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3.5
#14 of 16 hotels in Oban
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Value
Royal Hotel is located in the heart of Oban town on the western coast of Scotland. Enjoy the very best of Scottish hospitality at this 3-star hotel that first opened its doors in 1895. Rooms at this hotel feature television, tea/coffee makers, large windows and high ceilings, private bathrooms, complimentary toiletries, hairdryers, and climate control. The traditional decor is complemented by the tartan furnishings. There is Free WiFi in public areas and in Superior Rooms. Porter, luggage storage and tours/ticket assistance services are provided and there is a very small car park to the rear of the hotel. The hotel’s 170-seater restaurant serves a great selection of Scottish cuisine that you can savour for breakfast, lunch, high tea and dinner. Relax in the bar and/or lounge over drinks and Scottish malts in the company of friends beside the open fire. Close to Royal Hotel are a handful of attractions including the iconic McCaig’s Tower, Oban Distillery, Glencruitten Golf Course, the House at Dunollie, and the Glorious Gardens of Argyll.
Star ratings are intended to indicate the general level of features, amenities, and services to expect. This property is classified according to TheAA: The Automobile Association.
Places to stay are graded on a 0-100 scale. The higher the grade, the easier it is for travellers to find restaurants and things to do within walking distance.
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The Royal Hotel garners acclaim for its top-notch service, with numerous guests lauding the staff's welcoming and attentive demeanor, despite a few instances of dissatisfaction. While opinions on value vary, with some guests praising the deals and others questioning the room quality for the price, the amenities generally receive positive feedback for comfort and convenience.
The hotel's prime location is a hit among travelers, offering easy access to the station and harbor. However, there is a consensus that the rooms and overall atmosphere could benefit from a modern makeover.
Location
Central
Atmosphere
Tired
Rooms
Dated
Value
Inconsistent
Cleanliness
Spotless
Service
Friendly
Amenities
Satisfactory
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I really like this hotel! Had a great time!!! I done my research before arriving to give me an idea of what to expect. Our friends had booked this hotel as their birthday weekend so made sense we booked the same hotel. I expected overall mid star hotel (based on other reviews) but it was better than that. Our room forth floor, fab, clean, good decoration, good bedding, kettle with tea and coffee, bed comfy enough, new bathroom, everything you need for a two night stay. I couldn’t moan! The hotel staff were really nice, very helpful and polite, from bar staff, reception and house maids. The price was very good for the location of the hotel, less than five mins walk from train station, a number of excellent restaurant and cafes on its doorstep. Waterfront is just a moment away and provides a lovely evening walk post dinner.
Why only four stars than five- breakfast was very salty (maybe just my preference) and only one tea/coffee machine working when two on show which made queues for everyone. Car parking, it states on the website and when booking it’s limited, it really is. I got the last parking space off peak season at 3pm. So if driving, try and get there early to get a space or just keep your eyes peeled. Small tip for hotel, a little map of where your parking is or alternative recommended parking would be helpful please.
I highly recommend this hotel and would like to return in the summer months.
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Date of stay: January 2020Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from ROYAL1895, General Manager at Royal Hotel
Responded 24 Jan 2020
Good Afternoon Sir/Madam Thank you very much for taking the time to leave this lovely feedback on your recent stay with us for your friends birthday. It's great to see all this lovely feedback which i will certainly pass onto the staff here at the Hotel. in regards to your comments on only having the one coffee machine working at breakfast we had called for an engineer to come out which was fixed later that day. We do have a very small car park at the rear of the Hotel which can fill up very fast as its a first come first served basis. with this car park being full we do have a public car park which is £5 for 24 hours just a 5 minute walk away from the hotel. We look forward to welcoming you back in the summer months. Kind Regards Joseph Darrah Assistant Manager
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Stayed here for 3 nights as part of a Rail Discoveries holiday and perhaps this component, of an otherwise wonderful holiday, was the least memorable.
The hotel is very central and a very short walk from the station and the ferry terminal. It has a grand facade and is quite old, and consequently has creaking floorboards throughout. Although we could hear every movement in the the rooms next to us and above, fortunately they were up and about at the same time we were. Having said that our room and bathroom was very spacious. The hotel perhaps enjoyed grander times in the past, but economies currently were evident here and there; a school canteen feel about the crockery and some of the dinning room furnishings (such as the knives and forks dispenser, mismatched cups and saucers, paper cups for accompanying sauces), thick layer of dust on displays up the stairs. Covid might have been responsible for some of the reduction in frills, but not all.
Our most irritating experience was the quality of the "packed lunch" we were given. 2 slices of bread with very dull coloured plastic meat filling and no butter, packet of crisps, biscuit pack (like the one you get in your room with tea/coffee), an apple and a small box of juice valued at £7 or to replace the evening meal. When we showed the receptionist she reacted as we did and explained she would refer it to the management, but despite prompts we got no response.
There is a single small, slow lift which, in a 5 storey building, was in use most of the times we might have used it so we used the stairs to the 4 floor each time.
The staff were all friendly and obliging, both on reception and in the dinning room, although breakfast service on our last morning prior to catching a 9.00am train was a struggle, 30 minutes to get served after being seated.
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Date of stay: October 2020
Rooms
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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It’s overpriced, which is the norm these days. Parking in Oban is a NIGHTMARE! The council is obviously raking it in so it’s not likely to change. I’m so sick of the ‘covid’ excuses. We were there for our anniversary. My husband (essential worker throughout the pandemic), paid far too much for a bog standard room. My idea of a 4 poster bed isn’t bits of wood attached to the bed. The windows were grubby on the inside and as no double glazing it was extremely noisy. It’s little things that aggravate when things aren’t quite right with your trip. The shower gel container was empty, the toilet paper was cheap and exfoliates areas better left alone. The carpets weren’t hoovered properly and were worn away on the stairs. Breakfast wasnt included in our daylight robbery. It could be added for £10 per head. It isn’t worth it. Potato scone is midget edition and haggis and black pudding are halved. I get the ‘pandemic’ thing but we’ve had to live through it too and being ripped off leaves a nasty taste. Oban itself is nice enough. We went to a few terrific, welcoming pubs with good food and atmosphere. Would I return to Oban? Perhaps. I now know the parking situation so fore armed etc. Royal Hotel again?? No, sadly not.
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Date of stay: July 2021Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Had a fantastic 2 night stay at The Royal Hotel in Oban. If you're looking for comfort, cleanliness, terrific helpful staff and warmth, then this is the place to go. Everything about our stay was great. We had a seaview room. Definitely worth asking for. Having a carpark at the rear of the property is an added bonus. Central to all of Obans amenities. Looking forward to returning hopefully later in the year
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Date of stay: January 2024
Value
Location
Service
Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Had the unfortunate experience of having to spend two nights at this dilapidated, dirty & overpriced hotel.
The car park is minuscule, so getting a space is pure chance, and make sure you can turn your car on a sixpence. It’s tight!
The overall décor of the foyer and communal areas are tired and dreary but you can expect this from a building over a century old. The room I was allocated (207) was probably the saddest & smallest room I’ve even seen. The sash window was crumbling to the touch, overlooking a roof and heating duct. The single bed looked and felt as appealing as stone. The furnishings were mismatched, dated and damaged ( luckily had my tool bag with me as the wardrobe handles pulled off at the touch, I put these back on for you). The floor creaks and squeaks with every step, and I had to avoid the 3” hole where the floorboards had snapped. The bathroom hot tap pipe work was leaking, but this had been remedied by placing the bin under the drip, whatever works I guess.
I broke and requested to change rooms………..
Room 310.
It’s a bigger room and has a view overlooking the main road, the bathroom has been modernised and has a double bed (two singles together) that’s where the positives stop.
The linen, upholstery, carpets and curtains are filthy! One yellow stained pillow case, brown marks on the duvet ( I hope it’s coffee/burns/makeup), brown splattered stains up the right curtain ( god please i really hope it’s coffee), long dark hairs on the towels, linen and throughout the bathroom. The walls are so very thin, so much so I felt like I was spectating my neighbour and his female friend’s 6 minutes of heaven, climactic!
The saving grace to this place is the food, the evening menu lacks creativity and passion, but the food is flavourful, modest portion sizes and reasonably priced.
With the amount this hotel charges for accommodation, it’s apparat to see the money isn’t being spent on renovation or maintenance, must be lining someone’s pockets.
Anyway save yourself the horror show and stay at a premier inn, clean, modern and expecting. I wish my company had book there instead.
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Date of stay: May 2021Trip type: Travelled on business
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Low and behold we got the room with the wonkey floor,sloping to one side at least 6 inches. Dull dull hotel , shambles at breakfast both mornings waiting 25 to be seen and get tea everyone was sitting looking at each other,are they getting served before us,it was shocking,toast toasted on one side both mornings and cold breakfast,so expensive for nothing. I would not go back, the ambience was on the level of a morgue at breakfast.
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Date of stay: September 2020Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
A family birthday so we decided as we live in different cities to all meet up in Oban and having often visited the Royal Hotel this was where we decided to stay . There is always a warm friendly welcome from reception and we were very happy with the rooms we were given .Two twin beds rooms and one single . My sister had booked a superior with sea view and it was a beautiful room with spectacular views over the harbour . My husband and I had a standard room which was very nice and great value for money ,but after seeing the room my Sister was in think for the view well worth the extra . Rooms were all very cosy with easy to control radiators of like us we prefer a cooler bedroom Breakfast in their first floor dining room was self service and had plenty of choice of cold and hot food .
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Date of stay: February 2020
Rooms
Service
Sleep Quality
Room Tip:If able pay the little extra for superior with sea view room definitely well worth the extra .We...
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from ROYAL1895, Manager at Royal Hotel
Responded 18 Feb 2020
Good Afternoon Sir/Madam. Thank you very much for taking the time to leave this lovely feedback on the stay you had with us here at the Royal Hotel. It's lovely to hear that you both like and enjoyed your rooms and time with us during your stay, I hope that you enjoyed the food at the Hotel as well. If you're planning on heading back to Oban please give us a call direct at the hotel for the best available rate and a 10% off as a returning guest. We hope to welcome you back at the Royal hotel in the near future. Kind Regards Joseph Darrah
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The hotel is in a superb location but does not reflect the high price for the rooms.we stayed in a superior room with sea view,it was just a port hole window .the window frames were rotting the wallpaper peeling off and the bed was on a downward slope not good for a nights sleep . We had breakfast which was good but you have to be a mind reader has they don’t have breakfast menus and when asked what you want and question this they rhyme off the options at a hundred miles an hour.All extremely overpriced hotel lots more cheaper and better standard I the area definitely would never stop here again .
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Date of stay: September 2020Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We stayed for 1 night on our way to the Isle of Mull, as friends had recommended an overnight stay in Oban. We chose & booked this hotel on Expedia. As we paid approx £160 for 3 of us for 1 night- the most expensive accommodation of our holiday, we thought (wrongly in hindsight) it would be grand & quite special and from the photos on Expedia, we believed it was on the seafront. We wanted a decent hotel with free parking, by the sea and in a central location. When we arrived at late afternoon, the tiny car park was full, so had to pay for road parking. The hotel looks tired & old. Our family room was large, the beds were comfortable and we had a partial sea view which we had paid extra for, BUT the view of the sea is over Inter-sport & other shops, hence ‘partial’. Definitely not a view to spend time gazOMG at! The bathroom tiling, fittings & painted walls looked quite fresh however the window was boarded up and extremely dirty. The shower gel was attached to the wall & completely empty. Breakfast was served in a lovely big & bright room but both the food & decor were just ordinary. There was nothing special about this place at all & we wouldn’t recommend it for the money we paid.
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Date of stay: September 2020Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Penny (puppy of 20 months) and I stayed for two nights 1/2 October. We could not have been made more welcome. We had a Classic Room which was spotless and although dog friendly I could not find one dog hair. The room was on the third floor and very quiet. I found the room very pleasant and the bathroom very modern and up to date so not sure why there are some negative comments regarding "tired". As Penny joined me for breakfast we were served in a separate room just off the main dining room, breakfast was good value. Very good location and will definitely be returning next year.
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Date of stay: October 2020
Location
Cleanliness
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
There are more places to choose from in the Oban area.
PRICE RANGE
₹10,681 - ₹15,139 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
ALSO KNOWN AS
royal hotel oban
LOCATION
United KingdomScotlandArgyll and ButeOban
NUMBER OF ROOMS
91
Prices are provided by our partners, and reflect average nightly room rates, including taxes and fees that are fixed, known to our partners, and due at time of booking. Please see our partners for more details.
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