Craignelder Hotel in Dumfries & Galloway

Enjoyed a lovely Christmas lunch last Saturday. Lovely ambience, helpful waitress. Food was piping hot, delicious and plentiful. Restaurant was busy and cheerful. Excellent value, well done to all.

We were waiting for the ferry home & found this place on TripAdvisor. Turned out there was an early bird menu available. My husband had the mozzarella sticks & peppered chicken. I had the pâté & then roast beef dinner. I decided to go for the 3 courses & had the white toblerone cheesecake too. It was a complete winner! The staff were lovely. There was a good selection of wines on their list with a variety of prices. 2 courses = £19.50, 3 courses= £23.50 Would definitely recommend a trip here.

Had not been here for a while,the meal was wonderful. Staff very friendly and helpful. The duck was cooked to perfection and the savignon blanc was excellent.Well done Hammy from Sally @ the Grapes 👍

Just went for a 3 night stay but loved it so much stay food service staff excellent. The chef cooked my grandson a meal that wasn't on menu the food was amazing. Room 9 has been totally done out n wow was amazing will be back soon best hotel stayed in

Fish was excellent, very fresh, everything else was ok , salad and veg seems an odd combination? Service was good and with a smile. Not sure of the identity of the place?? It’s like a pub, sports bar, restaurant? Doesn’t work for me, I definitely don’t like the bell which rings when food is ready, it’s like an announcement will follow …..think doctors or airport ect ….. it’s very clean but lacks a cosy feel? It’s always packed though so must be doing something right? 😊

We ate here twice during our stay in Stranraer. The food was delicious and the service excellent. My vegetarian meal was so nice. My partner had beef and said that was lovely. Wine was tasty too.

This is our favourite spot for lunch in Stranraer. We travel down from Maybole and have lunch usually around once a month if not more. My husband loves the steak pie and my favourite is the Chicken pancake. Portions are superb as is the price. Well done to all the staff at Craignelder and for all the happy times we have had there!

Lovely pub with delicious home cooked food that was good value for money. Children eat free. Staff all really helpful. Would definitely go back.

Really enjoyed the food here, had prawn cocktail followed by a super fillet steak. Staff were excellent and knew what the were doing. It’s let down a bit by the canteen style tables/chairs, otherwise I’d definitely go again.

We last visited the Craigenelder two years ago and I am pleased to say that it has maintained its high standard of food. I particularly recommend the Seafood Pancake and would advise that the service and customer care level was also very good

Overnight stay due to early ferry, staff very friendly, room spotless, dinner in the restaurant excellent,locals also dining (always a good sign). Definitely would recommend the hotel.

Veg which accompanied main courses were very undercooked. Cauliflower cheese and carrots in particular were rock hard. Cauliflower cheese is my favourite so was very disappointed I couldn’t eat it. We had waited over an hour for mains, some of us had starters but even so. Due to delay some of us were pushed for time so ate what we could left the uncooked veg on plates or serving dishes and had to leave. If we’d more time we would have sent it back for replacement but we were hungry and pushed for time and thought we’d have finished the meal anyway before any replacement came out. If we’d been a smaller group with more time would have definitely sent back. However, think it’s important to feedback to them that they need to check the veg before sending out. The rest of the meals were tasty and we had a mixed bag of dishes.

The 2 course fixed price dinner was good value, and the servings were generous. The restaurant was no noisier than you normally find with hard floors, and although the main courses were standard pub fare, the desserts had a bit of flair.

Lovely chicken breast and haggis with chips and veg. Too much for me though, so they lost out as I had no room for pudding! Very helpful and friendly staff. Service was quick too . No real ale but Bellhaven best was alright.

We arrived to a fairly empty restaurant without a booking . We were seated in another area of the restaurant away from everyone else were there was more empty tables . Necessitating the light to be put on because it was so dark. Service poor, food mediocre so we decided to have our dessert elsewhere.

Just spent the weekend here. We had a jolly from our bar in Gran Canaria. We met up with 40 odd customers and had a blast. The hotel obviously filled up quickly with bookings and when we arrived we were told we were in the house a few doors along. We were a little apprehensive until we walked in the room. The room was amazing. Massive comfy bed,spotless, warm and piping hot water in the shower. It was perfect. But not the best thing about the hotel. The best thing was the bar and restaurant. The food was incredible. 40 odd people ate there and not one negative comment. The staff were brilliant. They couldn’t do enough for us. All dietary requirements were covered. Nothing was too much trouble. In the bar afterwards I asked if they had sugar free Red Bull. They didn’t but within 15 mins they did. This just shows how far they will go out of their way to look after their customers. You guys are a credit to the owners. Not forgetting the brekkie included in the price. Yet again I’m going to use the word amazing. Many thanks guys and see you again soon.

We had Friday lunch, the place was busy but the staff fitted us in and were very professional and friendly. My wife asked for a meal that wasn’t on the menu and the kitchen responded by making her a tasty vegetable curry, I had steak pie, we both had a yummy hot chocolate fudge cake and ice cream.

Lovely clean welcoming place Great choice in menu Fantastic service Hot, tasty dishes Far too much, fit to burst Everyone should try this place

Went with my wife and a friend and we all had the Homemade Steak and Ale pie. GF for the wife she just didn’t get the puff pastry lol 😂 great choice and 3 empty plates later.

Recommended by our guesthouse. Lovely table with a view and all three of us very happy with our meals. Entrees and lamb, beef and fish mains all delicious. Too full for dessert. Thank-you

Spacious seating, quiet atmosphere, friendly waitress service. Unfortunately the car park is the worst ever. Park in the street! Good food, at reasonable prices.

Birthday Meal Family meal on 11th July for a Big birthday, 8 adults , 4 children. Selection of food was excellent, and everyone was able to find a favourte dish, staff were very, pleasant, attentive and appeared to be enjoying their work. All food that was served was presented well, adequate portions and pipping hot. Again enjoyable time had by all, and im sure everyone will visit again.

Looking for a bed for the night prior to an early ferry to Belfast I booked this hotel on a 'that will do' quick decision. Well it did very well indeed. A cosy little double room with en-suite shower room which all looked as if it had recently been refurbished. Very clean and a beautifully comfy bed. Tired from a 250 mile journey we decided to have dinner and had an amazing meal. The restaurant had a mix of residents and locsls and every meal looked wonderful. Friendly staff were the icing on the cake. 100% recommend.

So we have visited Stranraer for food many times as we have a caravan at Leswalt, yet we have never ate at Craignelander. Never really appealed to us from the outside but the recent refurb we thought we would pop in. I can't say much apart from brilliant. From good service, great food and great price (each child ate are free with each paying adult!) . So good we had 3 courses. Top it off there is a fixed price for 3 courses no matter what you order (except steaks) but the fixed price included salmon, duck, huge steak pie. In total for 3 courses for 2 adults and 2 children plus drinks we were £75 including a tip! I would have paid more the food was good but it was lovely in the current financial situation to get a real deal for a family of four. We will definitely will be back.

A day off in Stranraer in the rain. Relaxing & beautiful but where can we get a lovely lunch? No hesitation from the hotel receptionist. Strolled down, booked a table & returned to a memorable feast. Thank you to everyone involved, you made our day, we will be back ❤️

Nice Hotel, I stayed one night on 28th April. Nice clean room, huge comfy bed. Had both an evening meal and full Scottish breakfast in the dining room and both were delicious. Friendly helpful staff. Great views across Loch Ryan. Shower kept running cold but perhaps there was other people showering at the same time. Would definitely stay here again.

My wife and I stayed here for 2 nights over Easter. The hotel staff were friendly and welcoming. The room we had over looked the Loch. It was clean tidy and the bed was comfy. The staff at breakfast were very attentive. The menu was a little limited tho the cooked breakfast or any combination of what was on the cooked breakfast could be ordered with no fuss at all. When it arrived on the table it was very tasty and good sized portions. If needing a stay in Stranraer we would definitely recommend.

We had dinner here at short notice and after phoning they squeezed us in at short notice. Parked on site, restaurant was busy but it was a clean and comfortable space. Food took a while to come but it was nice. It was just what we needed but it’s not the best we’ve had, we’d still return in future.

Located on outskirts of town. Free parking on site. Comfortable and spacious seating. Quiet atmosphere. Excellent choice of menu. Good service. Reasonable prices.

Very poor service from start to finish. Food when it eventually arrived was very good however. Plenty of staff but no awareness or system. Serious staff training and an improvement in attitude is required. Waited over an hour for food. Dishes not cleared and drinks sitting on bar that had to be asked for. Keeo your customers involved if you are not coping or kitchen is having a meltdown. Should really have walked out and staff had no idea what was going on. Embarrassing all round.

We chose to eat here having studied trip advisor. Not sure it met our expectations but we enjoyed our food despite the lack of atmosphere , all a bit clinical. Did not stay in the hotel so can’t comment.

Stayed here recently for one night on a b & b basis. Room was nice with good view overlooking Loch Ryan, but that is the best part. Lack of hot water was a problem in bathroom. Breakfast selection was quite poor and very much a...

We stayed here for four nights. Very comfortable and very friendly staff who couldn't do enough for us The food is totally amazing and comes in very generous portions. The cooked breakfasts are in a class of their own and the dinners are equally good...

We visit hear for family meals the food is excellent great choice the service is excellent especially from Louise who was very attentive, very friendly and very professional We throughly enjoyed our meal from start to finish

Portions were huge! Nice food. Staff lovely. We were staying the night so were able to have a drink too.

Parking 1 star - limited spaces at the hotel. Even more limited street parking. I had a mobility issue so wished there was better access. Aesthetic 4 star - looks way better on the inside. Lovely, updated building inside. Customer service 1.5 star - greeted...

Good, well cooked food and reasonably priced. Staff very friendly and coped well considering there we only two of them. Unfortunately the restaurant lacked atmosphere which was a shame.

Was a fairly regular customer prepandemic. Had the best seafood pancake in the region. Fish and chips were great too and the prices were very reasonable. However the rooms were noisy with very thin walls and of course noisy until after the restaurant was closed....

Enjoyed an Excellent lunch today good value for money staff very pleasant . Looking forward to visiting again for your Christmas menu. Thank you

We booked this hotel as we were booked on the ferry to Belfast the next day. This is only 10 mins from the ferry port. Very clean and nicely decorated room with big windows towards the water. The kitchen had already closed (8pm on a...

Visited with friends who were down from Kilmarnock and this is about their 3 time visiting for a meal with us and they can’t believe how much great value they get aswell as how delicious their meals are x Another fantastic meal x

Took my wife and sister for a meal that we all enjoyed . My seafood pasta with sea bass was very good while my wife enjoyed a superb steak. Service was first class. All young people with no visible supervision who were attentive and helpful.

I stayed at this excellent hotel for 3 nights, and enjoyed massive, and delicious, Scottish breakfast each morning to set me up for the day until my evening meal. I also had early bird dinner here one evening, and it was superb! The Royal Greenland...

Had a fantastic stay at The Craignelder Hotel. The room was large, as was the en suite and bed was huge and comfy. The food great, plentiful and very reasonably priced. As for the staff, they were brilliant, very helpful, especially were to visit in...

Had drinks here before but tonight was our first time eating here . Waitress seemed a little trockled to start with but that is understandable as it’s hard to get back into the swing of things since Covid appeared . Not just diners but servicing...

Had an amazing night .had a few drinks in the bar .staff are brilliant .we then had our meal which was also amazing .The room was also really good ,beautiful views .Breakfast was also amazing .couldn’t fault anything .

Food is faultless, plenty of choice for even the fussiest eater. The Brie starter is a personal favourite along with the chicken & haggis main! Service 5* too.

We decided that we should treat ourselves to a meal out as we have not been out for ages. So i called and booked a table for two. When we arrived we were given a friendly greeting and promptly shown to our table. All of the current covid restrictions are being followed but didn't affect our experience at all. My better half ordered the lasagne with garlic bread and chips and i had the panko bread crumb cod with mushy peas and chips, when the dishes came they looked great and didn't disappoint they were huge portions and delicious. For sweets we had chocolate cheesecake with cream and meringue with strawberries and cream ice cream and strawberry coolie both were very nice. We will certainly be back and soon.

Great food, great staff, great place, the cost of the meal was exceptional and despite Covid-19 all precautions were in place.

Just enjoyed a lovely Sunday lunch with out 8 year old grandson. Excellent choice and value for money. Will return with the rest of the family. thank you

Fantastic place cannot fault the food plenty of choices and great prices never had a bad meal thoroughly recommend

we had lunch following lock down. Everything in place to keep us 'safe'. As per usual the food was good and staff cheery. Craignelder is in my opinion the best place in Stranraer to eat. We will be back again next month.

This was our first time out to a restaurant since lockdown and the owners had done well a good job with there distancing procedure and cleansing of tables and chairs before the next patron. My biggest disappointment was that the prices have risen by a considerable amount which will stop me visiting this established meant again. For early eating a 10% discount was offered but the prices are still more expensive than my local restaurants.

Came 5 years ago for my Nana's 90th and it was as fantastic then as it was today. My mum is a vegetarian just back from a weekend full of packaged cadet meals and just wanted a nice salad. The chef was fantastic by facilitating this and by helping with one or two other requests. Highly recommend.

We had an excellent lunch today. Prawn cocktail was delicious and plenty of prawns. The soup was delicious. Main courses were very good portions and piping hot. The roast beef was lovely and tender. The pork dish I’m told was delicious as was the chicken. We finished the meal off with lemon tart-my favourite- and meringues with strawberries.Great value for money.

Another great time was had by all 10 adults plus baby. Staff friendly and helpful. Food tasty. What else can I say...

Food was absolutely amazing,we couldn't fault a single thing...def worth a visit while in Stranraer.

been here a few times have not been let down good menu well presented food and good prices staff also good

An excellent hotel and restaurant with great food and service. A very enjoyable meal today with great company thankyou

Thank you to all the staff for there custom again today, nothing was much a trouble to any of them, 100% recommend. Thanks again much love Zoe x

A short-notice family meal for 9. Staff were very accommodating and helpful. Food was simply delicious. Portions were big but the bill wasn’t. Amazing place. Highly recommended.

When we arrived we were put in the dinning room at the front with the lovely bay window, this would have been excellent apart from it was empty and other rooms were busy, plus some of the young waiting staff, would enter and leave letting off steam at what ever was going off next door.Staff however were attentive and the food was served quickly and was very good. The cheese cake was better than those served in most restaurants locally.

Called in for lunch on a Friday. Although we didnt have a booking a table was found. My wife had roast beef which was thinly sliced with no real taste. The roast potatoes and baby potatoes were good. Veg tasted as if it was frozen rather than fresh. My lasagne was as good as I have ever tasted.

Good size tasty portions, heaps of veggies and crispy chips. A good range of vegetarian mains - the mushroom wellington was devoured easily. Staff were excellent too.

Excellent food in a lovely place. Family meal out for five of us and every meal we had was fabulous. My seafood pancake was delicious. One of the best I've had. Fully filled with a selection of sea food in a creamy cheese sauce. Didn't need the chips and next visit I will have garlic bread instead. The staff were attentive but not over bearing. Excellent choice on the menu lovely decor but just too warm in the restaurant. However a door opened as soon as we brought this to the staff's attention. Definitely worth a visit if you are in Stranraer.

I was looking for somewhere to go for Sunday lunch in the Stranraer and could not have chosen better. The staff were very welcoming on our arrival, and we were shown to our nicely laid out table. We all went for the roast of the day which on this particular Sunday was succulent lamb. The meat arrived with roast potatoes and we shared dishes of vegetables and new potatoes. I would definitely recommend for Sunday lunch and look forward to trying the dinner menu one day.

Had a great meal last night in the Craignelder best seafood pancake I have tasted ever and I have had a few. Busy but staff friendly and very nice atmosphere, would recommend highly.

Outstanding food, service and atmosphere. My favourite is Sunday Brunch or lunch during the week Such good food for the money

We all really enjoyed our food. Menu had a great selection but staff were more than accommodating when we asked to go off menu. My wife is coeliac but was able to eat with no issues as they staff were understanding and informative. Chips cooked in their own fryer which means she was able to have them which is not always the case. Also when we received bread to nibble on she had her own gluten free bread which he have never had before usually she just gets left out so it was a really nice touch. Would definitely recommend and will return if we are in the area in the future.

We arrived within minutes of the kitchen closing, but were not rushed to make a decision. Great meals and plenty of it too, atmosphere lovely with friendly helpful staff, thank you.

Staff very helpful and friendly. Great menu, took a long time to decide as spoilt for choice. Will go back before we go home.

Stopped off here for a quick bite of food, before our boat. We arrived slightly earlier than the lunch menu began but the staff had no problems in accommodating us. Friendly staff and lovely food.

I was missing my Haggis at breakfast that was such a delight in Dumfries, but then Steanraer came up with the killer response... Haggis Bon Bons! This is a starter to a meal that demands that you ignore the mains... just have a second portion of the same. Sumptuous stuff dipped in a rich peppercorn sauce.

I was looking for somewhere to go for Sunday lunch in the Stranraer area and could not have chosen better. The staff were very welcoming on our arrival, and we were shown to our nicely laid out table. We all went for the roast of the day which on this particular Sunday was succulent lamb. The meat arrived with roast potatoes and we shared dishes of vegetables and new potatoes. I would definitely recommend for Sunday lunch and look forward to trying the dinner menu one day.

The small restaurant was full at my choice of time for eating, but the bar area was available. The menu is of good quality bar food well prepared and presented. I was missing my taste of Haggis on this most recent trip to Scotland, but the Craignelder came to the rescue in style with a delightful starter of Haggis Bon Bons. As good as the gammon main was, next time I will just double up on the Bon Bons starter!

Nice food let down by service a bit,meals didn't all arrive at once had to ask barman for our chips and waitress chewing gum and no smiles had a tough s#%! attitude 🤔

Had a lovely meal, I had the Haddock, which was beautifully cooked, My husband chose the roast beef, which was also very good, nice and tender, portions were very good, plenty of extras, eg: chips, potatoes, veg. the staff are very attentive Hotel nice and warm.

Great food and service. Really can’t fault the Craignelder Hotel. Light Bite lunch - 2 courses for £8-95 with great portion size and delicious

Great service, great value meals and all in all a great place to go. Highly recommended if you’re catching the Belfast ferry and are looking for a quick bite before sailing.

Good lunch. Food really good. Light lunch menu ideal for 3 courses not leaving you feeling over full. Main menu good choices. Prices varied.

We went for a family lunch today and the service was absolutely fantastic. Food was delicious. I requested a meal which is only on evening menu and managed to get it. Would highly recommend The Craignelder Hotel. Will be back very soon 😊😊

Having missed our 8pm ferry from Cairnryan to Northern Ireland we headed into the lovely seaside town of Stranraer, not expecting much other than fast food at that time on a wintry Thursday. However, we struck gold and were directed the the Craignelder Hotel. We were greeted in the most welcoming of ways and given a table, even though we were a little past the time of food service. Our meal was unequivocally gorgeous! My husband had the roast beef dinner...lovely beef, roast potatoes, lightly steamed veg, homemade Yorkshire pudding and gravy...and I had, what I can only describe as the best homemade macaroni and cheese I have ever been served! The friendly staff then made us welcome in the bar with newspapers to pass our time waiting for the midnight ferry. Truly a lucky find☘️

Booked in for our mum + dads Anniversary 🥂although been on several different occasions the Craigy never disappoints on food service and atmosphere ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ always have fantastic food and time at this well run family establishment x

Have been to the Craignelder several times recently.

Never have i had a bad meal there great food,staff and prices my ONLY critism is that they need a good size disabled toilet for ladies that are wheelchair bound as the chairs come in different widths,i know groups that want to visit but wont because of the lack of disabled facilities

Only staying in Stranraer for one night and this restaurant was within walking distance of where we were staying Food good but a bit noisy.

never had a bad meal in numerous visits ,staff attentive and good atmosphere,large starters and .good choice for main meals.prices are also reasonable

Lovely, welcoming and attentive staff. Our meal was absolutely delicious and we will certainly be back !

Visited tonight with family and small children and had a first class meal, chicken and haggis is a must try and the seafood platter was outstanding. Service was fantastic, every member of staff where attentive and nothing was a hassle. Everyone made time to speak to the children and we where made to feel extremely welcome! Lovely food, lovely clean surroundings and the friendliest staff in the shire!! Highly recommend 5*****

We were staying at s b&b; in Cairnryan and it was recommended to us for dinner. It did not fail to live up to its reputation. A very generous meal. Lovely, friendly wait staff and a nice cozy dining room on a chilly, drizzly summer Scotish night. Would go back if I was coming past again.

We eat here regularly during our visits to the area.

Recently had dinner in this fantastic restaurant. The food was amazing and the service from the staff was excellent. The service we received from the staff allowed us to fully enjoy all of our meal as we were served straight away and the food came out in no time. The steak and the chicken and haggis were both cooked to perfection as was the sides of veg and chips! Richard ensured that our plates were taken away once we had finished our meal, that we always had a drink on the table and that we had everything we needed to ensure we enjoyed our dinner. Will 100% recommend this restaurant and will certainly be back !

Great place very helpful staff always enjoy my meal there fantastic choice of menu couldn't fault a thing except must get a ladies disabled toilet

Fantastic surprise Birthday meal for my Sister meal & Staff were absolutely fantastic would definitely recommend it 🎉🎉🎈🎈

Our server Richard was especially friendly and spot on with his recommendations. Each member of the staff checked on us as the meal progressed to insure our satisfaction. Duck was excellent and the chicken with peppercorn sauce tasty. We poured the sauce on our boiled potatoes. A definite stop, you won't be disappointed.

Had a lovely lunch here today for my friends birthday, not a problem putting decorations up and helping bring cake out, service was fantastic, food was fantastic,would definitely recommended for a lunch or dinner🤗

Fantastic food, brilliant service from the staff and very accommodating to children would definitely recommend

Great food,excellent service and value for money.would certainly recommend this place to any one.well done

Myself and my wife went for dinner and we we were not disappointed. Starter and main and dessert for my wife . Absolutely delicious from start to finish and great value. Staff very helpful and attentive . Will definitely return. In fact i have already pointed visitors, who stopped me in the street, in the direction of craignelder already.

I came here with my husband and 4 friends for a get together, meal was great and staff were very pleasant and friendly.