Royal Marine Hotel (Brora, United Kingdom)

Beach-lovers and golfers liked this hotel's peaceful and attractive coastal location near the beach and a challenging 18-hole links golf course. It reportedly made a good base for exploring Sutherland and Scotland's northern Highlands. Public transport links were good as the A9 passed through Brora village and there was a handy railway station for trains along the scenic Far North Line. Drivers welcomed the free parking and many said it was straightforward to reach area golf courses, beauty spots, castles and whisky distilleries as well as ferry terminals.

According to many travellers, rooms at the Royal Marine Hotel were elegantly-decorated, comfortable and clean with modern en suite bathrooms and cosy beds. Reviewers liked the way many rooms retained period features like mahogany furniture and fireplaces.

Visitors frequently praised the helpful and friendly staff, while diners often spoke highly of the food served across three restaurants. In particular, diners liked the home-made desserts, afternoon teas and formal evening meals featuring Highland specialities like salmon, locally-caught seafood and malt whiskies. The freshly-prepared and yummy breakfasts were also popular.

Although many reviewers were pleased with the free Wi-Fi network, some claimed they encountered a patchy signal or sluggish speeds in certain areas of the property.

Critics claimed some rooms were quite small or suffered from weak water pressure in the bathrooms. Some reviewers said regulating the room temperature wasn't always straightforward.

Reviewers occasionally expressed doubts about whether their stays represented such good value for money as the room rates reportedly weren't always the most competitive for the region. Several diners also felt some of the restaurant prices were a little steep.