Was in the area for a brief visit after being away for some years, I was excited at the prospect of meeting up with friends in what used to be our local. However... most refused to meet there are it was clear to see why. The hotel is in a state of disrepair, dirty and lifeless. The hotel is clearly just being used as an extended livingroom for the abrupt, dirty and downright rude manager to drink. Please do yourself a favour and stay in one of the beautiful bed and breakfasts in Kirkcudbright or any of the other hotels in the area. You have been warned about this...... Hole. Please dont spoil your holiday as I did.

Absolutely terrible service at reception, dirty linen,plates and cutlery..DISGUSTING !! P.S Cockroaches everywhere !

We had the misfortune of booking in here for the jazz festival as everywhere else was full. We would rather miss the festival than stay here again. The hotel is run down and dirty. The staff less than helpful. On arrival we were dismayed at the "cupboard" reception with choice of public bar or pool hall to sit and have a drink. The food was just pubgrub and basic. The "resaurant" like an 1970s Blackpool B&B. The general clenliness was abysmall, (avoid the toilets downstairs, broken toilet seats and stench of urine). Moreover the general atmosphere in the place is overwhelmingly grim and unfriendly. During the day the staff congregrate at the front door for their "fag breaks". At night the noise did not lend itself to a good sleep. Mainly from the jukebox as the bar wasnt overfull. We even witnessed an event with the owner and his customers which resulted in the police being called as the owner had used racist comments. We will definately not be back and would never recommend to our friends or family. Having our car parked on the street outside hotel was also worrying.

My husband and myself stayed at the Royal Hotel last year, we should have known when we were handed the key to our room and then couldnt find it as it was not listed with the other rooms, the room was small even though it was a double and the ensuite was a joke, there was a broken bracket where presumably a shelf used to be, I had heard of scottish mist which is a good description of the shower, you turned it on and then waited for the mist to wet you enough to wash. The bed was sooo squeaky it made you sound like you were having rampant sex even if you were just adjusting your tissue thin pillow. we ventured out and felt even more depressed when we saw really lovely B&B's in the surrounding streets, after a uncomfortable night we came down to a raw breakfast, the mushrooms had just been cut into four and left on the plate, the egg was not cooked properly, the staff were below uninterested and we fought the temptation to just leave and not pay but can imagine that a few have done this as no one was around and cared even less when they were there. all in all a very bad experience that has just resurfaced and so I thought I would put my two pence in.