, but I was told ‘this is a hostel not a hotel’ what! I think if you are asking for £85.00 for 3 nights I should be able to come and go when I like not be booted out and told not to come back till 3pm! Not a good idea kicking your guests out with no place to get ready? It gets worse the rooms where massively over priced and breakfast was very poorly presented, I asked the chef if I could have a bowl of cereal whilst I waited for the cooked breakfast to arrive, a request which was refused as I was advised that a bowl of cereal was not included!! Even though I had paid the higher price of £6.00 for the full breakfast I would have thought that a 30p bowl of coco pops would have not been to much of an ask. Overall this experience was not a good one. I have stayed in lots of Hostels all over the world some crap some good so I ‘am not some nonce who doesn’t know the difference between a hostel and a hotel. I would not recommend this hostel to anybody else, there are too many rules I felt like a 5 year old kid being told what to do and when to be back. If going up for a wedding in this area avoid this place like the plague! Unless you want to get ready at 9am for a weeding that starts in the afternoon and wander around a place in the middle of nowhere in all your best gear! Not good enough in my book YHA Loch Lomand get your act together!