George & Abbotsford Hotel in Scottish Borders

We found ourselves having lunch here after seeing all the cafes were busy. I wouldn’t normally go to a pub for lunch but I was glad we came here as I had a lovely Caesar salad and my husband had a beef burger. The staff were friendly and I would definitely return

Hotel is tired, with decor pretty shabby. Service was just about okay with very little chat from the staff and this morning at breakfast casual dressed waitresses serving. My room was clean with a great shower and comfortable bed, the drawer unit front was loose and hanging. Breakfast was the worst I've had in a long time, a full Scottish with sausage and black pudding that had obviously been cooked long ago as they were rock hard like leather. The bacon was like a burnt bit of meat that was a disgrace to put on a plate as was the mushrooms, they looked black and I expect another example of precooked in advance. I visit Melrose regularly and sorry but this has been my worst breakfast.

We ate here 4 times when on a week’s holiday in Melrose because the varied menu suited our group with different tastes. The food was home cooked and very generous portions. The service was friendly and prices reasonable.

Dog friendly hotel & bar, our room was large, very clean, comfortable bed, good shower etc. very good Scottish breakfast, all the staff we met were very welcoming, polite & friendly. The only slightly negative I would say is that the hotel is a bit dated, especially the bedroom doors and the paintwork along the corridors could do with some TLC

Don't be put off by the exterior because it is quite nice inside, although the toilets really need updating. We ate here twice whilst on holiday and both times the food and service was good. I can recommend the Balmoral chicken and the Haggis, neeps and tatties - I really enjoyed both dishes.

We were a party of 11 and were looked after admirably by the team. Food was excellent and good value for money.

Popped in for a drink. Nice atmosphere and staff so lovely I'm thinking of staying over in the future. Ended up extending this quick pit stop to stay for a lovely meal . Excellent service.

Had a really lovely meal here with my family. Was great to have a children's menu and a smaller portions menu. Everything tasted really homemade, even chicken nuggets seemed hand battered rather than out of a packet, and my kids are still talking about how amazing the chocolate brownie was! Would go back definitely.

Food was terrible, cocktails rank and there was no gas for the outdoor heater, so it was really cold. Friend's birthday meal didn't go to plan and our original booking was cancelled due to a kitchen problem, so we were directed here for food. On arrival, the place was deserted and no one appeared at reception to greet us. No buzzer or bell was available to call for attention either. We wandered through and were directed to the deserted outdoor seating area. Menus arrived but we had to ask for drinks menu. Cocktails were ordered and when my mojito arrived I discovered it was the worst I've ever tasted. Sole ingredients were, wilted sprig of uncrushed mint, white rum and watery soda water. It was so unpalatable we returned them. Sharing nachos starter was even worse when it arrived. Plain toritlla crisps with raw red onion and a tin of chopped tomatoes, and cottage cheese dollops.....not a jalapeno in sight, or any cheese, guacamole, etc. etc. We ate it due to hunger but I didn't look forward to my next course of mac & cheese. As I feared, almost inedible slop arrived. I cook better at home.... I didn't bother with dessert. In summary, if you like good food DO NOT EAT HERE!

The lady who served us was very friendly and helpful. We were made to feel very welcome, even with our crying baby! Me my mam and girlfriend all had the Angus beef burger which we all enjoyed. Would love to go back and stay the night to try out the little reading snug on a cold winter night.

Simply the service here is outstanding you get such a warm welcome and tops all other restaurants in the area. The food is amazing I fully recommend this to anyone wanting a great night out.

We didn't eat here but both Friday and Saturday we drank at the bar. Really friendly owners and nice staff, husband enjoyed copious pints of their Saltire lager. We were welcomed and enjoyed the ambiance watching the 6 Nations on the Saturday. Will return when we are in Melrose again.

My pal and I booked well in advance for a Hogmanay Buffet and Dance. Name or booking was not confirmed, we could have been off the street. We brought a lovely pink gin and lemonade in the bar Easy to find a seat. Room freezing cold and even colder when outside door was left open as some of those dancing were feeling hot. Bar in party room was badly stocked and draught lemonade had gone out of date so had to wait while very apologetic bar staff fetched new drinks from bar. Dance teacher was giving instructions to all the dances and no music was played until those taking part had the correct moves. Buffet was lovely homemade cheesebread in abundance, haggis bonbons and brioche rolls were lovely but dry turkey was plastered with cranberry sauce which isn't to everyone's taste. Bar staff were totally friendly and to be honest were the best part of the night along with cheese bread haggis and onion rings. Compliments to the chef/s We left before the bells as there was no talent for a decent peck at midnight

The staff are very friendly and welcoming, special mentions should be to Sean and Nat who are fabulous, also to Graham and Dawn the owners. We weren’t staying in the hotel so can’t comment on that but did eat here and it was very good. Happened to be here on the night of the Masonic lodge function and were lucky enough to watch the pipe band. Met some of the locals (tony!!!) and hope you (briefly!) get to to meet him too, he will want to know your name! A very good place and hope to come back soon.

Made the mistake of eating here during a recent holiday to Melrose with friends, I had mussels for a starter and these gave me food poisoning and a very difficult night in the toilets at the caravan site. Spoke to the owner the following day and he simply wasn't interest went I advised I hadn't reported this to the local authority.

We spent our last meal of our holiday here at the hotel. The place doesn't look that fantastic but the staff is very friendly and efficient. Nothing was to much for them. There's a good selection of drinks at the bar as well as local ales.The food was lovely as I had the haggis, neeps and tatties. Our dessert was one to share because it was a big portion. Proper bar food in a pub style hotel bar.

Stayed in Melrose for 10 days and this was definitely the best place to drink. Excellent staff, friendly and efficient. Scottish Saltire lager and 4 well kept real ales on tap. One was Tempest the local ale. A nice courtyard if you are lucky to have any sunshine- we didn’t!! Food locks good but didn’t try it.

The service was good, the beer was good, the food was mediocre.It had improved from my last visit but not enough to entice me back.

Stayed for 1 night while in the area for a wedding. Had booked by email - there was no record of the booking. Room was fine - comfy bed, but very basic (no hairdryer) and the bathroom wasn’t great. The hotel is dated and shabby. Went down for breakfast at 9 to a very harassed yet hyper waitress. Ordered around 9.10. The jugs of fruit juice were empty and not replenished. The table was set with one bowl; a second didn’t materialise at any point. Coffee finally arrived at 9.40. Toast didn’t arrive; by 9.50 still no sign of the bacon. We left at that point. Service had a definite air of Fawlty Towers. Not a venue to recommend.

We were in Melrose and popped in for a beer. The barman was great; warm, pleasant, and down to earth. The menu was simple but gave us sufficient choice for all of us so we decided to give it a go. It was excellent - nothing fancy but just wholesome tasty food. The desserts were also great. A perfect local - simple but still of great quality.

Won a free Prosecco afternoon tea here. We went on Saturday for a lovely afternoon tea. Lovely presentation, nice quiet area in the reception lounge, staff very attentive. All dietary requirements catered for. Nice atmosphere. Beautiful fresh sandwiches,scones and cakes. Will definitely be back.

Local pub in hotel with a rugby themed bar. Friendly staff and a good selection of drinks. Television in the bar.

Called here on arrival in the village of Melrose and had a lunch and refreshing drinks

Had a christmas dinner here which was delicious. Could not fault the service or the food, Lovely to see the new owners making such a wonderful change in the place . Will definitely return.

The staff & team are so happy to help nothing is a problem to them always a smile on their faces very warm welcome

Only decided to head up and over the Border when we set out for the day. Well, we thought five or six months since we were last in Melrose, so why not go there. A bit of impromptu shopping, then decided we needed to get sort out lunch. There are several dining venues within a compact area, some on the slightly higher price side. The G&A; had a sign saying under new management and was more keenly priced, so we thought to give it a go. The staff were friendly and helpful, putting up a table in order to accommodate our request, as they were booked with a fairly large party in. They apologised that there would be a bit of a wait for our food order but that didn't matter as at least the food was cooked to order, and in reality there was only a very short wait. Presumably because under new management, payment was by cash only but there were plenty of signs notifying of this. Well, on our way out we 'found' a nice cosy snug type of area with comfortable seating with a lovely shaped Christmas tree in a corner bay window and decided to stay and have a coffee and more time for a natter and were surprised to be offered home made shortbread, which was a lovely gesture. A pleasant relaxing visit. Difficult to say when or if we'll be back but we didn't have any regrets that we popped in to give it a go.

The new management team of Dawn and Graham along with their friendly team have turned this place completely around. Great food and atmosphere and very dog friendly - what more could you ask for. I can thoroughly recommend the steak and the mixed grill and will be a regular in here from now on.

Went in here today knowing there was a new owner. Had a lovely afternoon, bar staff friendly and new owners were absolutely lovely. Decided to try their Christmas meal and was not disappointed. Had a traditional christmas dinner with Christmas pudding ( other lovely options available). Could not fault anything we had. Choice of traditional starter, we had the prawn marie rose and the pate which were excellent folowed by the turkey. We

Delightful food. Friendly staff . Excellent service. Lots of options for gluten free. Brilliant selection of gins. Definitely visit again .

Went in for the opening taster menu being hosted by the management. Great food and was good to talk with the chef directly who was very informative and enthusiastic. All staff are very friendly and only to happy to help and talk with all customers to give advice on the local area. Great atmosphere and will be back Saturday afternoon to watch the rugby and enjoy lunch. If you are visiting the Caravan and Motorhome Club like we are then make this one of your food/drink stops you will not be disappointed.

Looking a snack for my wife and I. Menu was all overpriced and looked at a hot-dog and chips for a simple snack. Walked out after seeing the price was £10.

Having experienced the food, rooms and staff I would not recommend to anyone spending time and money in this establishment.;

50 of stayed for the weekend whilst visiting the Tattoo Edinburgh. This hotel is very good value for your money. The staff were very friendly and hard working. My room was very large and clean. Out of the 50 people I got two very minor complaints, this was dealt with immediately by the staff. the food was acceptable the entertainment was George on the Guitar and a very good singer, he played non stop for 2.5 hours and kept our party going. I would go back again with David Urquhart travel. Pity they don't have a lift but everyone managed and the staff carried the cases up the stairs.

Went in for family meal two courses £9,95 Sunday roast was fantastic and pate was lovely , fresh veg meat was perfect ! To much for me . Service was 200% thank you

Stayed as a group of 30 on a charity bike ride . Nice hotel comfortable rooms even though I drew the short straw and ended up on the top bunk . Good beer SAM Smiths 5% lager was delicious. The electric sockets took some working out though in the room I plugged my phone in to charge but it didn’t work . It turns out the double socket was an extension which in turn was not plugged in to the main socket. I’m not sure if this is legal in a hotel . Breakfast was good and the hotel had a good bike store at the rear of the building

Ate at this hotel with my wife and two friends during a weeks holiday in the Borders. The food was piping hot, wholesome and tasty and reasonably priced served by a very nice lady.

Avoid avoid avoid ! Realise this hotel is an old building however the decor & soft furnishing in the bedroom could do to be renewed. 2 cushions on bed, one had hole in the other had stains. No wardrobe only a grotty rail with half a dozen hangers on, not what you'd expect having paid £120 !!! An old sink in bedroom ! No toiletries so I asked the very grumpy lady running the place to which she replied " I take my own if I go anywhere" she's obviously not been away in a long time ! 4 coffees in room, no biscuit or anything, if you want any extra coffee it's 60p a sachet, what a joke ! And as for the toilet & shower, well when you put light on it must've been a 20 watt bulb as you don't know it's on & then the expelair comes on which sounds like a helicopter taking of !! No curtains just a blind so very light & no charm. went to dinner but another couple sitting over from us were playing with their food so I asked how it was & they said awful & told waitress when she came for plates so we decided against it & went to the local Indian takeaway ! Breakfast meagre, sauce came in a massive plastic bottle that was more like what you would have at a bbq. Guy at Reception asked how our stay was, said it wasn't good so he said he'd pass it on, heard nothing from the owner so decided to call her. She was extremely rude when I said didn't think it was value for money having stayed in many different types of hotel, she said it was a basic room however because it was the rugby wkend they had to put their prices up to cover damage ! What £120 for a basic room , disgraceful, she wasn't interested & was very angry & rude when I pointed out what was wrong! Poor staff who have to work for her, I found her very unpleasant & uninterested in our comments & have come away very disappointed indeed. Never ever would I return.

Arrived at this hotel for a three day break on 2nd April that had been bought as a Christmas present. After some time waiting at reception I was met by a lady I took to be The Manager. I asked her what was going on locally to which she replied nothing as everything was cancelled due to poor weather. She stated that we were the only residents as everyone else who was booked in had cancelled that night due to sleet and snow. My initial impression was that her attitude was very negative. She asked what time I would like breakfast the next day. I replied 9.30am, however she said that was too late. I then negotiated another time and she agreed if I came down at 9am that would be fine. Breakfast was to be served in the bar area rather than dining room due to the lack of guests. On Tuesday we had breakfast in the bar at that time as arranged. The breakfast was adequate. The egg was undercooked and the tea was not too hot. I asked the lady who had met us on arrival if I could use an iron. She stated this would be sent up to the room. This did not arrive and after about one hour my husband asked again at reception. Some time later the iron arrived with an iron board and a towel. The board had remains of an old cover that was covered in holes and the towel which was covered in brown marks was to use as a cover. The plug on the iron was very loose and shaky. When we booked in the lady said we were in a room with a king sized bed but the room we were given was a twin room which staff then had to change over to a double bed while we waited. We had drinks at the bar and a two course evening meal on the Tuesday which was adequate again. The next morning we went for breakfast at the same time as the day before, The area in which we had breakfast the day before was not set up and the dining room door was closed with a sign saying not to enter. I met the lady from reception coming out of the dining room and I asked if I was too early as the dining room door was closed and I thought they were not yet ready to serve. To which she replied rudely that breakfast was over at 9am before rushing by me to reception. She gave me no opportunity to say that this was the time that she had agreed to when I booked in. My husband then went to reception to discuss the matter. When he politely asked her about the breakfast she became verbally aggressive saying to him "don't you get nasty with me". He was in no way nasty. My husband is diabetic and requires to eat following taking insulin. Her actions could have potentially been life threatening to him. I feel her actions were uncalled for as we arrived for breakfast at the time we had arranged and at exactly the same time as the day before. Most of the staff we met were pleasant and helpful but the whole experience was ruined by a very rude and nasty lady who in my opinion has no place in this line of work. Due to her abusive manner both my husband and I felt it was impossible for us to stay for a third night as planned and paid for. We left the hotel following this encounter. I am Scottish and have experienced hospitality in hotels in my homeland on many occasions which have been a positive experience. I dread to think that the attitude of this lady will be shown to visitors from another country and the damage she is doing to the tourist industry. We planned to spend yesterday in the town of Melrose and would have spent money in the town rather than return home.

Although I did not stay at this hotel, I did visit the pub three times over my two day stay in Melrose. The first night I went as a result of the sign posted out front advertising a selection of 130 Scotch whiskies. It did not disappoint. Made wonderful friends with Dawn and Dan behind the bar. The following day, I went for the typical Sunday lunch, and enjoyed numerous craft beers on tap and cask. Being a retired law enforcement officer, I met a retired Scottish police officer, as well as numerous other great folks. I actually spent five hours there! I returned later in the evening after a long nap, and enjoyed more whiskies. This was exactly the experience I expected coming to the Scottish countryside. Thanks to all my new friends at the G & A! See y'all next trip, cheers!

Stayed here for 2 nights, rooms could do with up dating and deco a bit old , shower definitely needs attention ! Breakfast was nice and plenty of choice ,we had 1 evening meal which was ok ! Not a lot of choice and a bit dated !! Bedroom was very cold on a night think heating was turned off ! Staff were friendly and served you quickly .

Having looked at the offerings of several nearby establishments which were overpriced for the menus on offer, we decided to try the Sunday special at the George and Abbotsford Hotel. We were not disappointed and found the menu to be attractive and great value at £9.50 for two courses. The hotel is clean although a little dated in terms of decor. The staff friendly and helpful.

We're do I start food was not all that good very small portions one person asked for extra gravey was charged 2.50 breakfast person was only having bacon asked for another piece and was told no cheep margarine for toast people asking for another hand...

We were on a coach trip,room was old fashioned but clean,room service ok,mealtime service ok but slow at times staff and mine host friendly. We did not pay a lot for trip so for money paid it was value but would not have liked to...

Just returned from a David Urquart 2night trip to this hotel. Cannot fault bus trip or our driver Alex who was wonderful. As for hotel, well where do I start. We realised when booking at the price we paid this wouldn't be five star or...

Went for lunch in the hotel restaurant with my three youngest children after having a lovely stay last time we visited. The staff were fantastic and engaged with my children well, this made them feel important. Our meal was fantastic hot and the children's meal was allowed to cool before bringing it out. For any other parents out there know soon as the plate hits the table children just want to dive in and you find yourself saying "wait till it cools down. " brilliant choice on the kids menu drink and Ice cream included. The kids were smitten once again by the two fish tanks in the entrance lots of different fish to look at. The owners Stuart and Andria were lovely and so accommodating and understanding taking my 10 year old daughter and 4 & 3 year old daughters out for a meal can be daunting, we were made to feel very welcome. Back soon.

Locale interno all'hotel. Pranzo piacevole , con personale cortese e cosa davvero rara , menù flessibile : puoi personalizzare il...

Family run hotel; don't expect luxury but good value for money. I had a lovely room at the top of...

Vine aquí para cenar durante su estancia en el camping. Ordenados sobresaliente, huevos y patatas fritas. El sobresaliente y patatas fritas estaban bien, pero el huevo estaba recocido y gomosos. Selección limitada de postres, ninguno de los cuales me apetecía. Barman era educado, al contrario...

Das Essen war gut und günstig, die Portionen reichlich und das Personal freundlich. Etwas Salz fehlte, aber das kann man...

El hotel está muy bien diseñada, con una decoración muy cansados.

En las visitas a la zona de melrose en los últimos años siempre hemos encontrado el George & Abbotsford para ser un fiable lugar para una agradable comida, hasta ahora.

Stayed at this hotel Monday and Friday on a coach trip with David Urquart the food was appalling and a member off staff was using terrible language when we all complained about the food, this is a joke of a place, and even had to go out and buy milk as the owner stopped me taken milk up to the bedroom, We had a wonderful driver and a arrogant member of staff was using bad language to him, The hygiene in the restaurant was not good, the table cloths had not been changed Monday to Friday and the young waitress was in normal cloths and no aprons, if you like your food this is not the hotel to go as little you get it is disgusting, and people were told to drink up or take drinks up to the bedroom at 10 30 as the owner son was closing the bar I have never seen that in a hotel before, we were on the coach before leaving and two police pulled up and asked for the driver he had to have a breathalysed and that was negative which we new it would be, The hotel owner had phoned the police to say that the driver was drunk in the bar every night which was not true, how low can the hotel owner go they are leaving the Scottish Tourism down.

Stayed her Monday to Friday on coach trip food was appalling my husband has fish cake and pasta salad didn't have anything better to order he had 1 fish cake so small it was hard when cooked everyone who had this meal complained I had pasta bake this was ok only ok when we complained we were told if we continued to complain about food then we would be asked to leave the hotel we had a fantastic coach driver very polite and concerned about his party we overheard the owner calling him an abnoxious cannot repeat the other word he called him all I can say don't go there it will spoil your holiday on the last day before leaving we were on the coach and the police came and breatherlised the driver they had a call from hotel saying he was at the bar every night getting drunk this is total rubbish as he only had 1 drink per evening I know because he sat by us his test was negative as we all knew it would be dangerous people running this hotel

Visited just after 2 on a sunday afternoon the signboard on the pavement indicated that food was served from 12 noon. We asked for the food menu only to be told that food service had finished untill 6Decided to go to another along the street a bit more on that later We used the carpark for the g and a When we came back to the car there was a notice telling me that i was parked on private property and i will get clamped , an arrogant man approched me and very rudely told me i was on private property , i explained to this person who claimed to be the owner that we were intending using your hotel for food but you were not serving so we went next door as a second choice not interested he told me this is a private car park for the hotel users and you were not using it. I said you need to take your sign down when not serving food That got the reply it does not matter what the sign says its a private car park For a tourist town they are not very welcoming i and the rest of the group will not be back worst experience ever on our day trip to melrose

Upon arriving was told Sunday lunch would be one hour wait!! After counting 10 people in the bar I was amazed why one hour wait!! Eventually after 45mins member of staff brought over a menu & no Sunday roast offered although the menu outside said otherwise & we also asked when we arrived if they served Sunday roast!! No management to be seen and young waiters didn't know what the menu was.... avoid at all costs

Heard mixed reviews about this place. What can I say we had a good meal and a nice bottle of wine at very reasonable prices. Then we heard the evening entertainment. Oh dear oh dear it was woeful! Imagine a drunk pub signer who can only hit one note and who tries (and fails) to play along to a backing track..........yeah you are getting the drift!

went for a meal here, we hadn't booked, well it was the end of the world according to the owner, however the chap on the bar was accommodating, he seated us quickly and told us what the soup was. The menu seemed quite plain and nothing really stood out. We both opted for the G and A chicken , it came quite quickly, sauce was lovely, my only gripe was no veg you had to buy that separate. It was adequate. while we were eating the owner was obviously disgruntled at something because the barman went out into the hall and she started to shout at him, he didn't say much but you could tell he was embarrassed. As a proprietor is it necessary to go on in this manner. we didn't have dessert, cant say we would rush back

We had a groupon deal for a meal in the hotel. I organised the booking directly with the hotel. When we came they didn't have our booking and we were told that they don't accept the groupon deal anymore. I explained I organised the booking a few days before and was never told that my groupon is invalid. The front of the house, an older blonde hair woman, insisted to see the emails I was sent as a confirmation. She eventually agreed to accept the booking after having seen that her colleague accepted the booking. However, she refused to include a drink to our meal, which was a part of the deal. Moreover, she didn't apologiesed for the whole confusion and she made it feels like they are doing us a special favour. She pointed that its mothers day, they do special menu and they are busy what made us feel even less welcome. We waited 20 minutes to get menus. The food came quickly, there was hardly anything special in prawn cocktail, tomato soup and roast meat dinner, the food was OK and the portions on a small size (a slice of meat and 2 roast potatoes with some vegetables and a Yorkshire pudding). The waiting service was friendly and helpful. Shame, we came to Melrose to explore the town and have a nice meal in a local place. We would definitely not recommend the hotel for food.

We had a voucher made very welcome staff attentive and pleasant. We had a good choice of menu no limitations.

For the first time in ages, we got real hand cut homemade chips, just like what my mum used to make, they even tasted almost as good. We had a very nice meal, service was efficient, no problems at all.

We got a birthday Groupon and came for 3 nights, great value and the staff are all absolutely lovely, very friendly and happy to help. The room was lovely, clean and the bed was lush. The food in the hotel was stunning, both the breakfasts and the evening meals we had over the 3 nights- we didn't bother going elsewhere as the food was so lovely we were happy to try as much on the menu as possible! The location is beautiful and everyone was just so friendly and talkative. We did the riverside walk and the Ellison Hills and OMG the views are breathtaking... I'm now broken from walking but loved every second. Overall very lovely place, great hotel and we will definitely come back with the kids ASAP xx ❤️❤️P.s. This hotel has THE HAPPIEST fish ever, wanted to take the two gold ones home, every time I went passed they came straight over in the tank and smiled.

Stopped for early tea. Not busy. Order was taken promptly. Starters arrived, I ordered the black pudding goats cheese and haggis stack. It arrived,but was cold unappealing and unedible. So surely the mains would be better. How wrong. What could be so bad with scampi. Well overcooked scampi,cold peas and chips and the salad was not fresh and frankly fit for the bucket. Husband had gammon which was tough .. dog enjoyed most of this.Very poor and total waste of money. Would not recommend, they need to up their game. Better basic elsewhere.

Friendly service from blonde lady at bar, food was nice nothin special. Beer smelt a bit funny but nice little place. Not worth £80 a night tho, I would only pay around £30/40.

stayed here on a groupon. this hotel is not suitable for anyone that can not walk up stairs as they do not have a lift. There was a coach load of older people booked in at the same time as us and they were all struggling to get up and down the stairs to the bedrooms with their cases. The staff were very friendly which i am glad of as previous reviews had started to put me off going, as we were taking a dog. We had no problems whilst we were there although i have to say that the decor throughout is very dated and is like going back 30 years.

On a visit to Melrose we called in to have Sunday Lunch, advertised outside. First impression was not good, The dining room was empty when we arrived and cigarette smoke could be smelt from the adjoining court yard. We ordered roast pork which, when it eventually came (service was so slow that one couple left after about 15 minutes rather than wait for a panini) was satisfactory. It arrived fully plated, including the gravy. The apple sauce was forgotten and at that stage we didn't bother to ask. We had baked cheese cake for desert which was very nice. We felt sorry for the waitress who was trying to run the bar and restaurant virtually single handed -she was very pleasant and was concerned about the standard of service. I would not recommend this restaurant.

The hotel is looking a little tired and in need of an update but whenough we called for lunch we were served by a very friendly and efficient young man we had cheese and ham toasties which were freshly made and served with a sidea salad and we're very good value

Called in for a morning coffee, had a great offer on, tea/coffee (including Latte etc) and cake or scone for only £3 per head

we were the only 2 eating in the bar but service was slow, but the food was good. It's a huge hotel and caters for weddings too, it's an old building and looks a bit worn in areas,Iwas surprised to see "real" hand towels in the ladies room, and not paper!. Staff who attended us were very nice too.

We go here when ever we are in town and always get a great welcome from Stuart and Andrea and the team.Large comfortable bar with well kept real ales and friendly locals and live music at the weekends.

Nice people needs a little updating, nice and friendly crowd in the bar who are more than happy to help

This was our first experience at a carvery type of lunch and we really appreciated it ! The food was excellent , the atmosphere was family-like and the decor was very interesting ! It was very cheap compare to other meals we have taken in Scotland .The only area of improvement would be the space between the tables : we did not feel having enough privacy ! Otherwise , a great experience !

Nothing fancy, and the food was okay. They really need to hired more staff to help at lunchtime. Our server was friendly and attentive.

I stayed at this hotel recently and what a great weekend it was.the young man we chatted to on the bar was lovley and friendly as was the other staff couldn't do enough for you room was very clean and comfortable and the food was very tasty with a great choice on the menu will be returning thanks again for a great stay

I booked this hotel as a treat for my wife, a weekend with our dog to relax in Melrose.2 weeks before arrival i phoned and had a telephone conversation with Andria to confirm 2 nights with our dog and was told no problem see you then.On arrival to reception we were greeted by Andria and instantly we received attitude from her. We were told she only had 1 room left and that she wasn't aware we were bringing a dog! We were shown the room and had to take it because she basically implied ' like it or lump it'! If you like your room to be clean or comfortable and even to have all amenities like soap, hairdryer, tea, coffee, biscuits with a plastic kettle fastened to a plastic tray on the wall above a plug socket (not safe) then down booked here. The bed was the most uncomfortable excuse of a mattress, full of lumps and springs poking through. The shower cubicle can only be described as a 70's filthy caravan shower.On the website it states its pet friendly, however dogs aren't allowed to be left in the rooms alone and her suggestion was to 'put the dog in the car' whilst eating, i point blank refused (what if it was a hot day!) The other suggestion was to have breakfast separately which was in appropriate because i was on a weekend break with my wife.Just because the manager thinks its ok to keep her dogs in a thin kennel outside in the car park in the freezing cold weather.We wanted to discuss this room with the 'manager' and the fact that she had spoken to me on the phone before arriving. However, I am still waiting for her to talk to me. She point blank refused to come down to reception and we waited 1 hour therefore we checked out.We booked for 2 nights and the money had gone out for the 2 at £99 but we could not stay the second night so we had to leave. She still got the money for the 2 nights even though we only stayed 1 but I feel that because she knew we were using a groupon voucher she always had the intention of ripping us off!I don't wish groupon to help her increase her profits by taking and abusing groupon customers and giving them the rubbish dirty rooms they cannot sell just because they have a voucher (and a dog).The full name of the hotel (if you can call it that) is -The George and Abbotsford Hotel High StreetMelroseTD6 9PD01896 822308. Please do not let anybody else go through what we went through and be conned.

We were with David Urquhart bus trip and it was a budget trip.Considering the budget ,I think we got good food. 3 choices each course.

Called in here for drinks. Very lively with traditional music from a live band. Clientele of all ages made for a relaxed enjoyable evening.Well worth a visit if you are in Melrose

Sadly it appears that this type of carvery is just not what a place like Melrose needs, because they certainly weren't supporting it. A Saturday lunchtime and there were only 5 other diners in the whole time we were there. The food actually was very good, well cooked and presented as a "typical" carvery meal, and the staff were really friendly and helpful. However we had a disabled guest and the number of steps between rooms, especially linking in a carvery, meant we needed to go in the large room holding the carvery itself. This is obviously a banquet/reception type room with large tables for 8, rather than the other smaller room adjacent to the bar with more normal tables. We felt lost in the space and on the table. However the food was excellent value with a carvery meal for £6.95, and I hope they manage to get more diners to improve the ambience. (and having a large screen with a teenage soap on it, showing in the room doesn't help...) This could be so much better and I hope they try for improvements before we visit again.

The service was quick and pleasant. The food was well cooked and presented and the menu fairly typical for a mid range pub hotel. Would recommend.

Lovely hotel, great food and lovely welcoming hosts. The hotel was taken over by the present hosts about 3 years ago. It is full of character and being upgraded gradually. The hotel is 300 years old and so has some history to it. Lovely freshly made food, full English breakfast, plenty of it. Very obliging staff team. Very clean hotel and rooms.

This was a CAMRA Ale outing to Kelso and Melrose with the lunch hosted by the G & A. The meal was excellent - mainly Christmas fayre and served effortlessly by friendly staff. On the bar side, there were three real ales on, all in excellent condition and he visit was very much enjoyed by all in the hospitable company of the hotel owners, Andria and Stuart Gardiner

Have been here before with our two corgi dogs and always get a great welcome. Steak and chips for two was good and at a unbelievable price. Drink well priced as well.

Visited here for the first time in a few months and what a dreadful experience. The food served is not what is described on the menu. 3 of us ordered fresh fish, mushy peas and homemade tartare sauce with chips. The plates appeared with garden peas and no tartare sauce, when asked about the peas and tartare sauce I was told that they didn't do mushy peas anymore and that sachets of tartare sauce were provided because they found that the homemade tartare sauce was going off. However that disappointment paled into insignificance when we discover that the sachets were out of date 11.11.15 my daughter then looked at the salad cream and that was dated AUGUST 2015. The proprietor didn't appear for a further 20 minutes and I had to ask again to see her. She was rude, condescending and patronising, she blamed the supplier for the tartare sauce being out of date saying she didn't check the dates before serving these up to customers. For someone who works in the hospitality industry she clearly lacked any customer service skills at all. The issue of the salad cream being almost 4 months out of date she blamed on her staff not checking. Needless to say we won't be returning to this local restaurant whilst the under current regime.

My family and i went out for sunday dinner and were severly disappointed.We had black pudding with apple for starters, which was very nice, but unsure as to where the apple was.Onto the main; the pork was dry and everything else on the plate looked like it was cooked from frozen. A premade Yorkshire pudding, 2 potato crochets (?), 3 roast potatoes which were obviously not homemade, some green beans and some carrots. The amount of veg was disappointing, i expected more than 2 types of veg, as that is my favorite part of the meal. The gravy was nice and service was very friendly although slow as the waitress was also working the bar due to staff absence. My other family member had quiche, which came with a nice salad and chips, the quiche however was awful, lukewarm and was like scrambled egg and grated onion apparently, it came with a massive unnecessary pool of melted cheese on the top. Overall wouldn't go back in a hurry.

Went here on an £89 Groupon voucher. This comprised 3 nights, 3 breakfasts and 1 dinner for 2 people.Owners, Andria and Stuart, and all staff were very friendly and helpful. Food was excellent, locally sourced and homemade - I recommend the mushroom soup and lightly battered fish. Also tried the a la carte menu which included a tasting platter of ostrich, buffalo and kangaroo ( not local ! ) at a very reasonable price. Room was very clean, comfortable and recently painted. Can't understand why this hotel has only 2 stars ! Will definitely be back.

Walking up to the main enterance I thought this would not be my cup of tea, however we were warmly welcomed and the place had a good atmosphere. We decided to stay for some food.Firstly there was three decent real ales on handpumps available, the pint I had was very good, so much so I had another a very reasonable £3 a pint.Two surf and turfs and a Japanese Wagyu steak all were lovely.I am heading down there on holida\y in a few weeks and the G&A will be my first visit.

This is the second time my husband and I have stayed at this hotel. We were there at the end of January with a Living Social Deal and when I saw this next one pop up on Living Social I jumped on it. We thoroughly enjoyed ourselves in January and were more than happy to come back again. The owners of this hotel are so friendly to everyone and the owner even remembered me from January immediately saying to me when I was booking in, "I know you." The owners and staff are so friendly and helpful. The food is excellent, we ate there all three nights of our weekend which should tell you something and we had a great meal every night. I know that they are in the process of doing the hotel up. They were in the middle of doing the new dining room when we were there in January. It is finished now and is gorgeous. I know that they still have some of the rooms to do, but they are working on it bit by bit. I could see huge changes to the place since January and I congratulate them. They have done a lot since we were there the last time and it is looking good. We looked at the prices for the other hotels in Melrose both times we were there and the G & A is I think one of the cheapest but I would urge you not to discount it because of that. At present it is only a 2 Star but I think once the owners have finished it will get a higher rating. and deservedly so. I would have no problems going back to this hotel anytime. To me, to be honest the kind attention of the owners and the staff make it. I have stayed in higher priced hotels where the staff could not care less about their customers. The G&A is not like this. The staff take the time to talk to you about what you have done that day and ask you about it and suggest things and actually have a conversation with you about it instead of just saying "Oh that's nice." So if you like a hotel that does that I rather than one where the staff are too busy to speak to you, then this is the one for you.

Arrived at 5pm to be told that we could not get a table for dinner until 8:30p.m. We have 2 kids and this is too late. We are still sitting at 10:00pm and just received our main course which was warm verging on cold. They are clearly only wanting to cater for coaches and nothing else. Hotel rated as a 2 star, that's being optimistic. Melrose on the other hand is a lovely place and has loads of eateries, clearly we will be eating out from now on. A lesson in how to treat customers would be highly recommended.

Return visit as first experience in February was very good, what a disappointment!! Food looks like they are trying to provide on very little money. I do not understand how it is difficult for restaurants to provide a decent prawn cocktail. Its very obvious when places are using the cheapest of ingredients. Wont be back

While staying in the area of Melrose,my husband and I and two very close friends dined in this hotels restaurant , which was open to non residents, we found the staff very friendly and welcoming. We all ordered different meals and they were cooked to perfection and the desserts were lovely.

Room was not ready when we checked in..linen not ironed,my daughter's bed was the worst bed I have seen.a few springs and dirty matress...the lady who was at reception had a dirty cardigan which gave a very poor first impression,breakfast was also like we were not welcome...we could not get warm as the bar was not open.the lady serving breakfast forgot some of the food we orderd .tea comes in the room had stains,curtains ver dirty(fotos attached). No one checked to see if everything was okay.had the same towels for 3 days.lucky enough we always carry back up.nothing for the kids to do at the hotel...Plugs hanging dangerously....Nothing positive to share about this Hotel..had to have all our remaining meals at other places in Melrose.

We dropped into the G&A for Sunday lunch while holidaying locally . Overall first impressions were good and my husband and I both ordered the beef Sunday roast as did another couple who sat at an adjoining table . A short time later the plates were served up and as soon as I looked at the meat I knew that it was less than satisfactory. One smallish piece of gristly and grey beef covered in gravy accompanied by cold veg and something that defied description masquerading as Yorkshire pudding. well....best attempt would be a spongy muffin soaked in gravy. I did attempt to eat the beef but it was as tough as old leather as was my husbands and the same food served to the nearby table. When I very nicely drew this to the I presume owner/managers attention I was treated to her exclaiming " but it's Silverside!" no apology...no offer to change it. then she disappeared to the kitchen...came back to say there was nothing wrong with the meat in her opinion and if I simply didn't *like* it then she was sorry. So 4 diners must be wrong hmm?. I was offered another slice of the same shoe leather and told she'd reheat my vegetables. At this point the other table said how awful the food and her attitude was, paid their drinks only and left as did ourselves . If this experience is typical of her Basil Fawltyesque attitude regarding customer service my advice to anyone would be to give this hotel and restaurant a very wide berth .

The George & Abbotsford changed hands a couple of years ago and has improved greatly, not only for food but for accommodation and bar offerings as well, plus the hotel has a much fresher and more pleasant feel to it. The Steakhouse menu offers all sorts of meats, including camel, kangaroo, alpaca and wagyma japanese cow, to name but some!

Good but basic well presented evening meals always hot and as we were a coach party a good choice. Breakfast had superb porridge but like all beffet style breakfast bars some food went cold quicker than others

On holiday in Melrose, came in to the city late and chose this restaurant. The food was good, staff polite and price were very fair. We had salmon and rump steak. The locals indicated the restaurant was know for a more general menu. I would agree with that statement, but found the menu allowed us choice.

Thought we would like a Sunday lunch and came here. The food was lovely, nice and hot. Had a homemade soup and the lunch. Certainly we didn't need any tea later and I only had a light breakfast the following day because the lunch was so massive.Lots of lovely fresh vegetables. Staff were fine serving us. We will certainly use this place again.

We were walking past on a Sunday lunch time and thought the Sunday lunch menu looked good. We had excellent service, and the meal was hot and plentiful so much so that we could not eat a dessert. We had a bottle of house wine.....not brilliant but it was just house wine. We will return. Service excellent and staff very friendly

It was perfect for what we wanted: Booze served by a welcoming bartender, no one smoking, no TV, and no music. Just our drinks, some birds doing their thing, and other people chatting or reading, enjoying themselves and the space. Thanks! The lovely April weather that afternoon didn't hurt either.

We visited after Gala 7s on our way home.We had 4 steaks,1camel,2fillets and 1 ribeye.All cooked rare and perfect.Would recommend,great service,good value,nice to see a well run hotel.Will be back.See you all soon☺

Probably one of my worst dining experiences. Staff were rude. Advertised as a steakhouse and serves the worst steak I have ever had. Asked for medium rare and received well done on three out of four meals. Should specialise in steak instead of having such a wide range on menu.

Staying at this Hotel was not a e xperience. The staff had no customer skills at all they all looked miserable. No smiles. I stayed a week my room wasn't cleaned nor towels changed during that time. Tea tray filthy,dead fly, ants and dirt. Sink too small to fill kettle which i did with a cup.no wardrobe or chest of drawers only 6 hangers on a wall rail. Food yuk!!!. I would not recommend to anyone.