The Brander Lodge Hotel And Bistro

United Kingdom , Oban
Taynuilt, Bridge Of Awe
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75 reviews shown

2/10

Poor

27 Jan 2026

Matthew

Arrived to find that they had finished serving food (disappointing but understandable as I arrived at about 9pm) The bar was not open however which was quite disappointing. Upon arrival I was asked what time I would like breakfast, however breakfast was not available at 7am as I had said (and been told was okay) nor was it available at 7:30 when breakfast was advertised to start at. There were no staff present to query on this. As i had to be away to get to work on time I had to leave without breakfast which I had paid for and had to make do buying snacks from the petrol station down the road.

The availability of breakfast and the bar were the main reasons for booking this hotel which was more expensive than my other options. In hindsight I should have taken my custom elsewhere.

Business

6/10

Pleasant

20 Nov 2025

Philip

TV was not working properly,
Battery missing from remote control
WiFi was very poor

Business Self

10/10

Exceptional

20 Oct 2025

John

Staff were very helpful, polite and professional. Very pleasant atmosphere, the food was excellent. Overall a very pleasant stay thank you

Leisure Family

8/10

Excellent

14 Oct 2025

andrew

Rooms are a good size and clean, outside space via patio doors is a nice addition staff are great and very helpful. breakfast was a bit bland but alright, soundproofing could be better, as you can hear people walking and talking upstairs, all in all great for the price.

Leisure Partner

4/10

Poor

26 Sep 2025

Omar

The bed was clean and comfortable and the lady in the bar was friendly but everything else was so awful that I was very glad to leave. Shortly after arrival I complained to the manager that the shower ran unbearably hot, even on the coldest setting and that the curtians were hanging down due to multiple missing hooks. Neither complaint was rectified during my 3 night stay. I then noticed that the bedroom carpet was filthy and the ceiling and walls covered in dustwebs. The large televison probably didnt need its wall bracket as there were so many webs attaching it to the wall, both at the back, top and sides. The carpet appeared as if it had never experienced a vacuum clean - the room corners and edges less so. Bits of nail clippings and other dirt clearly visible. Spider web in corners, dead flies attached to the curtains and this was a 'superior'room! Public areas such as the dining room and bar looked lovely. Shame about the breakfast. Buffet items were old, same open bowel of yoghurt out day after day, fruit rotting, apple juice looking darker by the day. A good choice is offered for cooked breakfast but only if you are NOT a vegitarian. Zero effort to offer anything veggy!. You got the impression that everything was about making less work for staff rather than looking after their customers. Very sad as this place could be so good with just a little TLC. I took pictures of the bedroom showing the filth but I got the impression that the manager isnt bothered.

Leisure Self

10/10

Exceptional

23 Sep 2025

frank

Alan, Lee and Mani were amazing! Be sure you take a walk out back to the river. Food was excellent and will be coming back again my next time in Scotland.
There are a few things that they are working on to make the place even better, but a great choice for us.

Partner

8/10

Excellent

18 Sep 2025

Melissa

Nice stay when visiting the Highlands.

Leisure

10/10

Exceptional

17 Sep 2025

Margaret

What a find! On our way from Edinburgh to the Isle of Skye, it was the perfect stop. The restaurant was cozy, the food good, and the live music in the cozy bar was a huge bonus! Band members even took the time to chat when they wrapped up just before 9 p.m. Parking was free and convenient (a little tricky to find; it's tucked close to the building and not marked). The bed and bedding was comfortable and it was very quiet at night.
It has historic character, also a bonus. Loved it!

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

17 Sep 2025

Zorana

Nice place, quiet and calming in beautiful nature. We enjoyed our stay

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

16 Sep 2025

Greig

Great stay

Friendly helpful staff, good sized room, own patio area. Scenic situation. Dinner first class with great choices. Highly recommend Cullen Skink soup . Slept well . Will stay again

Business

6/10

Pleasant

13 Sep 2025

Joanna

Good breakfast, nice people, VERY neglected hote

A very , very run down place, clean, but shabby. Great breakfast, quality food and lovely waitress.
The bathroom has mould round every ledge, so although its clean it looks grotty. The shower doesnt drain.
There are dinner plate size holes in fire door, a ceiling has collapsed in an office / dumping area in the front of the hotel ( they could hide it by just pulling blinds down).
Its clearly been neglected for years. The location is fab, it COULD be gorgeous with a heap of improvements.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

08 Sep 2025

Ericka

On arrival we went to the bar as no one was at the check in desk, we spoke to staff at the bar about checking in, and from that moment we arrived until we left the staff were so friendly, helpful and accomodating. I did notice there werent many staff around and at times they were doing multiple jobs. Food was really good we ate dinner in the bar the first night and we had a good breakfast included in our room rate in the morning. The room was nice, comfortable beds, warm, we had a good shower and a beautiful little private patio area. The hotel itself is a little run down in areas but has amazing potential, the room could be a little cleaner but we had a really nice stay. It was excellent value for money and the staff really make the place! The hotel atmosphere is very chilled which is lovely!

Leisure Family

8/10

Excellent

07 Sep 2025

Ian

Spent a lovely, quiet two nights stay. Staff were very helpful and welcoming. Special mention to the Chef and also David from Ireland for their extra attention 😁

8/10

Excellent

29 Aug 2025

Staff excellent, no issues 😁, good price and location

Leisure Partner

4/10

Poor

25 Aug 2025

Josie

Sadly, 'never again '

Efficient welcome by David.
Room ok. Nice bathroom but toilet roll holder missing and door very dusty.
We went to the bar, the young man needed assistance from my friend on the correct measurement of sherry. He advised he'd only held the position a couple of months. Id have still expected him to have had that training.
Dinner
Our meal was average but unfortunately we were sitting where a gentleman was sharing his salmon starter with his dog (from his fork!) - not the fault of the hotel but unpleasant for us to see. Dog then received main course of steak in gravy from the kitchen! This time in a dog bowl. Maybe not feeding dogs human food could reduce your prices!
Breakfast
Continental breakfast on the menu states grapefruit, melon, cranberry juice, yoghurt - none of which were in evidence. Selection of pastries appears to mean one type!
Cooked breakfast was ok.
The waitress at breakfast appeared to be new and although polite did not appear to have any training in customer service or her role. I would suggest that a uniform would help to make her look more professional.
We went out after breakfast and returned around 9.45. My friend wished to have a drink at the bar but it was in darkness!! No prior warning was given or no staff to be found.

Friends_and_family Friends

6/10

Pleasant

24 Aug 2025

Verified traveler

Beautiful location. Bedroom noisy.

Beautiful location. Clean and comfortable room but very noisy- lack of soundproofing.
Excellent dinner but continental breakfast limited. Bar staff friendly and helpful.

Self

4/10

Poor

17 Aug 2025

Najib

Not clean , no facilities, very poor Wi-Fi in the rooms , not updated tv system, full of insect , no A/C in the room

10/10

Exceptional

11 Aug 2025

Tim

Ideal stay as part of a wider road trip. Very welcoming staff, and a great cooked breakfast (we were set for the day after that!). Lovely gardens and views out to the hills. Would happily return :)

Leisure Family

8/10

Excellent

10 Aug 2025

Philippe

Positive: good rooms, excellent breakfast choices, food was fine especially as we had dinner at 8m, great parking.
For us the fact that the manager spoke French was also a plus.
Negative: sound proofing needs to be improved, very noisy showers in adjacent room ( woke us up at 6.10 am), some dirty chairs in the dining room.

Leisure Friends

8/10

Excellent

26 Jul 2025

Ann

Set in a very picturesque place. Just felt the room need a little up dating, damp near the patio door.

Partner

8/10

Excellent

23 Jul 2025

Vincent

The people are really nice there and great to talk to. The manager is very accommodating and efficient. The chef deserves a Michelin star.

Leisure Self

6/10

Pleasant

23 Jun 2025

John

The quality of the bedding sheets and furnishings inThe room need significant improvements

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

11 May 2025

Anne

Had a lovely stay steak pie was first class

8/10

Excellent

09 May 2025

David

Spectacular location, perfect for a stop-over. Beds were comfortable, shower was nice and hot, can only get better with a bit of TLC from the landlords!

8/10

Excellent

19 Oct 2024

Angela

Hotel was very good. Lovely clean modern room with super comfy bed. Staff were all excellent, friendly and helpful. The hotel is in beautiful scenery and I'm sure it is lovely to sit on the terrace outside restaurant and bar in the summer. Food was very good too.

Leisure Partner

8/10

Excellent

27 Sep 2024

Ian

My room was a little tired and in need of some repairs, but it wasn’t expensive and it was clean and comfortable. Evening meal and breakfast both very good. I’d be happy to go back when the repairs have been completed.

Leisure Friends

4/10

Poor

13 Sep 2024

Verified traveler

Needs attention

Place is run down and lifeless.
Windows are in a bad shape and bins full in view of windows.
There was a hairball on the carpet so not cleaned properly.

Business

2/10

Poor

31 Aug 2024

Verified traveler

Don’t go there !

The whole hotel needed more management. Public areas were dirty and uncared for. One morning at breakfast a tablecloth on the coffee table had the same very large stain of coffee from the previous morning (covering a huge percentage of the table). The same morning the coffee tasted stale as if just reheated from previous morning.
The food we had was adequate but no more. The room was clean and the en-suite. However, the security was terrible with outdoor doors left ajar overnight and no management in the hotel at all. Guests were left to their own devices from about 22:00 to 09:00. The cook was obviously in attendance for dinner and breakfast and also junior staff (the junior staff were excellent but undertrained). Would not recommend this hotel to anyone.

Friends_and_family Friends

10/10

Exceptional

31 Aug 2024

David

Coming up by train, it was a convenient and luxury base camp for the Ben Cruachan circuit, if a short walk along the road doesn't bother you. Lovely garden and river. Very nice staff and food.

Leisure

10/10

Exceptional

20 Aug 2024

Lindsey

Perfect for single traveler! Very friendly staff and good food!

Leisure Self

10/10

Exceptional

16 Jul 2024

Alex

Had a major refurb, good choice of food and great garden.

Leisure Self

10/10

Exceptional

09 Jul 2024

Andrew

Very helpful and friendly, scenery was lovely

Business

2/10

Poor

16 Jun 2024

Andy

Terrible food

The staff were nice enough but there were only 4 main meal options.
The food that we had was terrible the smoked salmon starter had two tiny pieces of salmon barely enough for one of the three oatcakes that came with it !
The main meal I had was Steak pie it had greasy watery gravy and tasteless meat covered in gristle
My colleague had mince and mash which was also tasteless and when he asked for a sachet of brown sauce to try to put a bit of taste into it was told there was none
I would not recommend anyone eat there until the food improves drastically

Business

6/10

Pleasant

14 Jun 2024

Eloise

I wasn’t really expecting much for £50 but the building itself needs some modernisation. The room looked like it needs a refresh and the view was just of the roof, you couldn’t see anything outside. The shower was not the best. It squirted out bits of water and screamed when it was turned on. Told on Expedia that check in is at 2, I know I got there slightly early but my room wasn’t ready until 3. Dining room wasn’t the best, there was no atmosphere and not a lot of choice on the menu, breakfast was more or less the same, not a lot of choice and some of the things on the menu they didn’t have. Bed was really comfy which is good

Leisure Self

10/10

Exceptional

13 Jun 2024

Linda

overnight stay on my way to the Outer Hebrides.
On checking in a was surprised to hear I had been upgraded to a bigger room. The bed was big and comfy and the shower was powerful and hot.
I had dinner and breakfast at the bistro which was limited for veggies but no more so than any other restaurant and the staff were helpful and polite.

Leisure Self

10/10

Exceptional

10 Jun 2024

Nicola

Lovely property in a really good location. Will definitely be staying here again.

Leisure Self

10/10

Exceptional

09 Jun 2024

Alison

Friendly staff, quiet well appointed room.

Leisure Self

6/10

Pleasant

08 Jun 2024

Stewart

Very basic accommodation but quite close to Oban. There were only 4 guests when I was there. It felt a bit run down, no Wi-Fi, chef off work, no room cleaning each day etc. I think there was only 2 staff in the building all day

Leisure Friends

6/10

Pleasant

15 May 2024

Paul

Lovely setting. Nice breakfast

Business

8/10

Excellent

11 Apr 2022

Alan

A Curate's Egg - Good in Parts

I was allocated a very comfortable room with a small outside patio area accessed through the patio doors. Bed was very comfortable and room was very clean, as was the rest of the hotel. The electric shower took a bit of experimenting with to get the flow and temperature right. There was no desk to work at and so had to make do with a small occassional table. Bedroom walls are paper thin, so hope you don't have noisy neighbours! There was no wardrobe in the room, only a hanging rack, which wasn't a problem for me as I was only staying one night, but may be an issue if you are staying longer.
If would seem the staff were new and could do with a bit of additional training. Resturant menu was limited but the food good and portions large. Dining room itself is not particularly welcoming being rather bare, and sparsely furnished, more like a canteen. Breakfast was excellent.

Business

8/10

Excellent

03 Sep 2021

Verified traveler

Overnight stay.

Lovely hotel in a beautiful location. Was very short staffed when we stayed, same person dealing with orders, serving, reception, bar etc. Hotel was not full so it was not a big issue. Meals were excellent so overall enjoyed our night.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

31 Aug 2021

Verified traveler

Great stay in a stunning location

Great stay in a comfortable hotel. Excellent service. Hotel was quiet but that was to be expected in COVID times. Lovely relaxing stay. Superb scenery and even a little dip in the river.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

15 Aug 2021

Verified traveler

Lovely welcome. Beautiful surroundings. We had a room with a small garden patio.

Leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

13 Aug 2021

Donald

Brander Lodge

Great place to stay, good food and helpful staff

Partner

2/10

Poor

20 Jun 2021

Michael

Avoid

We booked a king room for this hotel and got the tiniest room I’ve ever seen and a normal double bed 1 pillow each and we had to share towels only 1 of each the food in the restaurant was poor quality and the breakfast was disgusting dried up food and the beans looked like they’d been reheated a few time’s When i asked to see the manager i was told he’s not here there was about 4 young girl’s doing everything and they told me they couldn’t do anything about my complaint!! I am not one for complaining but i advise anyone to avoid this hotel

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

01 Jun 2021

Verified traveler

Delightful setting in beautiful scenery, lovely rooms, good food and service

Leisure Partner

8/10

Excellent

31 May 2021

Verified traveler

Great location. Stunning scenery. Friendly staff. Good food. Well stocked bar.

Leisure Partner

8/10

Excellent

20 May 2021

Verified traveler

Very welcoming staff, even though we arrived quite late. Very clean, warm and comfortable bedroom, with excellent en-suite. The gardens are a bit un-cared for, but otherwise very good accommodation for a short stay

Leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

05 Nov 2019

Karen

Autumn Weekend

Hotel was excellent.
Staff helpful and very friendly.
Food delicious.
Stunning scenery.
Would happily recommend and visit again.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

29 Sep 2019

Verified traveler

Staff were friendly and efficient, nothing was too much trouble. Would definitely recommend staying here.

Leisure Partner

4/10

Poor

27 Sep 2019

Verified traveler

We stayed here last weekend and would not do so again. We had an issue with our evening meal which was addressed at the time. However it was our further experience at breakfast which prompted this review. The buffet table had many empty plates and we enquired if the buffet would be replenished, the response to us was: “when it’s gone, it’s gone”.

On a positive the hotel is spotlessly clean and located in a very scenic location. Sadly whilst the staff are friendly when you speak to them they are not attentive. When a problem occurs they have a complacent attitude and from the response letter that we received from the Manager quite defensive and not willing to receive constructive feedback.

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

26 Sep 2019

Jean

I loved the type of heating. The unit was clean, comfortable and easy to come and go location. Close to fun unadvertised sites.

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

23 Sep 2019

Martine

What more could you want?!

Fabulous room, lovely meal, gorgeous grounds, great service, good price.

Partner

8/10

Excellent

12 Sep 2019

Verified traveler

Friendly staff, comfortable room with everything you would expect. Outside, the building looks a bit tired but the bar and dining areas were modern and fresh. Very quiet setting.

Leisure Self

10/10

Exceptional

28 Aug 2019

Verified traveler

Quiet location, and right on the river. The family room was large and perfect for 4 people having 2 bathrooms. Wish we had more time to relax there and explore the area.

Leisure

8/10

Excellent

26 Aug 2019

Nazima

Brilliant service & breakfast

We arrived late but was welcomed and everything explained to us. The lodge was easy to find even in the dark and had ample parking. Our room for set up perfectly, 3 kids and the 2 of us. Only thing was there was no sheet on my daughters bed, tried to call reception but no answer, then again it was after 11pm now. So just put a towel over her bed and told the lady at reception the next morning. She let management know.

Breakfast was superb, buffet and cooked. Waitresses were v nice.

We went into the gardens for kids to play as there was a trampoline there, a nice bonus.

Asked for advice on sights and the lady at reception helped me loads.

Thank u guys

Family

8/10

Excellent

24 Aug 2019

Paul

Nice lodge!!

Great overall stay. Staff was top notch and attentive to our needs. The only downside to me was the size of the rooms. Too small. Very little space for luggage, clothes etc.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

20 Aug 2019

Verified traveler

The room was clean, bed huge, and had a lovely garden view down to the running stream. Although only an overnight stay, the staff, food were very good

Friends_and_family Partner

10/10

Exceptional

17 Aug 2019

Eric

A great hotel in a lovely stting

A lovely hotel. Great setting. Highly recommended.

Family

10/10

Exceptional

08 Aug 2019

Michelle

Lovely

We stayed here for just one night but it was lovely. We had a friendly welcome and our room was spacious and clean. We had an excellent meal in the bar.The scenery surrounding the hotel is amazing.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

05 Aug 2019

Glenn

Relaxed location. Nice people. Great for families

Leisure Partner

2/10

Poor

31 Jul 2019

Verified traveler

Questionable food hygiene standards

Cleanliness in bistro a definite concern. Cutlery put down without wiping down remnants of previous diners food. Woke up the next morning with sickness and diarrhoea which lasted for days. The Hygiene rating of this establishment has a \"pass\" which probably needs reviewing. A work colleague in Oban said he went to a friend's wedding here and was also less than impressed with catering. Good historical reviews makes you wonder if there has been some recent staff changes. If there has it would seem not to be for the better . . .

10/10

Exceptional

24 Jul 2019

Verified traveler

A mix of old and new within the hotel and a mix of wild and cultured in the gardens. Patio with table and chairs for personal use were a boost (ground floor rooms). River at the bottom of the garden.

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

22 Jul 2019

alistair

couldnt fault this hotel in any way

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

07 Jul 2019

leigh

beautiful hotel in a beautiful location. we booked this hotel for 3 nights to use as a base for touring round the highlands which served its purpose well Full Mark's to the Brander Lodge for every aspect of the stay. friendly staff cleanliness and food.
this hotel really is out of the way. so if it's a base u need or just want to get away for solitude then this is the place.

Family

10/10

Exceptional

03 Jul 2019

James

Great place to stay near Oban!

We thoroughly enjoyed our stay at the Brander Lodge Hotel. Apparently recently renovated, the rooms were clean and comfortable. We had the family suite which I believe is the hotel's one and only. There were two connecting rooms with a double bed in one and two twin beds in the other. The rooms were quiet and very clean. The restaurant downstairs was great, and we ate dinner there and enjoyed ourselves. The staff was very kind. A full breakfast was included which we wish we had the time to enjoy. Our plans made for a rushed morning therefore we didn't get to try this. But it looked good! Would definitely stay here again.

Family

8/10

Excellent

23 Jun 2019

Serena

Wonderful view. Very hospitable staff. It is unfortunate that in the summer there are alot of insects around and if one opens the window, they will come into the room. An insect screen may have helped.

Leisure Family

8/10

Excellent

14 Jun 2019

Verified traveler

A good travellers - type hotel. Comfortable and serves the purpose.

Leisure Partner

8/10

Excellent

03 Jun 2019

Verified traveler

Idyllic setting, and attentive staff. Food was ok but not amazing, and the service was “informal”.

Leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

22 May 2019

Michael

A refreshing holiday break

Without previous knowledge of Brander Lodge I was happy to find my room so well appointed and kind attention of experienced staff in the spacious dining , lounge and bar areas as well as the warm welcome I received from the host . All making my two night stay pleasant and relaxing . I am encouraged to make a return visit when coming to Oban area . I am recommending Brander Lodge to my friends and family .

10/10

Exceptional

15 May 2019

MrJohn

Excellent stay...friendly team ...shall return

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

04 May 2019

Verified traveler

The room was perfect for our family. And the breakfast was wonderful!!! Everyone we came into contact with was super helpful.

Leisure Family_with_children

10/10

Exceptional

15 Apr 2019

Verified traveler

Warm and welcoming, the owner was a gentleman. The staff were all attentive and the food and beverage prices reasonable. We had a family room, more than adequate for what we needed. The lounge and bar were renovated to a high standard and it really makes a difference. I stay in hotels regularly and this was enjoyable and relaxing. Mr R McIntyre

Leisure Family_with_children

10/10

Exceptional

04 Apr 2019

Verified traveler

Scottish escape

Fabulous service, beautiful location and staff that really care about the hotel and the customers’ experience. The recent refurbishments are amazing! Can highly recommend both bed breakfast and also evening meal by the log burner (all home made dishes - delicious steak and ale pie!). A special thank you to David for his attention to detail, customer service, and perfect poached eggs for breakfast!

Family

10/10

Exceptional

27 Nov 2018

Terry

Warm welcome even if the wearher wasnt! great little hotel in the most pituresque place my eyes have ever seen! wonderfull setting will visit again in summer! thanks guys & girls!