We have just returned from a 2 week trip around Scotland in our new campervan - a first for us. We visited the Isle of Skye and booked to stay at the campsite next door to the Balmacara Hotel for one night. We were well and truly ready for a nice meal, dressed up a bit (smart casual as the guidance suggested) and politely declined the suggestion that the onsite offering of food was good, simply because we wanted to sit at a table in a nice setting. So we arrived and asked for a table for two; we hadn't booked so the ladies in Reception looked at us ominously. Three bookings were no-show so they kindly offered us a table. We were very grateful and impressed - many thanks for that. The campsite 'blurb' suggested that the hotel offered good homemade food, so we didn't expect haute cuisine, just nicely cooked, tasty food. I was craving vegetables! We both had a starter - they were 'ok'- my smoked salmon starter was nicely presented. We had both ordered steak, which was priced at £29.95 (each) so we had pretty high expectations. in short, it was really poor - no taste and my partner's steak was really gristly (unfortunate for the chef that he is the fussier one when it comes to fat). It was served with chips and peppercorn sauce. No salad, no vegetables. The waitress hadn't offered veg or salad, so in my experience that often means that it will be served with one or other. in hindsight I should have asked but at that price, I thought a few frozen peas at least might have been served on my plate. The waitress took our plates and didn't seem too bothered about whether we enjoyed our meal or not. We decided to let it go. It was the most expensive meal we've had in a long time (we didn't have wine either - just a beer each) at £100. Then came the decider for me to write a review - the couple who sat next to us on another table for two, who were a little older than us, also had a starter and a main. i didn't look because I was always taught that it was rude to look at other people's food :-) A different waitress came to take their plates away after the main course; she asked if their food was alright. The gentleman beside me let her know that it was ”disappointing”, and was met with a comment along the lines of, ”well, I don't see any on the floor, so it must have been ok”, and walked away. The four of us sat there politely with eyes wide open. Obviously none of us will be returning - although we will be passing the door again. To campers, I recommend trying the food on the campsite - it looked really good - and always nice to support a small business. To the hotel, it felt like there was an element of 'it doesn't matter because they're tourists and we probably won't be back' - but wouldn't it have been nice if we could have told fellow campers on the various social media groups that we subscribe to just how lovely our meal was? There was a good crowd in the restaurant that evening - feels like easy money. we feel like we were 'had', as t
107 Ulasan