Balcary Bay Country House Hotel, Castle Douglas

Very good

Liked: Cooked breakfasts were very good and room was very comfortable with lovely view. Staff were friendly.
Disliked: Coffee at breakfast (which otherwise was great) was poor (very weak). When coming back late guests should also have a way to get in without having to have made prior arrangements to have front door left unlocked.

Cannot recommend.

Liked: Location nice although you need your own car to get around. 45 min just to get anywhere you are going.
Disliked: Most of the staff hardly spoke English making communication a bit difficult. We ordered cappuccinos at first breakfast which were undrinkable, immediately after we were back in our room there was a knock on our bedroom door demanding £7 in cash for the cappuccinos. Very strange. We had to get cash next time we were out.Someone in very dirty tracksuit bottoms came in to clear breakfast dishes, bent down and flashed a builders bum, not very appetising. We didn't have any further breakfasts at the hotel.

Very good

Liked: The hotel was great and the location was as well
Disliked: Na

Would not stay again, would...

Liked: The location was great although if you want to explore you definitely need your own transport. Takes 45 min just to get back to main roads.
Disliked: It was very expensive for what you got. The coffee was horrendous, we asked for cappuccinos with breakfast which were undrinkable but we were still asked to pay an extra £3.50 for each (in cash) immediately after breakfast. Someone actually knocked on our bedroom door to ask us to come and pay. Strange! As we enjoy coffee with our breakfast we didn't stay for breakfast on the next two mornings and went somewhere else. Most of the staff we met, at checkin as well, barely spoke English. Some of our questions couldn't be answered. The staff however were friendly.The first morning when we did have breakfast, someone came to clear the table in very dirty tracksuit bottoms and we had the delight of seeing his builders bum. Very off putting and not what I was expecting for £250 per night.

Brilliant will probably come again...

Liked: Everything about the hotel was excellent staff extremely helpful nothing too much trouble brilliant
Disliked: Liked everything nothing to dislike

Superb

Overall a comfortable stay in...

Liked: The room was very spacious and the bed was large and comfortable.
Disliked: The choice of food on the menu was very limited due to us staying out of season. This was a disappointment because we have stayed there on two previous occasions and a good range of choices was available. In our opinion the food was also overpriced - £110 for a meal for two people with modest drinks. We also found the pillows to be rather uncomfortable.

Hotel is in a lovely...

Liked: Lovely location, large clean rooms, excellent food
Disliked: We stayed in the middle of winter (it was -6 outside) and the communal areas of the hotel were very cold (room was lovely and warm though). Menu was quite limited and we had to choose our food in advance (on check-in for dinner and breakfast the following morning). Confirmation said there were robes in the room but there weren’t.

Exceptional

Liked: The ambience tranquility transported you to an other time in History when life was not rushed. Ghe combination of comfort good food and awesome scenery was a recharge of the soul. I found a time warp in modern today where the rules did not apply and sitting looking out to sea in comfort was amazing. This place is as good as it gets and the location stunning.
Disliked: Nothing.

A very comfortable and personal, old-style hotel in a spectacular location

Liked: The location is absolutely spectacular, right on the shore with views that change with the tide, weather and light! The room was large, comfortable and well appointed. The hotel has an old-fashioned style about it, and the guests were largely old fashioned too, which meant we received a warm welcome and chatted with other guests in the lounge and bar. We were delighted to find we had been given a sea view although only paying for a garden view. Having seen both, we would definitely reserve a sea view next time if we could afford it. There are some great walks around the fields and headland by the hotel. The restaurant food is also excellent!
Disliked: Being an old hotel, creaky floors and stairs are quite noticeable but guests were not up late so no bother! Although background music was played in the lounge, it was really needed in the dining room as, with only a few guests when we were there, conversation was very hushed and the atmosphere a little awkward. The food was delicious though and the service excellent!