In January this year we were on a visit to the UK and in particular Scotland. After consulting Tripadvisor and Karen Brown`s World of Travel which we find are excelent guides when visiting new places, we decided to stay at The Dower House which has an interesting history in the Muir of Ord. On our arrival we were met by the proprietors Mena & Robyn Aitchison and warmly welcomed.We were shown to our room which was elegantly furnished in the style of the period and the ambience of Scotland. During our stay we used the Dower House as our base to explore the countryside and surrounding villages which we found delightful. We were very appreciative of the friendly assistance we were afforded by Mena & Robyn who recommended places to go and sights to see. Without their advice we would have missed many worthwhile sights. We opted for breakfast and dinner and found the meals to be 5 star. In fact after breakfast we found we did not require lunch, and we looked forward to dinner which was always excellent amongst elegent furnishings in the dining room and afterwards we would retire to the sitting room by the fire for a chat with fellow guests and a night cap. We have been avid travellers for over 30 years and have experienced the hospitality industry in many countries.Suffice to say we were very pleased with our Dower House experience, we consider it to be one of the best we have stayed at. If we are fortunate enough to visit Scotland again we will most certainly return to The Dower House. Colin Carle Port Bouvard Western Australia

What a fabulous hotel! I really enjoyed myself! Mena and Robyn are lovely people.

The food cooked by Robyn was abosolutely delicious! Believe me, I am an Italian. The accomodation has a traditional Scottish-style and the garden is such an important part of their life.

Just one word: Perfect!

When we booked this B&B on-line for 150 pounds per night for three nights, we thought we would be getting one of the very best B&B``s in Scotland. Not so!!!!!

Granted, this is a very pleasant property in a very quiet spot, but it is a rabbit warren of rooms, and really not too close to many tourist stops. In no way is it worth this price! Try 90-100 pound per night.

The decor in the sitting room and dining room is very comfortable, but the bedroom was a conglomeration of odds and ends of chairs and a setee well-past their due date. The bathroom was a disaster for seniors with a huge, long, narrow 19th C (?) bathtub that was extremely difficult to get in and out of. No shower available as an alternative!

The breakfast was A-OK and nicely presented. We decided not to sample the dinner at 42.5 pounds per person. A good choice, we think.

I found this hotel, which I would really say is more of a bed and breakfast, on Karen Brown's website. We have been booking Karen Brown suggested hotels for years and have never been disappointed until this place. We stopped here on our way from Edinburgh to Isle of Skye and wish we had gone straight to Isle of Skye instead! Our perception would likely have been very different if we were greeted with warm Scottish hospitality, but we weren't. The few interactions we had with the lady of the house were quick and cold. When we arrived, we asked about walking trails, and she kind of shrugged us off, pointing to a road down the hill. We picked up a map and headed out. The local distillery and art gallery were both closed. As it was a last minute trip we really didn't know what to do in the area, so we drove around looking for something, anything! Begrudgingly we headed back to the awkward Dower house to wait for dinner.

The place was clean, but a little shabby. We love character, but we felt like we were staying in our grandmother's house - except no love! The best part about our stay was meeting the other guests at dinner. The food was good, but not amazing, and outrageously expensive for what it was. Breakfast was part of our room rate and included excellent homemade muesli, but the lady of the house dissuaded me from ordering an extra egg. She certainly erred on the side of stingy!

We couldn't wait to leave. And when we got our bill, and realized how much we had spent, we were incredibly disappointed.