The Brander Lodge Hotel and Bistro

What a find! On our way from Edinburgh to the Isle of Skye, it was the perfect stop. The restaurant was cozy, the food good, and the live music in the cozy bar was a huge bonus! Band members even took the time to chat when they wrapped up just before 9 p.m. Parking was free and convenient (a little tricky to find; it's tucked close to the building and not marked). The bed and bedding was comfortable and it was very quiet at night. It has historic character, also a bonus. Loved it!

Ideal stay as part of a wider road trip. Very welcoming staff, and a great cooked breakfast (we were set for the day after that!). Lovely gardens and views out to the hills. Would happily return :)

Positive: good rooms, excellent breakfast choices, food was fine especially as we had dinner at 8m, great parking. For us the fact that the manager spoke French was also a plus. Negative: sound proofing needs to be improved, very noisy showers in adjacent room ( woke us up at 6.10 am), some dirty chairs in the dining room.

A very , very run down place, clean, but shabby. Great breakfast, quality food and lovely waitress. The bathroom has mould round every ledge, so although its clean it looks grotty. The shower doesnt drain. There are dinner plate size holes in fire door, a ceiling has collapsed in an office / dumping area in the front of the hotel ( they could hide it by just pulling blinds down). Its clearly been neglected for years. The location is fab, it COULD be gorgeous with a heap of improvements.

Hotel was very good. Lovely clean modern room with super comfy bed. Staff were all excellent, friendly and helpful. The hotel is in beautiful scenery and I'm sure it is lovely to sit on the terrace outside restaurant and bar in the summer. Food was very good too.

Coming up by train, it was a convenient and luxury base camp for the Ben Cruachan circuit, if a short walk along the road doesn't bother you. Lovely garden and river. Very nice staff and food.

I was allocated a very comfortable room with a small outside patio area accessed through the patio doors. Bed was very comfortable and room was very clean, as was the rest of the hotel. The electric shower took a bit of experimenting with to get the flow and temperature right. There was no desk to work at and so had to make do with a small occassional table. Bedroom walls are paper thin, so hope you don't have noisy neighbours! There was no wardrobe in the room, only a hanging rack, which wasn't a problem for me as I was only staying one night, but may be an issue if you are staying longer. If would seem the staff were new and could do with a bit of additional training. Resturant menu was limited but the food good and portions large. Dining room itself is not particularly welcoming being rather bare, and sparsely furnished, more like a canteen. Breakfast was excellent.

Had a major refurb, good choice of food and great garden.

On arrival we went to the bar as no one was at the check in desk, we spoke to staff at the bar about checking in, and from that moment we arrived until we left the staff were so friendly, helpful and accomodating. I did notice there werent many staff around and at times they were doing multiple jobs. Food was really good we ate dinner in the bar the first night and we had a good breakfast included in our room rate in the morning. The room was nice, comfortable beds, warm, we had a good shower and a beautiful little private patio area. The hotel itself is a little run down in areas but has amazing potential, the room could be a little cleaner but we had a really nice stay. It was excellent value for money and the staff really make the place! The hotel atmosphere is very chilled which is lovely!

Alan, Lee and Mani were amazing! Be sure you take a walk out back to the river. Food was excellent and will be coming back again my next time in Scotland. There are a few things that they are working on to make the place even better, but a great choice for us.

My room was a little tired and in need of some repairs, but it wasn’t expensive and it was clean and comfortable. Evening meal and breakfast both very good. I’d be happy to go back when the repairs have been completed.

Rooms are a good size and clean, outside space via patio doors is a nice addition staff are great and very helpful. breakfast was a bit bland but alright, soundproofing could be better, as you can hear people walking and talking upstairs, all in all great for the price.

Set in a very picturesque place. Just felt the room need a little up dating, damp near the patio door.

A very , very run down place, clean, but shabby. Great breakfast, quality food and lovely waitress. The bathroom has mould round every ledge, so although its clean it looks grotty. The shower doesnt drain. There are dinner plate size holes in fire door, a ceiling has collapsed in an office / dumping area in the front of the hotel ( they could hide it by just pulling blinds down). Its clearly been neglected for years. The location is fab, it COULD be gorgeous with a heap of improvements.

The bed was clean and comfortable and the lady in the bar was friendly but everything else was so awful that I was very glad to leave. Shortly after arrival I complained to the manager that the shower ran unbearably hot, even on the coldest setting and that the curtians were hanging down due to multiple missing hooks. Neither complaint was rectified during my 3 night stay. I then noticed that the bedroom carpet was filthy and the ceiling and walls covered in dustwebs. The large televison probably didnt need its wall bracket as there were so many webs attaching it to the wall, both at the back, top and sides. The carpet appeared as if it had never experienced a vacuum clean - the room corners and edges less so. Bits of nail clippings and other dirt clearly visible. Spider web in corners, dead flies attached to the curtains and this was a 'superior'room! Public areas such as the dining room and bar looked lovely. Shame about the breakfast. Buffet items were old, same open bowel of yoghurt out day after day, fruit rotting, apple juice looking darker by the day. A good choice is offered for cooked breakfast but only if you are NOT a vegitarian. Zero effort to offer anything veggy!. You got the impression that everything was about making less work for staff rather than looking after their customers. Very sad as this place could be so good with just a little TLC. I took pictures of the bedroom showing the filth but I got the impression that the manager isnt bothered.

Hotel was very good. Lovely clean modern room with super comfy bed. Staff were all excellent, friendly and helpful. The hotel is in beautiful scenery and I'm sure it is lovely to sit on the terrace outside restaurant and bar in the summer. Food was very good too.

I was allocated a very comfortable room with a small outside patio area accessed through the patio doors. Bed was very comfortable and room was very clean, as was the rest of the hotel. The electric shower took a bit of experimenting with to get the flow and temperature right. There was no desk to work at and so had to make do with a small occassional table. Bedroom walls are paper thin, so hope you don't have noisy neighbours! There was no wardrobe in the room, only a hanging rack, which wasn't a problem for me as I was only staying one night, but may be an issue if you are staying longer. If would seem the staff were new and could do with a bit of additional training. Resturant menu was limited but the food good and portions large. Dining room itself is not particularly welcoming being rather bare, and sparsely furnished, more like a canteen. Breakfast was excellent.

On arrival we went to the bar as no one was at the check in desk, we spoke to staff at the bar about checking in, and from that moment we arrived until we left the staff were so friendly, helpful and accomodating. I did notice there werent many staff around and at times they were doing multiple jobs. Food was really good we ate dinner in the bar the first night and we had a good breakfast included in our room rate in the morning. The room was nice, comfortable beds, warm, we had a good shower and a beautiful little private patio area. The hotel itself is a little run down in areas but has amazing potential, the room could be a little cleaner but we had a really nice stay. It was excellent value for money and the staff really make the place! The hotel atmosphere is very chilled which is lovely!

Not clean , no facilities, very poor Wi-Fi in the rooms , not updated tv system, full of insect , no A/C in the room

The quality of the bedding sheets and furnishings inThe room need significant improvements

I wasn’t really expecting much for £50 but the building itself needs some modernisation. The room looked like it needs a refresh and the view was just of the roof, you couldn’t see anything outside. The shower was not the best. It squirted out bits of water and screamed when it was turned on. Told on Expedia that check in is at 2, I know I got there slightly early but my room wasn’t ready until 3. Dining room wasn’t the best, there was no atmosphere and not a lot of choice on the menu, breakfast was more or less the same, not a lot of choice and some of the things on the menu they didn’t have. Bed was really comfy which is good

Friendly helpful staff, good sized room, own patio area. Scenic situation. Dinner first class with great choices. Highly recommend Cullen Skink soup . Slept well . Will stay again

Rooms are a good size and clean, outside space via patio doors is a nice addition staff are great and very helpful. breakfast was a bit bland but alright, soundproofing could be better, as you can hear people walking and talking upstairs, all in all great for the price.

Spectacular location, perfect for a stop-over. Beds were comfortable, shower was nice and hot, can only get better with a bit of TLC from the landlords!

Very basic accommodation but quite close to Oban. There were only 4 guests when I was there. It felt a bit run down, no Wi-Fi, chef off work, no room cleaning each day etc. I think there was only 2 staff in the building all day

TV was not working properly, Battery missing from remote control WiFi was very poor

Set in a very picturesque place. Just felt the room need a little up dating, damp near the patio door.

I was allocated a very comfortable room with a small outside patio area accessed through the patio doors. Bed was very comfortable and room was very clean, as was the rest of the hotel. The electric shower took a bit of experimenting with to get the flow and temperature right. There was no desk to work at and so had to make do with a small occassional table. Bedroom walls are paper thin, so hope you don't have noisy neighbours! There was no wardrobe in the room, only a hanging rack, which wasn't a problem for me as I was only staying one night, but may be an issue if you are staying longer. If would seem the staff were new and could do with a bit of additional training. Resturant menu was limited but the food good and portions large. Dining room itself is not particularly welcoming being rather bare, and sparsely furnished, more like a canteen. Breakfast was excellent.

Friendly staff, quiet well appointed room.

The quality of the bedding sheets and furnishings inThe room need significant improvements

Staff excellent, no issues 😁, good price and location

The people are really nice there and great to talk to. The manager is very accommodating and efficient. The chef deserves a Michelin star.

Rooms are a good size and clean, outside space via patio doors is a nice addition staff are great and very helpful. breakfast was a bit bland but alright, soundproofing could be better, as you can hear people walking and talking upstairs, all in all great for the price.

Very basic accommodation but quite close to Oban. There were only 4 guests when I was there. It felt a bit run down, no Wi-Fi, chef off work, no room cleaning each day etc. I think there was only 2 staff in the building all day

Efficient welcome by David. Room ok. Nice bathroom but toilet roll holder missing and door very dusty. We went to the bar, the young man needed assistance from my friend on the correct measurement of sherry. He advised he'd only held the position a couple of months. Id have still expected him to have had that training. Dinner Our meal was average but unfortunately we were sitting where a gentleman was sharing his salmon starter with his dog (from his fork!) - not the fault of the hotel but unpleasant for us to see. Dog then received main course of steak in gravy from the kitchen! This time in a dog bowl. Maybe not feeding dogs human food could reduce your prices! Breakfast Continental breakfast on the menu states grapefruit, melon, cranberry juice, yoghurt - none of which were in evidence. Selection of pastries appears to mean one type! Cooked breakfast was ok. The waitress at breakfast appeared to be new and although polite did not appear to have any training in customer service or her role. I would suggest that a uniform would help to make her look more professional. We went out after breakfast and returned around 9.45. My friend wished to have a drink at the bar but it was in darkness!! No prior warning was given or no staff to be found.

Coming up by train, it was a convenient and luxury base camp for the Ben Cruachan circuit, if a short walk along the road doesn't bother you. Lovely garden and river. Very nice staff and food.

Perfect for single traveler! Very friendly staff and good food!

On arrival we went to the bar as no one was at the check in desk, we spoke to staff at the bar about checking in, and from that moment we arrived until we left the staff were so friendly, helpful and accomodating. I did notice there werent many staff around and at times they were doing multiple jobs. Food was really good we ate dinner in the bar the first night and we had a good breakfast included in our room rate in the morning. The room was nice, comfortable beds, warm, we had a good shower and a beautiful little private patio area. The hotel itself is a little run down in areas but has amazing potential, the room could be a little cleaner but we had a really nice stay. It was excellent value for money and the staff really make the place! The hotel atmosphere is very chilled which is lovely!

Spent a lovely, quiet two nights stay. Staff were very helpful and welcoming. Special mention to the Chef and also David from Ireland for their extra attention 😁

Alan, Lee and Mani were amazing! Be sure you take a walk out back to the river. Food was excellent and will be coming back again my next time in Scotland. There are a few things that they are working on to make the place even better, but a great choice for us.

What a find! On our way from Edinburgh to the Isle of Skye, it was the perfect stop. The restaurant was cozy, the food good, and the live music in the cozy bar was a huge bonus! Band members even took the time to chat when they wrapped up just before 9 p.m. Parking was free and convenient (a little tricky to find; it's tucked close to the building and not marked). The bed and bedding was comfortable and it was very quiet at night. It has historic character, also a bonus. Loved it!

Ideal stay as part of a wider road trip. Very welcoming staff, and a great cooked breakfast (we were set for the day after that!). Lovely gardens and views out to the hills. Would happily return :)

Nice place, quiet and calming in beautiful nature. We enjoyed our stay

Spectacular location, perfect for a stop-over. Beds were comfortable, shower was nice and hot, can only get better with a bit of TLC from the landlords!

Very basic accommodation but quite close to Oban. There were only 4 guests when I was there. It felt a bit run down, no Wi-Fi, chef off work, no room cleaning each day etc. I think there was only 2 staff in the building all day

Hotel was very good. Lovely clean modern room with super comfy bed. Staff were all excellent, friendly and helpful. The hotel is in beautiful scenery and I'm sure it is lovely to sit on the terrace outside restaurant and bar in the summer. Food was very good too.

Coming up by train, it was a convenient and luxury base camp for the Ben Cruachan circuit, if a short walk along the road doesn't bother you. Lovely garden and river. Very nice staff and food.

overnight stay on my way to the Outer Hebrides. On checking in a was surprised to hear I had been upgraded to a bigger room. The bed was big and comfy and the shower was powerful and hot. I had dinner and breakfast at the bistro which was limited for veggies but no more so than any other restaurant and the staff were helpful and polite.

Nice stay when visiting the Highlands.

Lovely property in a really good location. Will definitely be staying here again.

The staff were nice enough but there were only 4 main meal options. The food that we had was terrible the smoked salmon starter had two tiny pieces of salmon barely enough for one of the three oatcakes that came with it ! The main meal I had was Steak pie it had greasy watery gravy and tasteless meat covered in gristle My colleague had mince and mash which was also tasteless and when he asked for a sachet of brown sauce to try to put a bit of taste into it was told there was none I would not recommend anyone eat there until the food improves drastically

I wasn’t really expecting much for £50 but the building itself needs some modernisation. The room looked like it needs a refresh and the view was just of the roof, you couldn’t see anything outside. The shower was not the best. It squirted out bits of water and screamed when it was turned on. Told on Expedia that check in is at 2, I know I got there slightly early but my room wasn’t ready until 3. Dining room wasn’t the best, there was no atmosphere and not a lot of choice on the menu, breakfast was more or less the same, not a lot of choice and some of the things on the menu they didn’t have. Bed was really comfy which is good

What a find! On our way from Edinburgh to the Isle of Skye, it was the perfect stop. The restaurant was cozy, the food good, and the live music in the cozy bar was a huge bonus! Band members even took the time to chat when they wrapped up just before 9 p.m. Parking was free and convenient (a little tricky to find; it's tucked close to the building and not marked). The bed and bedding was comfortable and it was very quiet at night. It has historic character, also a bonus. Loved it!

Positive: good rooms, excellent breakfast choices, food was fine especially as we had dinner at 8m, great parking. For us the fact that the manager spoke French was also a plus. Negative: sound proofing needs to be improved, very noisy showers in adjacent room ( woke us up at 6.10 am), some dirty chairs in the dining room.

Friendly helpful staff, good sized room, own patio area. Scenic situation. Dinner first class with great choices. Highly recommend Cullen Skink soup . Slept well . Will stay again

Efficient welcome by David. Room ok. Nice bathroom but toilet roll holder missing and door very dusty. We went to the bar, the young man needed assistance from my friend on the correct measurement of sherry. He advised he'd only held the position a couple of months. Id have still expected him to have had that training. Dinner Our meal was average but unfortunately we were sitting where a gentleman was sharing his salmon starter with his dog (from his fork!) - not the fault of the hotel but unpleasant for us to see. Dog then received main course of steak in gravy from the kitchen! This time in a dog bowl. Maybe not feeding dogs human food could reduce your prices! Breakfast Continental breakfast on the menu states grapefruit, melon, cranberry juice, yoghurt - none of which were in evidence. Selection of pastries appears to mean one type! Cooked breakfast was ok. The waitress at breakfast appeared to be new and although polite did not appear to have any training in customer service or her role. I would suggest that a uniform would help to make her look more professional. We went out after breakfast and returned around 9.45. My friend wished to have a drink at the bar but it was in darkness!! No prior warning was given or no staff to be found.

Hotel was very good. Lovely clean modern room with super comfy bed. Staff were all excellent, friendly and helpful. The hotel is in beautiful scenery and I'm sure it is lovely to sit on the terrace outside restaurant and bar in the summer. Food was very good too.

I was allocated a very comfortable room with a small outside patio area accessed through the patio doors. Bed was very comfortable and room was very clean, as was the rest of the hotel. The electric shower took a bit of experimenting with to get the flow and temperature right. There was no desk to work at and so had to make do with a small occassional table. Bedroom walls are paper thin, so hope you don't have noisy neighbours! There was no wardrobe in the room, only a hanging rack, which wasn't a problem for me as I was only staying one night, but may be an issue if you are staying longer. If would seem the staff were new and could do with a bit of additional training. Resturant menu was limited but the food good and portions large. Dining room itself is not particularly welcoming being rather bare, and sparsely furnished, more like a canteen. Breakfast was excellent.

overnight stay on my way to the Outer Hebrides. On checking in a was surprised to hear I had been upgraded to a bigger room. The bed was big and comfy and the shower was powerful and hot. I had dinner and breakfast at the bistro which was limited for veggies but no more so than any other restaurant and the staff were helpful and polite.

Alan, Lee and Mani were amazing! Be sure you take a walk out back to the river. Food was excellent and will be coming back again my next time in Scotland. There are a few things that they are working on to make the place even better, but a great choice for us.