The Stirling Highland Hotel

We tried to book direct mon-thu but were told wed was full, but not according to booking.com who we eventually booked with. On arrival we were told we had to pay parking because we didn't book direct!! They said it was a glitch, aye, very good, a glitch that cost me £30! The supervisor said she couldn't do anything about it, yes she could, she could have shown a bit of customer care, admitted it was their fault and waived the charge, but no, I would have been better dealing with Dick Turpin, at least he might have smiled. Also had to pay for steam room/sauna facilities as well, even though we were residents!! Twice locked out of our room because of dodgy keys, waited far too long in the restaurant and the steak was cold when it arrived. On a more positive note, the one tremendous thing about The Stirling Highland Hotel was the road out.

This was our second stay at this lovely hotel. The room was clean and the bed ‘very’ comfortable. I love the fact that the bathroom has a bath and shower. (Love a long soak in the bath on holiday). We used the bar several evenings and had a delicious afternoon tea. Amazing facilities in the hotel which make it such great value for money. Staff are always very pleasant and helpful. Another perfect stay, thank you.

Amazing stay, warm, comfortable and relaxing. Friendly staff, the bar was relaxing. Can see the Wallace monument from the bar which was lovely

Fabulous overnight stay, celebrating my friends 70th birthday. 4 women sharing two connecting rooms. The service from the reception, bar and restaurant was first class. Would highly recommend

We received an overnight stay with dinner and breakfast as a gift for Christmas, on reading reviews we were dreading our stay and even tried to change our voucher for another hotel, when this was not possible we decided to book. First impression when trying to book were not good, tried to call numerous times and different times of the day for the phone to just ring out, was only when I sent an email and received a reply from Chloe the experience began to improve. On arrival we were greeted with friendly check in staff (Chloe being one of them) our room was on the 2nd floor, yes the rooms are a little dated and a bit of modernisation would definitely help that said our room was very clean, comfortable and well maintained. Our evening meal in the restaurant was a pleasant surprise, the food was very good and we both really enjoyed our meals and the service received was friendly and attentive, with a lovely atmosphere. Breakfast was also enjoyable, food was fresh, warm and plenty to choose from. We didn't use the spa facilities so cannot comment on those, but overall we had a really enjoyable stay and felt the hotel was better than the reviews suggested, all in all we glad we went.

Stayed for one night while in Stirling for work. The room was dated and in need of a refresh although it was clean. Unfortunately there isn’t much sound proofing in the rooms so you could hear into next door and everything that went on in the corridor. The shower was a fixed height and was too low to get under properly. Finally despite being booked and paid for through the company they still charged by personal card. I don’t think I’ll be staying again.

Hotel restaurant very disappointing, waited an hour to receive our first plates, about 2 hours total for the complete service… talked to a manager to share our comments and she blamed it on us saying that we should have booked in advance (party of 8). Small plate sizes, blant food. Would suggest local restaurant, lot of options within 10 min walk. Otherwise ok hotel, friendly staff, pool is nice specially to spend time with kids.

Disappointed with the service recived at hotel regarding booking and room. Arrived for 3pm check in, confirmed room 2 adults and 1 child as per booking. Got to room to find only 1 bed, went back to reception to enquire about bed for child . Asked if I requested a bed ? Explained i had booked room for 2 adults 1 child don't usually have to ask if we all have a bed in room ? Asked if i had stayed in hotel before as thats always been the policy since the time receptionist has worked there . I was advised would have to pay £25 for a bed to be put in room As I had my granddaughter at reception with me i paid as she was clearly upset that no bed had been made for her. I did go to reception and enquire why we would be given a room that did not accommodate us and why offer upgrades at time of booking if a further payment has to be made for us all to actually have a bed. Advised could contact manager. I had already submitted a query through the email booking. Received a reply later that day and advised passed onto manager could take 10 - 14 days for response. Unfortunately I still have not received a response I have stayed in this hotel many time over the last 15years both as a couple and with our family and never had any issue like this before. I would not have had a problem paying a supplement if I had taken an extra guest along to be added ect but this booking was made for 2 adults and a child so the room should have been fit for purpose and the correct room charges applied not expected to request a bed on arrival then pay £35 to have it added? This was supposed to be a new year surprise for our granddaughter to have a night away and do some shopping, she was unaware we had booked her away for the weekend to the hotel she enjoys visiting. We also got changed and went to use the spa facility to find it had shut at 4pm. Again we do not have an issue with the spa closing early for staff to have some family time at this time of year but we were give an information sheet at check-in which had facilities open until 6pm so had all got changed and went to for a swim, only to find it had already closed by the time we got thier due to us having to sort out the bed and it closing early.

1-Star Review: Disastrous Dining Experience at Stirling Highland hotel/ Restaurant – Unacceptable Food and Poor Management I dined at the Restaurant in the Stirling Highland Hotel expecting a pleasant evening meal, but it turned into one of the worst dining experiences I've ever had. As someone who works in the hospitality industry, I have a good understanding of basic standards for simple dishes like pizza and pasta – unfortunately, every single dish we ordered fell far short of even the most basic expectations. The food was shocking. The pizza was rock hard and tasteless, the pasta was bland – nothing was edible. We struggled through barely half of our meals before giving up, as we simply couldn't force down any more. We politely sent the dishes back, explaining to the staff that they were inedible and asking if they could be removed from the bill. To our surprise, the nearby table was also complaining about their food, which should have been a red flag for the kitchen. Starving and with no acceptable alternatives, we asked for a simple portion of chips to tide us over. Our waitress was absolutely lovely – friendly, apologetic, and professional – but she returned to say that the manager (named Anna) had insisted we pay full price for the original meals and charge extra for the chips. This left us stunned and forced to pay for food we couldn't eat, plus an additional side just to have something substantial. Under UK consumer rights (Consumer Rights Act 2015), food must be of satisfactory quality and fit for purpose. When it's not, customers shouldn't be expected to pay for it – especially when it's returned uneaten. Refusing to waive or discount the inedible dishes feels not only unfair but potentially unlawful. The manager's rigid stance was a complete joke and ruined what could have been a salvageable situation. The front-of-house staff deserve praise for their efforts, but management clearly let them (and us) down badly. I've noticed the hotel rarely responds to negative reviews, which speaks volumes. Shocked and disappointed, we will never return, and I plan to escalate this directly to the Cairn Hotel Group. Avoid the restaurant if you're staying here – eat elsewhere in Stirling to save yourself the frustration and expense. We are off to get some food at the local food bank. They have a minimum standard

A great stay! The bedroom was super clean and warm. The bed and pillows were probably one of the comfiest beds I’ve slept in in a hotel before! Tea coffee biscuits and water available on the tray in the bedroom. We stayed in a dog friendly room and the staff were very attentive and brought our little dog a nice big comfy bed, blanket, treats, bowls, floor mat and even a little guide to dog friendly things in Stirling, perfect!! Easy parking and just pop your number plate in at reception. We decided to have drinks and dine in the bar lounge upstairs which was nice. Could be a littler warmer in there but it is such a big old building. Lots of different drinks to choose from, Guinness was however off. The food was average, mixed reviews from different people in the group. Breakfast was ok, could have more choice. There’s a lovely walk to the side of the hotel that will take you all the way up to the castle and different buildings and it’s only a short drive to the centre. Will definitely be back