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Summary of reviewsThe Birnam Hotel, situated in the picturesque village of Birnam, consistently impresses visitors with its prime location, cleanliness and accommodating staff, making it a favored choice for travelers exploring Dunkeld and surrounding areas. Guests frequently commend the hotel's serene surroundings, proximity to Dunkeld’s amenities and its convenient access to both rail and road routes. Local attractions like the River Tay and Beatrix Potter exhibition enhance its appeal as a base for leisurely strolls and cultural explorations.
The breakfast offerings at Birnam Hotel garner high praise for their variety and quality with guests enjoying a hearty full Scottish breakfast and various vegetarian options. The friendly and attentive staff contribute to a positive dining experience, although occasional delays and minor quality issues are noted.
Dinner experiences, especially at the adjacent Birnam Inn, are generally favorable with many appreciating the well-prepared, delicious meals and the pleasant atmosphere. However, some guests feel the menu could be expanded and mention occasional quality issues with certain dishes. The need to dine outside the main hotel building is a minor inconvenience for some, but overall, the meals are well-received.
The rooms are described as spacious, clean and comfortable, offering traditional charm alongside essential amenities like tea and coffee making facilities. While the decor is considered dated by some, the cleanliness and comfort of the rooms largely offset this drawback. Some areas, including soundproofing and certain bathrooms, could benefit from modernization.
Cleanliness is a strong point with most guests finding the hotel well-maintained despite its age. While some parts of the hotel show signs of wear, the general standard of cleanliness is upheld, ensuring a pleasant stay.
The staff at Birnam Hotel are repeatedly praised for their friendliness and helpfulness. Though a few instances of slow service are mentioned, the overall dedication and kindness of the team enhance the guest experience significantly.
Guests generally have positive experiences with the hotel's Wi-Fi and ample, convenient parking facilities. However, the beds receive mixed reviews with many finding them comfortable while others point out the need for mattress replacements and improvements to bed sizes.
As a three-star establishment, the Birnam Hotel offers a commendable experience that balances affordability with comfort and cleanliness. It successfully meets and often exceeds expectations for its rating, providing excellent value for money, particularly for budget-conscious travelers. Show more
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Hotel near Golf Courses
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3-Star Hotel
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Guest Reviews
7.4
Good
Location
The Birnam Hotel boasts a range of positive reviews about its prime location, making it an ideal choice for travelers looking to explore Dunkeld and the surrounding areas. Nestled in the charming village of Birnam, the hotel is praised for its proximity to the center of Dunkeld with guests highlighting the easy and pleasant walk across the bridge into town. The hotel's setting in a beautiful, peaceful area offers serene surroundings, perfect for leisurely strolls along the River Tay and through scenic paths.
Guests appreciate the convenience of on-site parking and the short distance to the train station, facilitating easy access for those traveling by rail. The location is also lauded for being a great base for exploring the local area, including popular outdoor activities like walking and biking. Birnam’s picturesque environment and its closeness to Dunkeld’s shops, restaurants and historic sites such as the Dunkeld Cathedral and Hermitage make it a compelling choice for visitors.
The hotel's proximity to the A9 makes it a convenient stopover for those traveling to the Highlands, while its peaceful setting offers a quiet retreat after a day of exploring. The nearby Beatrix Potter exhibition and the famous Birnam Oak provide additional charm and attractions within walking distance. Overall, the Birnam Hotel’s location is repeatedly described as excellent, perfect and fantastic by guests, making it a favored spot for an enjoyable and convenient stay in the area.
Breakfast
The breakfast offerings at the Birnam Hotel receive predominantly positive feedback from guests, highlighting a favorable and satisfying experience. Many reviews describe the breakfast as excellent, delicious and offering great value. Guests appreciate the full Scottish breakfast options, which are consistently noted as hearty and flavorful. The breakfast menu is commended for its variety, including a full vegetarian option and specialties like smoked haddock. Additionally, guests mention generous portions, fresh ingredients and a good range of choices that cater to different dietary preferences.
Service during breakfast is generally well-received with praise for the friendly and attentive staff. The food is often described as being well-cooked, tasty and non-greasy with some guests noting the enjoyment of freshly made dishes and great coffee.
However, a few reviews suggest areas for improvement, such as occasional delays in service, breakfast quality not meeting expectations and cold items like toast. Despite these mixed opinions, the majority of guests seem pleased with their breakfast experience, finding it both rich in variety and fulfilling, setting a positive tone for their day.
Dinner
The dining experience at Birnam Hotel often leads guests to the adjacent Birnam Inn, where the culinary offerings have received mixed feedback. On the positive side, many guests appreciated the delicious and reasonably priced meals, highlighting the excellent evening meals and generous portions. The food quality and service at the Birnam Inn were often praised with mentions of enjoyable and well-prepared dishes, including good bar meals and a selection of pizza and pasta. The atmosphere in the Inn has been noted as pleasant with some diners delighted by the attentive staff and lovely pub grub.
However, there are some areas for improvement. Guests frequently mentioned the limited menu options and occasional issues with the quality of certain dishes, such as an inedible sirloin steak. Additionally, the necessity to dine outside the hotel or in a separate building was a common point of inconvenience with some finding the adjoining restaurant/bar to be cold or the dinner service not available during their stay.
Despite these mixed reviews, many guests found their dining experiences enjoyable overall with the food often being a highlight of their stay. Those who dined in the hotel itself also reported positive experiences, complimenting the excellent quality and presentation of the meals. Overall, while there are a few drawbacks, the dining options connected to Birnam Hotel generally provide satisfying and enjoyable meals.
Rooms
At the picturesque Birnam Hotel, guests will find a mix of charm and practicality in its spacious and comfortable rooms. Many reviews highlight the spacious nature of the rooms, often described as large, roomy and clean. The typical amenities such as tea and coffee making facilities, irons and hairdryers are provided, catering to all basic needs.
Despite the hotel's old-fashioned decor, often referred to as dated and tired, the rooms are consistently praised for their cleanliness and warmth. Most guests found the rooms to be comfortable with some noting nice furnishings, good decor and lovely views from their windows.
However, the age of the establishment is evident with several comments about the need for modernization and refurbishment. Some rooms specifically could benefit from updates, particularly the bathrooms, which in some cases appeared to have been converted from closets.
Soundproofing seemed to be an issue, as sounds from adjacent rooms were noted. There were also occasional minor inconveniences such as keys stopping working, windows needing repair and rooms sometimes feeling too hot or a bit cold.
Overall, the rooms at Birnam Hotel strike a balance between traditional comfort and the need for a future facelift, offering a clean and spacious stay that reflects the hotel's charming Victorian character.
Beds
The beds at Birnam Hotel receive a mix of feedback, though a significant number of reviewers highlight their comfort. Descriptions frequently mention comfortable or cozy beds, contributing to a good night's sleep for many guests. Several reviews specifically note the beds as very comfortable and even excellent. However, there are also recurring mentions of mattresses that need replacing due to being flat, lumpy or saggy. Squeaky bedframes and narrow single and twin beds are pointed out by some guests as areas needing improvement. Overall, while many guests find the beds comfortable, there is a noticeable call for updating the mattresses and addressing bed size issues to enhance the sleeping experience further.
Cleanliness
The Birnam Hotel receives praise for its cleanliness with several guests highlighting that the rooms are clean, tidy and comfortable, making for a pleasant stay. Many visitors found the general standard of cleanliness to be very good, noting that rooms are maintained well and linens provided are fresh. Guests have described the hotel environment as clean and peaceful with a friendly staff adding to the positive experience.
However, some reviews indicate that the hotel is dated and in need of updates, both in the rooms and in general areas such as the lobby and hallways. Some areas have been mentioned as dusty with a musty smell and occasional maintenance issues like broken windows and dirty walls. Despite these points, the overall sentiment suggests that the rooms are generally kept spotless, even if some parts of the hotel are showing signs of age and require modernization.
In summary, while the Birnam Hotel excels in room cleanliness and offers a neat and comfortable stay, it could benefit from updates and improved maintenance to enhance the guest experience fully.
Staff
The reviews for Birnam Hotel consistently highlight the staff's exceptional friendliness and helpfulness. Guests often describe the team as cheerful, super-friendly and welcoming, making for a warm and pleasant stay. The reception staff, although occasionally slow to appear, were generally prompt and obliging with early check-ins and attentive service.
The general manager and other staff members, including the receptionists and breakfast attendants, received praise for their courteous and efficient service, ensuring guests felt at home. Even those working in the hotel's pub and restaurant were noted for their accommodating and hospitable nature.
A few reviews pointed out the impacts of staff shortages, which sometimes resulted in slower service and the reception desk being unmanned. Despite a couple of mentions of less-than-ideal interactions with receptionists, the overall consensus is that the staff at Birnam Hotel work hard to meet guests' needs, showing a commendable level of dedication and kindness.
Wi-Fi
The Birnam Hotel generally receives positive remarks about its Wi-Fi with many guests noting great access and good speeds. There is ease in connecting to the internet and several visitors found that the Wi-Fi worked well in their rooms. However, some guests reported issues with intermittent connectivity and slow speeds and a few experienced poor or non-existent internet during their stay. While the Wi-Fi is mostly reliable, it's important to be aware of potential inconsistencies.
Parking
Guests have praised the Birnam Hotel for its ample and convenient parking facilities. Many have highlighted the availability of numerous free parking spaces right in front of the hotel with on-site parking being a notable convenience. Reviewers frequently mention the large parking lot and easy access, which make parking hassle-free. The ability to park near the hotel's door adds to the overall positive experience. While one guest noted that parts of the car park were a bit lumpy, the overwhelming consensus is that parking at the Birnam Hotel is plentiful, excellent and very convenient.
3 Star
The Birnam Hotel offers a commendable experience for a three-star establishment, meeting and even exceeding expectations for its rating. The facilities are basic but maintained in a clean and comfortable condition, aligning well with the typical standards of a three-star hotel. Guests consistently find it to be a great and good choice for those seeking three-star accommodation.
Despite being a bit tired in certain areas, the hotel's pricing levels are significant, making it an excellent value for money. The affordability does not compromise the cleanliness or overall comfort, ensuring a pleasant stay. The Birnam Hotel effectively balances cost and quality, delivering a fine three-star experience that is both practical and satisfying for budget-conscious travelers.
No, Birnam Hotel doesn't have any pool.
No, a spa isn't available at Birnam Hotel.
No, Birnam Hotel doesn't allow dogs.
Yes, parking facilities are available at Birnam Hotel.