We’ve visited several times over the years, but this weekend probably marks our last. James in concierge was superb, as was the overall reception team. However, the restaurant “refurb” is not good, the US style booths are out of place, and appear to have reduced capacity; they’ve certainly affected the ambiance. The dining experience was so noisy on Saturday night it was more akin to an inner city chain restaurant. Despite this obvious push for numbers Hotel guests struggled to get a reservation for dinner. We were given a booking after 9pm. I meandered to reception at 5.30pm thinking I’d have no problem for 7.45pm …oh well, rookies error! Anyway, the menu has morphed into a rather odd (&limited) selection of Italian plates, utterly incongruous to the overt Scottish fabric of the place. The rooms remain spacious & pleasant, but we struggled to understand the choice of wallpaper which has quite a claustrophobic effect!! Clearly it’s each to their own as others seem to appreciate it. The Marine is a beautiful hotel and (thankfully) the public areas remain a jewel in the crown, but bar & restaurant service was frustratingly poor. Seemed to be a combination of inexperienced staff & limited leadership. My impression is this hotel will eventually lose its loyal clientele & become a “one visit” tourist spot, which is a shame because it has all the attributes of being a trusted hotel in that part of Scotland.
My second stay and this one was just as good as the first. Wonderful (Lutyens) building and (Jekyll) garden with a great atmosphere and friendly staff - we even got to see the tortoises this time! Evening meal was lovely and breakfast was fine. My companion did have a mutter to me about the 'supermarket white toasted bread' which she felt was a bit disappointing at breakfast compared to that on offer at the previous evening's meal, but other than that, no complaints. Until next time...
Eight of us went on a golfing trip to Scotland. Overall, an outstanding experience (the people, golf courses, restaurants, etc). Hotel Craigielaw (near Gullane/Muirfield) was fantastic. Nice large rooms, clean bathrooms, and the staff was more than accommodating; they even did our laundry near the end of our stay. There is a golf course on the premises which makes for a good warm up round. The views are spectacular, overlooking the golf course and the bay. I highly recommend staying here