With my wife I travelled to Beauly for specialised vehicle servicing at a nearbye Garage. We were given recommendation for this 'hotel' - so were expecting a homely well run establishment. On arrival we followed in two elderley American guests. We stood behind them at Reception where 'Robert', presumably a clueless student 'just helping out' - booked them in and told them to choose between Rooms * and *. It subsequently turned out that he had presumed we were all four, travelling together. I was ignored in my attempted intervention to tell him that we were seperate parties. These guests were not young but there was no offer of help to take their hefty luggage to the rooms which were upstairs. Neither were they shown to their rooms by staff. Then my turn at booking in, interrupted by the Americans asking for clearer instructions to the whereabouts of their room. We were simply told' Room 17' on the second floor. I was handed the room key with a fob which looked like it had been in a fight!
Muttering about the standard of Scottish hotel staff, we made our way to Room 17. On gaining entry through the door which appeared to have shrunk somewhat and was ill fitting. The floor just inside the room appeared to be sinking as it was at a different level from the rest of the room.
We then looked over our room. First stop, the bed linen, the bedsheets were clean although had a well used look and feel to them. The light coloured top bed cover had stains on it which had obviously been through the wash several times without success in removing them. Next stop, the bathroom, well, the hand soap dispenser was broken, and the broken fitment was sticking out of the wall. The shower had dirty spots all over the glass and all the lower seams within the shower were covered in black mould.
At 'my side' of the bed, I looked down at the floor and saw what apppeared to be dust and biscuit crumbs. Closer inspection revealed that there was in fact a large piece of toe or finger nail lying there amongst the dust. I then had a good look around the skirtings, under the radiators etc. It looked like the room had not been cleaned since it was last decorated, probably about 30 years ago. The wallpaper was coming away in several locations, including the ceiling. Dirty marks on the walls and the three 'pictures' were not even hanging straight (maybe I'm just being picky!) The bedside lamps with their dreadful eco-friendly bulbs that take 15 minutes to give out light were probably there so that when lying in bed you would not see the dust clinging to the underside of the shades. I looked at the Information folder telling us about the delights of staying at The Lovat Arms. The pages were marked and scruffy and looked like they had been rescued from a soaking somewhere.
'It's only one night and the sheets are clean' said my tolerant wife. So after a walk around Beauly and with little else in choice of eating establishments we decided to have a Lovat Arms bar meal. The barman was pleasant if not speedy and the two young girls who served us our 'meal' were inexperienced but were pleasant enough with what they had to do. The decor in the Bar was of the same standard as the rest of the Hotel - absolutely tired out, colourless and dreary. The Hotel boasts of it's history with the Fraser Clan/Family and perhaps there is some kind of preservation order on it to stop the owners giving it an update in decoration!!!!! Suffice to say that the food was very disappointing, my Gammon Steak with Caramalised Pineapple and salad - turned out to be burnt on the under side, pink on the top side on which the top chef had placed two pineapple rings straight from the can - under the grill for 10 seconds to take the chill off them and out to the punters! Scottish chefs must discover that garnish can be much more interesting than two lettuce leaves and a quarter of hard chilled tomato.
We did not sleep well in the bed, the matress of which must have been a Clan Fraser heirloom as I believe the missing Chieftan is still in there hiding! A plus point!!! - The light from the outside corridor was brightly shining through the door surround so having to get up during the night for a piddle, as us older folk tend to have to do, did not require us to put on room lights thus saving the environment.
Breakfast was served with the usual happy smiling Scottish serving wench attitude - 'take it or on yer bike'!! It was all there on the menu but again just a feeling in the dreary Dining Room of being more of an inconvenience than a valued guest.
I am a fiercely patriotic 58 year old Scot, I have stayed in Hotels of all shapes, sizes and standards worldwide and my wife and I now run a Guest House - I feel that gives me the experience to say that overall - rating for The Lovat Arms should be minus 5 stars. I don't know who the Manger is? - he should be taken to task. I don't know if the owners have any day to day dealings with the place? I don't know if Visit Scotland (the old Tourist Board) ever inspect the premises? What a dreadful example of a Scottish Hotel.

We had a good night stay at Lovat Arms en route to Skye from Inverness airport. Our room was fine - slightly motel-like - and there was a lovely main lounge and restaurant in the main house, along with more rooms. Just be aware that the food, though tasty, did not deliver stomach busting portions. The food was pretty but not always filling.

No problems here at all staff welcoming and friendly, rooms fine, food very good.

Didn't actually stay here but had Christmas Day Lunch with relatives. We were all very impressed by the standard of food and service. Also the hotel was warm & inviting with a nicely decorated & cosy diningroom. Just perfect and we would all be more than happy to return here in the future.