Ardencaple Hotel in Argyll & Bute

Great hotel with average size rooms that are very well equipped with everything you could want or need; double bed, small table and chair suitable for a laptop, a kettle with selection of tea and coffee, an iron, a decent flat tv mounted on the wall that is compatible my mobile casting, coffee table with several chairs etc. The bathroom is also decent with a good shower. Plenty of power sockets and usb power too. The room was hot when I arrived but I was able to turn down the heating and it got pleasantly cool 😎 Rare these days. The free wifi is also good and fast. Most rooms seem to face the Loch/Clyde so a good view is almost assured. The restaurant is popular and seems to attract customers on its own, which isn't surprising as the food is an excellent pub-style offering at very reasonable prices.

Had lunch with friends, food was great and excellent service.

Standard Greene King pub food. Service okay and food okay.

Food and service was very good. Prices are reasonable.

Lovely food and great service especially from Dylan

Lovely venue, did have to wait till morning to see it though. Bar was great, and locals all wanted to meet our hounds.

My partner and her friend visited the Ardencaple hotel for lunch today 3/October 2024 They ordered starters king prawns and chorizo and both ordered rump steak for mains The mains came out before the starters and it wasn’t cooked properly the chorizo was still hard then the mains came out and the orders were wrong had to send them back and they still came back and the steaks were older enough to vote The service was absolutely terrible We have both eaten regularly in the past at the Ardencaple and it’s a hit and miss whether the food is going to be worth it. Probably give it a miss for a few months and then try again.

Came here for lunch yesterday Lovely food quick service and friendly staff.

Good food and nice accommodation too

Went for lunch. The food is your average pub grub but the views are gorgeous. The staff were busy but friendky

If you are looking for a sunny seaside outdoor dining experience in Helensburgh, this is one of two options. A reasonable range of beers and food is adequate. Ample parking in back. Dog friendly.

Went out for dinner tonight with my family and was really disappointed with the food. Vegetables were really under cooked stuffing was rock hard and the Yorkshire pudding was so over cooked it was like a brick. My daughters chicken was all hard and the sauce was all burnt and crispy. We won't be back.

I did not stay at the hotel, so cannot comment on that side of things however I went for a very pleasant meal in the restaurant that is attached to the hotel. We were greeted by Dylan who showed us to our seats and took our order. Dylan was a breath of fresh air, very polite and attentive to our additional needs. All too often these days customer service feels like it has fallen by the wayside to the point where sometimes you are made to feel like a burden for even walking through the door however my experience was the complete opposite, due to circumstances i could not leave Dylan a tip however I feel like he deserves to be recognized for his hard work and diligence for being such a excellent ambassador for the Ardencaple (Hence this review). I hope Dylan is supported by his management team to develop his skillset to move into a more senior position because in my personal opinion we need more people like him passing on excellent customer service ethics to people just starting in the hospitality sector. On a final note I had avoided the Ardencaple for approximately 5 years due to a very rude interaction with previous management, so if you like me had avoided it due to a bad experience I implore you to give it another go. The food was of very good quality, we ordered Fish and Chips and haggis fritters and both were delicious. I will be encouraging my friends and family to pop in if they are passing and I definitely will be returning in the future soon.

The Quirky pub /hotel was very quiet during our visit, nice lounge and bar area , good view of the Gare Loch from the restaurant. Usual pub food menu Balmoral Burger nice with Haggis not bad on price recommended.

Great pub, nice food, staff are lovely , can't recommend enough

A lovely stay here at the Caple. Friendly staff and dog friendly which was perfect for my pups. Location was beautiful with lovely surrounding hikes. Service was 10/10, will be back.

Staff friendly. Decent grub. Nice relaxing atmosphere.Lovely views from the outside space at the front of the hotel. Would recommend for a weekend stay.

Friendly staff and dog friendly too! Purrrfect for my puppies first visit 🐶Place looks well kept with a lovely and cosy atmosphere. Unfortunately was raining when we visited but the beer garden looks fab, with a scenic view of the Loch😄

Spent a night here whilst travelling round Scotland, when we booked we booked an accessible room and was informed on the website that the rooms had king size beds. We couldn't have our accessible room when we arrived as there were none left and the room had a tiny bed, felt smaller than a normal double. Needless to say we had a bad night's sleep and struggled to get up and down the steep stairs to our room. We had dinner at the hotel which was awful and very expensive. The staff were friendly and breakfast in the morning was ok but we had to wait a very long time.to get any coffee as the urn was empty and no staff were about to ask for it to be refilled. I definitely won't be staying here again, which is a shame as it's set in a stunning location with lovely views.

We stayed at the hotel and used the restaurant here. The room was nice but very noisy (especially the flush on the toilet). Also, only given one pillow each and one cup, even though it was a double room booked for 2 people. When we booked, we asked for an accessible room, but was placed on the 1st floor, using a very tight, spiral staircase, I'm glad my mobility issues aren't as bad as others that might need an accessible room. The restaurant was hit and miss. The staff there don't seem very well organised at all. We were left for over 20 minutes before anyone even came over to take our drinks order and that was only because a server was taking the order for the table next to us (who arrived after us!) and then he came with the wrong bottle of wine, twice. The food order was mixed up with another table at each course. The food itself wasn't great in all honesty. I had a side of chips, which seemed to be veryyy well done, when I tried to get them on my fork they shattered. There was no point asking for another portion as we had already been told that the kitchen was closing. We had breakfast there the next morning and this was so much better. The staff were on the ball and very attentive and the food was delicious. I probably wouldn't stay here again but the location was lovely, right on the coast. Ample, free parking and easy to navigate.

Great place to go for drinks with friends, friendly atmosphere, staff always helpful, interior and beer garden spotless and welcoming. Shoutout Rhys the quizmaster for always being great as well 👏🏻

We had a lovely evening, a table for 6 people with a dog could be reserved, and the fact that we were there a little earlier was no problem. Drinks were good, yes, there is Behaven beer - which was one of the reasons for choosing the location, the quality of the food convinced us and the quantity was more than good, we will be back.

I visited today and I had breakfast. Everyone was very friendly and polite. Thank you guys

Absolutely a true hidden gem. Food is worth the travel and it’s dog friendly, If weather permits there is a lovely outdoor seating area overlooking the water. If the grandkids are still hyper there is a lovely play park just across the road. - Best to go with them. Also they there is a room at the back for private functions, Intimate wedding, Special parties or even just a large family fine dinning.

Not much choice of food or drink, expensive and small portions. Would not eat here again.

SHOCKING Booked a table for midday on a Sunday for Sunday lunch to be given a Sunday lunch menu by the rudest man - shouldn’t be front of house at all. Ordered our drinks they came and we weren’t quite ready to order so a young lad came back we went on to give our SUNDAY lunch orders from the SUNDAY lunch menu we were given and were told we couldn’t order from that menu as SUNDAY lunch wasn’t ready to order until later ?????? We left and will not return - please take the blonde man from your front of house he is not welcoming at all !!!

The food was lovely but the service could have been a bit better, we asked where the menus were, got told 'table', when meal got brought out she just said what was on the plates, not even "enjoy your meal, or if you need anything just let us know"🙁

Great place in beautiful surroundings next to the loch, staff very attentive and friendly, good prices including seniors/lighter portions on offer,definitely worth a visit.

Great pub, good food, outdoor space has lovely views.

fast service and good view over the water

The Ardencaple has been a 'go-to' place for good value, tasty meals for years now. On Friday evening, we had a birthday party in their function room. It was superb! The buffet food was excellent & plenty of it, the staff couldn't have been more helpful & the room itself was perfect. All our guests were super impressed. Thank you Ardencaple.

Food is ok reasonably priced. Not yet had a meal there that hasnt had something wrong but not so bad that i would not go back. More attention needed before plates are brought to table!

Indifferent service, Staff disappeared into the opposite bar to consult their mobile phones as soon as serving was over. 3 TVs on in bar, with nobody watching. Background music at nearly 80 decibels. Personal service absent. Place spotless though. Disappointing, as it could easily be so much better at nil cost.

So ...they only charged us £47 for three drinks and a meal but it was a nasty experience. Service very slow and uncaring from the start, and then the kitchen can't cook a steak. It went back and then we had to wait for service to end for another meal to reappear so about 40 mins. We booked a month ago from England for our last night in Scotland....dismal night and spoilt. Don't go to this place.

Great service from The Ardencaple who accommodated our large (21) family lunch on Saturday 9th June . From the booking, to pre-ordering food to the service on the day .. everything was first class. We had a function room to ourselves which was a nice touch for our get together. Food was excellent, staff attentive but not intrusive. Our family regularly use the restaurant and we would recommend for lunch/meal. Thanks for a great family lunch :)

Had a lovely late lunch. Loved the halloumi focaccia with roasted veg, highly recommended. Jasmin was an amazing host. Super friendly and always smiling.

Portion of food disgraceful, actual size of fish portion.

Went here for coffee only on a pre sunset hunting quest. Would like to return cos menu looked so good. Reasonable prices, for example £4 cheaper for simple Cod & chips than a nearby bigger venue 😳

Stayed at the hotel for a few weeks awaiting my new flat being ready. Was a great stay. Staff weee exceptional and made it a very enjoyable stay. The staff actually made the whole visit. They were a well knit team. Dillon who was a member of bar staff stuck out particularly. Always pleasant and a nice chap. Always upbeat and made having a drink alone in the bar more enjoyable. 10/10

Went to ardencaple tonight to find a new menu in place which was ok. But my mother law ordered fish and chips, which this place had an excellent reputation for. Very disappointed , not the normal fish with lovely fresh batter. She couldn't cut through the batter very rubbery, definitely not hand battered as advertised. My husband has been chef for 40yrs he questioned hand battered description. Waitress came back and said definetly hand battered so i think they need to review this product otherwise they will be loosing customers. No crispness to batter ,ready battered definetly and cooked in oven.

Had a fab time at Ardencaple Hotel. Staff go out their way to make your stay fantastic. Food lovely in restaurant we had dinner and breakfast both really good food. Best burger I've had. Breakfast very good, lots of choice and Full Scottish breakfast massive. Can't wait to go back, couldn't fault it. A1 WELL DONE TEAM.

We had a lovely time here for Mother's Day dinner. The food was great, staff were very friendly and attentive. The only thing was we were quite cold in the function room, but also understand how expensive energy bills are. Will still be back as great value.

Excellent recently refurbished hotel, amazing views over the Firth of Clyde, lovely outside beer garden, plenty of free parking. Great for watching sports and very reasonable food restaurants with traditional fayre.

Just a family meal in the restaurant and it was good. Table service was fast and efficient and the quality of the food was good. Starters and sweets were a bit on the expensive side adding more than £10 per person to the cost of a meal. A set menu might be a good idea as it was fairly quiet when we visited on a Sunday evening

Lovely staff and food pretty good. Nice surroundings and child friendly

Good atmosphere. Very friendly staff. Great location.

We visited The Ardencaple Hotel for dinner as a family of 5. The food was fantastic, especially the loaded nachos with the pulled pork on top. Service was amazing. Very reasonably priced, would definitely reccomend. Brillant every time we visit.

Visited for the 1st time in a while following refurbishment, arrived mid afternoon and the place was very quiet. We wandered through to the far bar and ordered two meals from the “speciality” menu. To be honest the plates were cold and the food wasn’t very pleasant , the Cumberland Sausage “Sizzle” for example was certainly lacking in that feature and clearly just warmed up . Very disappointed as we live locally and wanted the place to work for us.

We were staying for the weekend in a huge house 10 minutes walk from this restaurant. We booked a table for the Saturday evening and were served in a room which seated our 14 family members perfectly. Great selection of food and drinks - very competitively priced. We are all food lovers, both eating and cooking. Non of us were disappointed. We ate different dishes which included lamb, fish and chips, burgers, Katsu curry and mixed grill and all agreed that the food was delicious and the service was excellent. Callum was our waiter with another blonde girl helping to serve. We spoke with Callum who was very charming, welcoming and very efficient. Thank you Callum! On the Sunday evening, there were just six of us staying over so we came back for dinner. Once again, we were not disappointed with the food.... delicious!! We have agreed that it would be worth the 1 hour drive from our homes to come back here again for dinner.

Visited Aug 2023 on a very wet evening. The place was warm, and quite welcoming. We had fish and chips, and our meals were well cooked, and the portion size was ample. The price seemed to be quite good value for an evening meal. The service was reasonable quick given the the pub was quite busy, and the staff were pleasant. We will use this place again next time we are in Rhu.

Very disappointing meal. The pub had run out of many of the dishes we wanted to order. Salad came without tomatoes; squid starter and soup were bland. Burger and pie were very average. We stayed at the hotel for 4 nights. Had to ask for coffee and milk refills every day as these were not brought to our room by housekeeping. Also had to ask for toilet paper on one occasion. Was surprised breakfast wasn’t included for the price. Saturday night was very noisy due to a function downstairs. That said, staff were friendly and helpful when we asked for anything. Might have been a more pleasant stay had we been able to use the outside area but wet weather kept us indoors and didn’t find the pub or restaurant especially hospitable. I would recommend for a stop over but not for a long stay.

Took the hubby and grandkids here for a wee spot of lunch, and one word - delightful! Staff were all absolutely lovely, and a real credit to the Greene King name. Kids menu greatly priced with perfect portion sizes for those little tummies! Main menu also delicious, with great variation. Beer garden looks fantastic after its recent refurbishment along with the drinks. Will definitely be back! 😘

Lovely wee spot on the scenic Helensburgh waterfront. Staff and food impeccable, staff went the extra mile to make our dinner the most enjoyable experience. Lovely long drinks menu with knowledge staff eager to help out! Will definitely be back, the beer garden was calling my name!

My wife and I recently stayed at the Ardencaple Hotel. There is no lift in the building, which meant we had to climb a thirty eight step spiral staircase with heavy suitcases to reach our bedroom, which was small but adequate. We ate in the bar all three nights of our stay, and it must be said, the staff and the food was very good and reasonably priced. And now, the not so good... The breakfast was another story, the cooked food was absolutely awful, being virtually inedible and cold, and the tables were often un-laid and dirty. How can the food be so good in the bar, but so desperately poor in the breakfast room I find strange, maybe they have different morning staff. ? On our last day we realised our room door wouldn't lock which meant anyone could have gone into our room. We did mention the fact, so I hope room 22 is now secure. All in all a good hotel, but it has its faults.

Average food and incredibly slow service. Disappointed to tell the truth. Could be so much better as the location and pub itself is very good.

My friends and I attended their Pride Bingo evening on Saturday night - and I have to say we had a fantastic time. Atmosphere was great, bar and food service was fast and very enjoyable. We were able to have our meals in the function room and had full access to the bar when needed! I hope they do more events like this - because we would definitely be there! Highly recommend this pub to anyone looking for good food, good conversation and just an all round enjoyable experience. Will be back very soon!

I ordered a few drinks from the bar and every time I was given a large head. I didn’t really mind as it wasn’t a “Belgian” head! After I ordered and payed for my 4th pint of peroni and was about to take it back to my table I noticed the head had subsided and the level of the liquid was 2 cm below the rim of the glass. I asked for the glass to be topped. The barman got a new glass and poured my pint from the current glass into the new glass fizzing it up in the process and making the foam reach the top. By the time I got back to my seat once again the level in the glass had subsided to 2cm below the rim but now the beer was completely flat and minging. Whatever happened to good pubs just topping up glasses if someone asked for it! I also am a big fan of oversize glasses with a line at 1 pint so there can be no arguments After I had bought 4 pints I had actually only recived about 3.25 pints! In over 20 years of ordering beer this is the first time u saw a guy try to foam up a pint to make it look bigger! Awful. Never going back or recommending this place again.

Always great food and atmosphere in here and even better they can filter music outside now that’s a great idea. Love sitting in the new revamped beer garden could sit there all day when the suns out. The pensioners deal for food is terrific and the puddings are enormous. Would like to maybe see a curry on that menu for variation. Apart from that great value for money and great cheery polite staff.

Michael and Laura were awesome and made us feel very welcome the service was great food amazing and we will be back!

Went back after a few months not been in the area notiched the hotel has had some work done to it looks so nice, beer garden with the lights on at night can't wait for the summer to have a few gins and watch the sunsets.

I got a 2 day break for 2 people when I bought my car and to be honest this wasn't my 1st choice, but I was very surprised, great hotel, staff very helpful and friendly, rooms were spacious and very clean and had a great view over the water , all the food was amazing for breakfast, lunch and dinner, would definitely go back 👍👍👍👍👍

Brilliant family and dog friendly pub with a HUGE selection of Whiskey and Gins, very knowledgeable head(?) barman who was very helpful with drink pairings, incredibly friendly and always smiling. Everything was well priced and the burgers, mac&cheese and chicken thighs were all very tasty...

Service with a smile. Really reasonable pricing too. Great selection of drinks available and service was quick

Most of the staff were very friendly and helpful and welcomed us as a family, giving us the table my daughter requested but it went downhill from there though. A member of staff promised to come back to the table after serving our drinks and...

A very good hotel in a superb location overlooking the Firth of Clyde. Very clean, very good meals and most importantly excellent well trained staff. A very good management team ensured a delightful evening. The chef must be congratulated for how the fish course was...

Stayed with my wife on 4 separate occasions. Over a 6 week period. Comfortable rooms, good food …dinner and breakfast. Very friendly and helpful staff. Couldn’t do enough for us. Will go back.

We have eaten here several times. However, we turned up last minute, not expecting to get a table. The hostess was lovely she found us a table at the front overlooking the clyde. Drink orders were taken and received promptly as were our meal orders...

This was a huge dissapointment. We asked for a quiet table and were sat just below a huge TV blaring out football. We are not foodies but they were the worst meals we had had ever. Haggis snitzels we’re over spicy and the batter was...

A lovely lunch time experience for me and my family, staff were very friendly and welcoming to both the adults and young children in our group. Had a range of different meals on offer in main menu, brunch menu and kids menu, would highly recommend...

I was visiting with friends, had 3 courses the southern fried chicken wrap and the mac and cheese followed by the chocolate fondant, the staff were really friendly especially rhys and laura they were very attentive and super friendly and will definitely be visiting again...

Had fish and chips, it was excellent as were the staff, forgot to apply a discount I had after having paid. Staff were happy to apply it retrospectively

Excellent Saturday night, jukebox and pool table kept us entertained all night. Great staff, so friendly and service quick. Didn’t eat, but meals looked tasty. A great place to go for an evening out with a busy but relaxed atmosphere. Restaurant next door for a...

Great new menu that offers more than your expected pub grub when visiting Greene king pubs. Lovely location with great views of the loch. Staff welcoming and service quick. If we stayed closer this would be a regular visit!

Beautiful building and amazing decor but undercooked food! This is a lovely place for a drink. The staff are attentive and friendly. It's got a commanding position over the entrance to the Garelock. The place is lovely. The only problem is the food. It's a...

Local friendly pub with good food and great staff. Quiz nights are always good fun, pool table and jukebox.

A delightful dinner with great attentive staff! Great atmosphere and value for money. Nothing was too much hassle. Dog friendly bar and rooms!

Staff knowledge not the best one sauce which dominates your menu staff had no knowledge asked of we wanted dessert still waitingon menu.Not best service won't be nack

Fantastic food and even better service. Came for lunch with my partner and had the filet burger which was fantastic. Will definitely be regular customers from now on!

Amazing view from the front beer garden, such a great atmosphere on a busy day. Staff so lovely and hardworking especially in this sunshine! We only stoped by for drinks but the food looked delicious! Will be back to try for myself!

We came here for our anniversary lunch and we couldn’t have ask for more. Such a lovely setting and staff couldn’t be more helpful. Food was value for money and they had a good selection of gin and whisky. Have even booked for my husbands...

Love this place in the sun! Staff always friendly and food great. Always our first choice. App makes it so easy to order! We’ll all be back!

Went here for a meal with my mother and brother during a warm Summers day so sat outside look over the water. The restaurant allow you to order at the bar or download the app. We all took a main course and dessert and were...

Good value food in a glorious setting, really attentive and friendly staff, will definitely be back!

We visited the restaurant this evening. The member of staff serving our table was very cheery and welcoming. We ordered drinks which were quickly served and well received. On to the meals!!! My husband’s first choice was not available (salmon), along with two other items...

Stayed at this hotel for a total of 3 weeks for work: Week 1 - Waste water coming up in shower when toilet flushed, room was right above the bar which is open until 23:00 so if you plan on sleeping before then… Make new...

we had a fantastic stay here, the restaurant always busy but staff always welcoming and accommodating. Bar area great with sport and music. Service was great and so was the food. we happily ate here every night of our stay. only thing missing was the...

Stayed for one night end of May 2022. In desperate need of refurbishment of bedrooms and outside of building. Dingy, scruffy, shower was boiling hot or freezing cold, couldn’t get a decent wash. Marks on walls and ceilings. Restaurant areas are nice and staff very...

Had Sunday lunch May 2022, roast meal was fab, they did a smaller portion for my friend who had a small appetite, staff friendly and service was good, my only complaint was the toilets were dirty with overflowing bins.

We have visited this Hotel on 3 occasions since it changing over to new ownership. Every occasions the food has either been cold or poor quality. It has the potential to be a very good food restaurant but unfortunately it is very poor and would...

Have been twice and planning my next visit food is fantastic staff are really lovely atmosphere is great

Rooms - horrendous, bird poop on carpet beside the window. Marks on walls. Plaster falling off. Very outdated. Food - was actually ok. But the service put me off with bar staff not knowing what they are serving or what drinks they have to offer....

I would recommend this pub/ restaurant to other dog owners looking for a bite to eat with their pooch. The food was tasty, the menu had a great selection and they had water for my pup. When I went they had ran out of dog...

We visited the Ardencaple Hotel for breakfast. It was past 11.00hrs, so we ordered the brunch, which was a good offering except that all of the food was served barely even luke warm; probably left over from much earlier in the day (breakfast service finished...

Visited at the weekend with some friends to watch the rugby. Food and drinks arrived quickly and staff were friendly and very accommodating. All round good atmosphere. Would defo visit again!

2 visits in a month. Food was fresh and reasonably priced. Fish and chips both times. Restaurant spread over several rooms. They also have two outside areas. Good size car park.

This place is shocking. Mash that is like a bread dough, lamb shanks with just the gristle and fat left, brocoli that you could make into long lasting shoes. Microwaved deserts.... oy yes they are not made on site,the pastry was soggy as was the...

Visited Turks Head in Tynemouth village and was disappointed to find scanner for free drink under predictor was not working but unlike my local The Gunner, when scanner not working they refuse to honour the free drink, the barman wrote down the code and a...

We had lunch and dinner here and from start to finish the service and food were excellent . Someone wrote you have to pay before eating . what a load of nonsense. All the staff were very attentive , the food was excellent quality and...

Lovely staff. Food and drink great VFM. Went the extra mile to get us a ground floor room, Fairy Queen, which was super large and comfy. Highly recommended.

We were in room 229 which was very small, very tired, paint dirty and peeling, shabby furniture and we rather suspect that it is a converted toilet block due to the filthy push plate and the 'vacant' door latch on the bathroom door plus a...