Portsonachan Hotel Restaurant in Argyll & Bute

The hotel has great views and friendly staff, but hotel feels very tired. The evening meals were expensive for the poor quality, breakfast was cereal's, porridge,toast and fruit juice. The tea and toast very slow in coming. The bedroom was shabby and not that clean. There was loud banging from the staff area below from 6 in the morning till 11 at night which we complained about several times with no success. Left after 3 days of a 4 day booking. Not good value even at the discount rate.

We stayed over 4 nights. The staff were very friendly, and helpful we got on very well with them all. We thoroughly enjoyed our stay there, would love to go back in the future.

No,No,No! Beautiful location. Hotel needs a refresh. Breakfast is chaotic. Food is adequate at the very best. Domestic staff are surly and abusive - do yourself a favour and swerve this overpriced place and go somewhere else

What a lovley experience we had in the restaurant, relaxed, no rush, great wine . We enjoyed very much our meal, the owner was present and couldn’t be more helpful. All questions were answered and ideas for trips shared. Just what I needed , peace and escapism from the last challenging 6 months. Will definitely make the effort to take a trip up every few months. Felt a lot better for the experience. Thank s guys !

Throughly enjoyable food. Had the rump steak on a couple of nights and chicken Balmoral (chicken incl haggis) All meals were hot and nicely presented

The food is tip top Service was good Components to the chef The dinner was well cooked well presented and served with a smile Breakfast was very good Just how I like my fry up

The restaurant has a stunning view across Loch Awe. Food is excellent and the staff are friendly and helpful. We stayed for a week and didn’t have one complaint regarding the food.

Superb evening food with a varied menu - staff worked hard, they were clearly understaffed. We ate here for four evening meals - consistently excellent, imaginative and plentiful

We rang the day before going to confirm that they did lunches and were told "yes" they did and we would not have to book. We drove 40mins to get there and found the restaurant completely empty with no staff to be found. we knocked on the door of the kitchen to be told that someone would come to deal with us. No one came for some considerable time. Eventually a scruffy very young man turned up and announced (with considerable disinterest) that they don't do hot lunches but we could have a sandwich if we liked. When I told him about my phone call of the previous day, he shrugged his shoulders and repeated "well there's only sandwiches". Needless to say we left immediately and drove a further 20 mins to find some one that wanted to feed us. This is the worst experience we have had in any establishment for years and does not represent the excellent food and service we have received throughout our 2 weeks stay in Argyle & Bute. The hotel itself looked run down and in need of a lot of TLC.

Coffee stop. Great views from the terrace and conservatory. Good coffee. Well located. Helpful nice staff

Just had a meal in the restaurant was one of the worst I've had in a long time I had haddock and chips at £19:95 the batter was over cooked chips were burnt had 3 little blobs of ice cream from a tub £6:25 really my wife had Sunday roast £18:95 beef was tough Yorkshire pudding was burnt roasties were burnt too a pint of lager and glass of wine £65 very poor wont be back

My wife and I had dinner here one evening during our visit to Loch Awe, and also lunch on a couple of occasions. The staff were very welcoming and helpful, especially the young Scottish guy, the Australian girl, and our waitress at dinner - apologies for not knowing your names, but thanks for the great service we received. As for the food, we couldn’t fault it at all. The dinner we had was one of the best meals we have eaten in any restaurant. My wife ordered the Balmoral Chicken, and I had the Sea Bass. I forget what we had to start, but both courses were delicious. As was the Panna Cotta I had for dessert. The food was piping hot and we weren’t left waiting for ages between the generous courses. Prices were about what you would expect to pay in a hotel restaurant. We didn’t stay in the hotel or lodges as we had rented a cottage nearby, so I can’t comment on the accommodation, but I would certainly recommend the restaurant and we look forward to eating there again on our next trip to the area.

stayed one night in one of the cottages great location with stunning views cottage very spacious with everything you need was valentines weekend so was a set menu which didn’t appeal to us but had separate burger and pizza menu which suited us only disappointment was staff forgot to deliver our breakfast hamper so had to go and collect ourselves just a minor blip staff efficient and accommodating will definitely return

We had a short stay at Portsonachan Hotel, I was wary from some of the other reviews, but, honestly the place is stunning, yes, 'she' is a old Coaching Hotel, but, my goodness it is worth a visit. I must say with one review said 'food was deep fat fried'...I have to strongly disagree, we ate both nights, one night in the lovely bar and the second in the main Restaurant...Food was delicious !!! Staff are very welcoming and we had the pleasure of meeting the Owners, who are also Dog lovers, we took our mad dog and he just loved the long walks and was very welcome to join us when we were dining...will definitely be returning and soon !!

Eaten here several times and the food and staff were both lovely, the location is absolutely breathtaking…… This is a quirky place that won’t be for everyone but we liked it.

the food was exceptional , we thoroughly enjoyed our steaks , they were cooked to perfection. the service is slightly a bit longer than i would usually like but the fact it is cooked from scratch makes it worth while. the staff are attentive and the selection of whiskys was great really really enjoyed this meal

Had a lovely stay at this hotel it was right on the side of the loch. The food was good and the girls serving worked hard looking after us

After driving for a couple of hours my sister and I decided to stop somewhere nice for lunch and chose the Portsonachan Hotel. We walked into the restaurant, which was empty at the time (around 12.15pm) and spotted a gentleman waiter. We asked if they were open for lunch and he said (without stopping what he was doing) “ it depends what you want as I’m cleaning the beer pipes”. Then as we replied we were hoping for something to eat, he didn’t even let us finish before turning his back and walking away. At the same time a waitress stood staring at us from a distance and when I spoke to her she totally ignored me and gave us what I can only describe as a dirty look as she turned away too. We have never been so upset and angry at our treatment and left the hotel immediately.

Currently the water at Portsonachan is a dirty brown and unsafe to drink. We weren’t told this prior to checking in and although bottled water is provided free of charge the water is not nice to bathe in and leaves a residue particularly in your hair. As with so many other places there are also issues with staffing. The service, especially at breakfast is very slow, we simply gave up on one occasion as we waited 20 minutes and weren’t even asked about tea or coffee. The rooms and decor are also looking a little tired although apparently some have been refurbished this wasn’t obvious to us on our stay.

Very expensive but poor quality food, my son's burger was almost inedible. My glass had a lipstick mark on it from previous person, lovely! Female staff member was incredibly obnoxious, she seemed to hold some kind of managerial position, either that or she was just bossing other staff members about. Wouldn't eat here again.

Limited menu. I ordered fish and chips Fish was nice but chips were wedges NOT CHIPS. I was left wanting

I was looking forward to having some local seafood nicely cooked and presented, sadly it was not possible. My husband was looking forward to one of the pizzas and was very disappointed, he could only eat the topping and part of the crust as the remainder was burnt and the base was raw.

Had a couple of evening meals here, food good once but had a truly dreadful lamb curry on the last night.

Offered to help us with some facilities to "work from holiday". We didn't need it in the end, but it says everything about their focus on customer service that the hotel offered to help, even though we were not residents - thank you!

Good to be there for the area, i've been twice and twice i've waited a long time to be served, i went to the reception and was asked to wait on a collegue, i seen one staff and asked to be served and was asked to wait for another collegue, so i ended up leaving without being served. Also the reception toilet didn't flush lol

meal was small and expensive very bland and a long wait.4 people 2 disabled stayed in a lodge they never told us you cant drink the water (to peaty) until you got there but they gave us bottled water which we had to collect from hotel which was to far to walk. telly hardly worked was told will fix tomorrow, shower didnt work at all was told will fix tomorrow never happened. service was polite and excitable but much better restaurant just up the road from lodges

the breakfast was good watch the tost the pizza was OKThe dinner meal took to long to have the order taken and the was crap don't have the stake at £18Vegetables were raw Check the water in the tea pot as you can't drink the tap waterThe best is go to another hotel

Took our Grandchildren for lunch. Only a 10 minute stroll from where we live. Pizza and Burgers only served at the time we visited but we were all more than Happy. Pizza is cooked in a proper pizza oven (you can tell) We had 3 different varieties and everyone (6 of us) enjoyed Chicken & Pesto, Four cheese and Fungi with Garlic Base. Service was excellent despite them being busy, little waiting time and all served at the same time. Staff and owners always welcoming..

food was hot and cooked to perfection , we found the service to be quick and efficient and the staff were super helpful

We had Luke warm lasagne for 2 and a fish and chips with more batter than fish and fish full of bones.

The fish was all batter and bones with very very little fish content, a basic menu, staff don't seem very happy no smiley faces and quite ignorant at times.

We partook in an evening meal on day one - it was sadly poor to average and our accompanying drink only arrive after 1h 45minutes from time we were sat by the waiter!Only used restaurant again for breakfast due to lack of other close restaurants open at 8am.

We ate here a couple of times during our stay and the food was outstanding, as is the view from the restaurant windows over the lock.

What a place-Excellent. The staff here are fantastic, very friendly very professional and so so welcoming. Food was excellent one of the best and by far the best scottish breakfast anywhere we've ever been to.Pet friendly hotel.Accommodation was also excellent with fantastic views of the loch.

Loved the food we had during our stay. No complaints. Staff were excellent and attentive. Area was very clean and organized.

Emails attached as sent to me by portsonacan hotel management as requested by the owner as proof that I did book separate tables at a specific time which was agreed and I was led to believe we had first choice of time. I would not return due to such poor service

We spent 3 nights at Portsonachan hotel. When we booked their was no problem when we told them we had 3 Golden Retrievers. We actually only brought 2 with us. When we arrived were given a 1 bed apartment, it was very fresh inside to say it was late in the season. The dogs were aloud in the conservatory where we had meals. The staff were friendly & the food was good. The only problem was we had go home. We have stayed before, this was the first time with the dogs, it won't be the last.

Having a very quiet break in the West Highlands, wanted to eat quickly and simply. Ended up staying for hours!Food was exactly what I wanted it to be, and cooked fresh, staff were very welcoming and helpful, service was spot on!Dog friendly too, which is always a winner with me.I'm looking forward to coming back!

Food was over cooked and service slow . Set menu was appalling . The breakfast was continental with the voucher so be prepared to pay extra for everything. What I will say is that the cooked breakfast which was extra was of a good standard .

No complaints about the food. We both had 3 evening meals. Steak, pizza, vegetarian haggis etc, starter and desserts were awesome. Service was friendly but the staff are not efficient or switched on and we saw several episodes of confusion and wrong items delivered to dinners. I personally had the wrong dessert served and the waiter seemed surprised I wanted it changing to the correct dessert.

Very enjoyable friendly and welcoming- the meal was lovely.Not a bit like the awful reviews we had read before going - just not a fair portrayal of a hotel which may be a little tired in places but makes up for it in the warmth of their welcome!

Not my sort of place. Not clean enough and out of the way, having to travel down a single track road.

Breakfasts spot on. Delicious evening meals. We ordered room service one evening - perfect sandwich, pizza and a side of chips. It was delivered to our Loch side cabin, piping hot and well presented.

Der nette Barkeeper hat uns um 18 Uhr über eine Wartezeit für das Restaurant über ca. 1-1,5 stunden informiert. Um 19.30 haben wir erneut angefragt. Nach Rücksprache mit dem Manager noch mal 30 Minuten warten. Um 20.30 Uhr selbst nach dem Manger gesucht. Dabei festgestellt: Das Restaurant war bis auf wenige Plätze leer! Der Manager meinte, er hätte auch größere Tische. Wären mit einem für 5 Personen zufrieden gewesen. Sind dann sehr enttäuscht gegangen. Ohne Dinner. Daher nur 1 Stern für den netten Barkeeper.

We spent 3 nights here -it should have been a lot more- we really enjoyed the lodge- it was well appointed and nicely fitted out. All equipment and mod cons were supplied. A short walk/ride to the main hotel dining area was not a problem as it is tarred. We heard not such good comments about the hotel rooms but were delighted with the lodge accommodation.

The food in the restaurant was ok (average). But, given the price of the food it was not good value for money. I don't mind paying £23 for a ribeye steak, but at those prices you would expect it to be a good piece of meat. It wasn't; it was as tough as old boots. My nephew had the venison, and again, that wasn't exactly on the tender side. The starters were very nice it must be said – the baked camembert and the smoked salmon (but I guess they would be quite difficult to make a mess of). But apart from the food, my overriding memory of the restaurant was our waiter. A young man who took the word 'surly' to a whole new level. The four of us laughed about it afterwards – but why I left him a tip I really don't know. If there was ever a man who should not be involved in the service industry this was him. Apart from the less than charming waiter, I suppose the acid test of any restaurant is 'would you go back for the food again?'. The answer is a simple 'no'.

In the restaurant or conservatory, the food is tasty, well presented and served in a relaxed manner to give you time to enjoy the scenery. Hearty breakfasts too.

Steak done exactly to all our various likings. Burgers were huge. Breakfast choice amazing Fantastic value for money and great service. Nothing too much trouble

I couldn’t wait any longer to write my review. We’ve eaten in the restaurant here 3 times this week and I was disappointed last night when it came to ordering dessert, they had ran out of cranachan!! Determined not to miss out, we ordered early tonight and it was well worth the 24 hour wait! Do order it (with a wee dram) you’ll be glad you did

Home made pizza - add your own toppings - tip only order one between two as they are so large! Save room for a pudding - home made cheesecake was delicious

The hotel had a limited menu and the food was a poor quality, service and staff attitude poo,r we did not feel welcome.

Eat here twice on a 3 night stay, first night was very good, good service, drinks offered but the second night resembled faulty towers. We sat for almost 30 minutes with no drink and food order not taken, I eventually went bar and got our drinks. We then waited a further 30 minutes for our meal. I should also add although we had booked a table there was not one available for us in restaurant so we eat in conservatory were dogs are allowed. One member of staff could not speak English so was only able to serve the meal but could not take orders.

We went to this hotel as part of a group booking.

Just visited the hotel for breakfast, unfortunately the young man could not speak English, order came out wrong but we had waited so long for it we just ate what was given! This is the second time I have visited the hotel and I won’t be rushing back, the views from the hotel are beautiful but it doesn’t make up for the lack of service or poor quality of food.

We visited for a meal and to visit elderly parents staying there. The hotel/restaurant is in a stunning location. You cannot fault that. However this poor place needs to be taken in hand by someone with a vision and given a really good wash and brush up. The barman was a nice young man on his first day and tried his best but had no training or visible support. The rounds were £35 to £50 and we had a few so this needs to be addressed. The meal was very hit and miss. The steaks had been cooked on a grill that hadn’t been cleaned in a while and had the bitter taste of burning. The menu stated Tempura prawns but garlic prawns arrived with no explanation or apology. The duck dish was good - so they can do it.I couldn’t figure out if the staff were just inexperienced or depressed or didn’t care or a combination thereof. It has such great promise and such a gorgeous location. Please will someone rescue it. It’s normally a management issue as the prices are providing a decent revenue

On entering the hotel reception at 6pm, I overheard two separate guests reporting that although they’d been given the keys, they had discovered their rooms not yet cleaned. The receptionist apologised but told them someone had called in sick so the cleaner was running late...

restaurant had a poor food selection and slow service only 2 staff both Croatian only one spoke English

Good menu choice including snacks which would suit families. Lovely setting with views over Loch Awe service friendly food is cooked to order so not quick

No problem with any of our meals. Pleasant restaurant with stunning views. The staff were courteous and helpful.

Ate here 2 nights running and breakfast, good choice, quality and quantity. Service was efficient and attentive.

Excellent breakfasts served in the mornings and decent evening meal menu catering for most tastes and reasonably priced,

Was always told if you go to Scotland, must have an Angus steak. The restaurant cooked it beautifully, along with a wonderful prawn starter, the sauce was out of this world. Nice wine list, a good meal.

I ordered breakfast from the menu on each of our 3 day stays at the Portsonachan Hotel and ordered room service one night. I am vegetarian and understand that my choices are limited, but each morning I ordered breakfast I was told that’s not available, so I would pick something else and that’s not available, or that, or that. One morning I was able to order the cinnamon porridge, but only with banana as everything else it was supposed to come with was unavailable - it was tasteless and I couldn’t eat it. The following morning I was met with the same unavailable to everything and staff offered to have a fruit salad made, to which I agreed. My fruit salad was banana, orange, apple and a whopping great previously-frozen strawberry on top. It was not good.

had 2 evening meals and 2 breakfasts. very happy with everything provided at mealtimes whether it was the cooking of the steak to required needs or the eggs Benedict for breakfast. the size of every portion was huge so managing even 2 courses took a huge effort and well worth the price on the menu. The kids would like to thank Edward for his attention and any lack of knowledge about the bar and wines i put down to the fact he's only been here for about 8 weeks..

Our 3 night break went brilliantly. All staff were very helpful and welcoming. It was late November but everywhere was warm and cosy. The food was exceptional and the views across the lock to snowclad mountains just stunning. We do not have a dog but it lovely to see owners enjoying the opportunity to have their dogs around in the bar and conservatory.

Interesting and daily changing menu, offering well cooked and presented food at reasonable prices .While enjoying your meal take in the ever changing views across Loch Awe.

All meals - breakfast and dinners were perfect. There was a large choice of freshly cooked food at each serving.

5 of us, 2 couples and a very large dog spent the weekend here Fri 12th to Mon 15th October 2018.

Whatever you may think about this place and there are certainly mixed views and expectations you can't fault the restaurant.

We were staying at the hotel and used the onsite restaurant.

Great choice, great service, lovely setting, excellent staff, very good value for money. The steak was exceptional

The food at this restaurant is delicious. The staff were very efficient, friendly and accommodating. Breakfasts are a must. I have written a separate review of the hotel, but the restaurant is worth a visit.

All tables had views of the Loch. Plenty of room to move and good seats. The Restaurant was well lit and warm.

Mushrooms burnt to a cinder lorne sausage raw in the middle,no bread left to make toast. A very poor experience after spending a horrendous night there. It just summed up the whole place.Nobody seemed to give a toss.

This hotel is wonderful, the views are to die for peace quiet and the most amazing views. Wow....staff lovely friendly and thank you lots Gary for your help and sense of humour after getting lost in the dark. Will definatley be back. thank you for a fab stay.

Service a little slow but food very good, excellent fish menu, and very generous helpings. All menu and bar prices really reasonable.

We ate at the Portsonachan Hotel during our stay there. The 'full scottish' breakfast was excellent, although the second time I had one there were no gluten free sausages. Never mind. The Loch Fyne kipper was superb. The steaks were good, even though we chose the cheaper ones (rump). My wife would have liked to have the fish and chips but for some reason it wasnt available in the evenings. Being gluten free (not through choice, I'm coeliac) I'm always grateful to any restaurant that can provide gluten free food. The seafood risotto was lovely (rice doesn't contain gluten).

Starting with the positives, the lady on reception was lovely and friendly, the manager was professional, the man running the bar was friendly, the views down the loch are great and the food was very good, I had a lovely ribeye steak with whisky sauce which would have been good value for £24, were it not ruined by the 2 surly and disinterested male waiting staff. The restaurant was not particularly busy, yet there were dirty cups and glasses all over the place, which stayed there for the duration of our meal, the tablecloth was filthy with 2 big stains on it and when I politely asked the waiter to change it he was unapologetic. Ordered a drink as starters were served and I'd finished my starter by time it came, next drink I ordered the waiter turned round and said "you what!?" With a disgusted face - this took about the same amount of time so walked to the bar to get it and the barman apologised and said he'd forgotten. Same story with the sauces which were not offered to us when the food was placed in front of us so we had to track him down and by the time they finally arrived the meal was almost finished. Things were even worse at breakfast - I actually made a note of how long everythong took. Being seated to having our order taken - 10 minutes, asking for tea - 16 minutes and was coffee, asking for ketchup - 10 minutes, asking both waiters, and in the end waiting outside of the kitchen for it.

We stayed here on the two night deal. Staff were great and food fantastic. The room was spotless and had everything you need, including kettle and coffee/tea. The view is the most amazing thing here and it’s worth the drive down the track. We had a relaxing time and will definitely go back.

This is so strange to me. Most hotel's restaurants never match the quality of the hotel.

We had an amazing steak and the best ever onion rings in lovely surroundings overlooking the Loch great value .

We stayed in one of the lodges at Portsonachan Hotel and ate in the restaurant on 2 evenings. We found the food to be of an excellent standard on both evenings, perhaps slightly more expensive than other places but we were perfectly content with the prices. We also found the service to be friendly, especially Beatrice who is a lovely lady and we found her to be most helpful.

The restaurant was very good with friendly waitress, the food menu was good choice,some portions bit small; but overall filling and good value.

Excellent food cooked to order, so be prepared to wait a while. Definitely worth waiting for, although rather expensive.

We were staying in the hotel so ate here for 2 nights. We found the staff so very attentive and helpful with a good knowledge of the menu. My partner loves his big meals so ordered the fillet steak which he rated as one of the best he'd very eaten. He really enjoyed the Sunday roast. As a vegetarian I found the choice a good selection and enjoyed what I ate. Would happily recommend the restaurant - nice time we want to try the burgers and pizza!

Great place, even better like minded people. Food the best ever! Nothing too much trouble and the scenery to die for!

Although the service can leave a lot to be desired the food is glorious. We have tried chicken with haggis, lamb shank, rib of beef, mussels, sea bream and calamari over our three days - can’t fault anything. Staff at great but service can be a bit slow when busy - well done chef and boss

Good food cooked to order, so be prepared to wait a while. However, worth waiting for. We thought it rather expensive, but bear in mind it is an out-of-the-way place, so no local competition.

Hotel in need of some tlc, could be so much better. Location was too remote for us. Room ok with lochside view. Food amazing, best breakfast ever. Staff try really hard. Shame about the water as very off putting bathing in yellow water. Not the place for us but enjoyed our road trip around this area. Very good value when purchased at travel show but more aimed at older clientele.

This restaurant very kindly fitted us in at short notice. We were not staying at the hotel but at a private lodge locally. We were shown to our table but then no-one came to give us a menu or took a drinks order for ages. It wasn't particularly busy and the staff weren't rushed off their feet, they just weren't paying any attention. We had to wait for menus, then for a drinks order, then the drinks, then the food order. We had reached a point before placing our order to wonder whether we should leave and find somewhere else to eat (there is a pub a short distance away). It's a simple thing to show a guest to their table and take the menus with you whilst you do that. When the food eventually arrived it was good, not excellent, good - I felt it was a bit on the pricey side. However, the loch views from the restaurant are amazing.

We really enjoyed our two dinners in this restaurant. The view was exceptional, and the food was beautifully presented. There were a lot of fish choices on the menu, and plenty of other dishes for those not piscarian minded. The service was prompt and friendly.

The food in the Portsonachan Hotel Restaurant is amazing - from the breakfasts with a HUGE range of cooked options (alongside the help-yourself staples like toast, cereal and fruit) to the main meals that were varied in choice and all very tasty.

Staying at the hotel we expected to use the restaurant for breakfasts but eat out in the evening. The food was so good at the Portsonachen Hotel Restaurant that we ate every meal there during a 4 night stay.

Fabulous view. Excellent bread and oils - delicious. Good starters and mains. Nicely presented and good service.

I had haggis, neeps and tatties. I do not lie when I say that it was the creamiest, most gorgeous tasting mash ever!

Food just as good as we remember if not better. The whole hotel is brilliant if you want somewhere well away from everything.

Great hotel, staff very helpful, just a shame that most are European would be nice to see more locals there especially for the tourists visiting.

Food was amazing breakfast very nicely cooked and fresh dinner was the same succulent cuts of meat and nice and tender service very friendly and warm and welcoming

Plenty of choice. Nice surroundings. Choice of formal and informal setting. The quality of the food is excellent

We ate breakfasts and dinner here. Massive, freshly made breakfasts and good value, tasty dinner served in a restaurant with great Loch views.