The Boat Hotel

Hotels
Independent
8 (124 reviews)
Deshar Road, Boat of Garten, Scotland, PH24 3BH , Boat of Garten , GB

Pets allowed

Facilities

Health or beauty spa nearby
Proposal/romance packages available
Express check-out
Fireplace in lobby
Arcade/game room
Books
Free WiFi
Terrace
Garden
Luggage storage
See all facilities

Review Highlights

Pros:
Friendly staff
Great food and beverage options
Beautiful location
Cons:
Cleanliness issues
Dated rooms
Service inconsistencies

Categories

Cleanliness
6.08
The cleanliness received negative feedback regarding the bathroom situations and service issues with cleaners.
Service
8.55
Despite some service issues, many staff members were noted as friendly and helpful.
Location
8.59
The hotel is in a beautiful area, ideal for exploration.
Room Quality
7.04
Rooms were spacious but some were described as dated, leading to an average rating.
Amenities
8.57
Amenities were commendable with good food and beverage options.
Value for Money
8.03
Overall perceived value was satisfactory, but some guests felt improvements were needed.
Food and Beverage
9.08
Breakfast and dinner were described as outstanding and plentiful.
Overall Experience
8.05
Overall experiences varied due to positive aspects like staff friendliness but marred by some cleanliness issues.
* This sentiment is summarized by AI based on user reviews.
Updated at: 2026-01-06 12:28

Property Description

Welcome to The Boat Hotel, your perfect retreat in the heart of the Scottish Highlands.

Recreation Opportunities
Embrace the stunning natural surroundings with our bicycle rentals and relax on the charming terrace and garden. Enjoy fun-filled moments in our arcade/game room and the convenience of ski storage for winter adventures.

Culinary Delights
Savor delicious meals at our onsite restaurant, The Boat Country Inn, or indulge in room service for a cozy dining experience. Start your day right with a hearty breakfast available daily.

Modern Amenities
Our Victorian hotel offers essential amenities, including complimentary Wi-Fi and a business center to cater to your needs. With express check-in/out and free self-parking, your stay will be both seamless and enjoyable.

Experience the charm of The Boat Hotel. Book your unforgettable stay today!

Important information:

  • Reservations are required for golf tee times. Reservations can be made by contacting the hotel prior to arrival, using the contact information on the booking confirmation.
  • A fee for a mandatory Christmas Day gala dinner is included in the total price displayed for stays on December 25.
  • A fee for a mandatory Christmas Eve gala dinner is included in the total price displayed for stays on December 24.
  • A fee for a mandatory New Year's Eve gala dinner is included in the total price displayed for stays on December 31.
  • A fee for a mandatory Valentine's Day gala dinner is included in the total price displayed for stays on February 14.
  • Up to 3 children 12 years old and younger stay free when occupying the parent or guardian's room, using existing bedding.
  • The property allows pets in specific rooms only and has other pet restrictions (surcharges apply and can be found in the Fees section). Guests can arrange to bring pets by contacting the property directly, using the contact information on the booking confirmation.
  • Cashless payment methods are available for all transactions and guests can access their rooms with a mobile device.
  • Contactless check-out is available.

Check-in and check-out hours:
Check-out: 11:00 AM
Airport code: INV

Property Policies

  • Pets

    Maximum number of pets per room 2

  • Pets

    Service animals are exempt from fees/restrictions

  • Check-in & Check-out

    Contactless check-out is available

  • General

    Cashless transactions are available

  • Guest type

    Essential workers only - NO

See all policies

Location

Guest Reviews

8
Based on 124 reviews
Cleanliness: 6.08
Service: 8.55
Location: 8.59
Room Quality: 7.04
Amenities: 8.57
Value for Money: 8.03
Food and Beverage: 9.08
Overall Experience: 8.05
S
Susan
8
Pros:

Loved this hotel, comfortable, good food.

Great location by the steam railway station , woodland walks. Hoping to return.

2025-10-10 via Nuitee
J
Jonathan
10
Lovely people!
Pros:

I arrived late and the waitress was so helpful and made me feel at home even though i felt i was keeping the kitchen staff back late.

Thank you for such a lovely stay.

Excellent all round.

2025-09-23 via Nuitee
M
Mark
10
Pros:

👍

2025-09-15 via Nuitee
C
Christopher
10
Pros:

The Boat Hotel was a wonderful place to spend the night. Breakfast was very enjoyable and plentiful. I would stay again.

2025-09-04 via Nuitee
J
John family
10
Pros:

Was a place full of character. The food and service was excellent. Things that would be good. Either lift or.less stairs

2025-08-31 via Nuitee
L
Lynn
2
Avoid - dated and poor service
Pros:

We booked a deluxe room which was very small and dated with a tiny bathroom you couldn’t turn round in. The bathroom had no ventilation. Twice we returned to our room to find the cleaners hadn’t latched the door so it was unlocked all day and once we returned to find neither key worked.
When we left the bathroom towels on the floor to be refreshed they were hung up dirty and I came back to the room to find the cleaner using these to dry the mugs in the room.
The ‘manager’ offered to upgrade us but when I mentioned this to the person on reception next day they knew nothing about it. There seemed to be a lack of anyone in charge although the younger staff worked hard - especially the young lad at breakfast who often seemed to be on his own which meant things were sometimes not replenished even though he tried his best. Not a great stay.

2025-08-30 via Nuitee
A
Andrew family
10
Pros:

Celebrating my mum's 80th birthday!! Staff friendly and ideal place to stay to explore Speyside!

2025-08-30 via Nuitee
B
Barry
10
Pros:

Rooms are spacious and very clean,dinner and breakfast are outstanding 10/10,although restaurant was very busy the service was 1st class.

2025-08-28 via Nuitee
A
Alison
10
Fabulous Hotel
Pros:

Beautiful area, very nice hotel with fabulous food and really friendly staff

2025-08-22 via Nuitee
A
Alan
10
Pros:

Little understaffed and limited parking, but great staff, good breakfast deal. Great location.

2025-08-20 via Nuitee
W
William
8
Pros:

Relaxing area for the hotel, close to golf course and woodland walks. Nice area in front of the hotel to have drinks outside.
With the hotel being an old building noise issues between the rooms.

2025-08-17 via Nuitee
J
Jubin family_with_children
10
Pros:

Very good service,friendly staff and nice breakfast too.

2025-08-08 via Nuitee
M
Margaret family
6
Pros:

Could not get the shower to work. Beds not made up on day 2 though the maids did wash our coffee cups and fold the end of the toilet paper into a point!

2025-07-21 via Nuitee
S
Stuart partner
10
Pros:

Beautiful tranquil setting. Lovely big room, ideal for dogs. Tasty food.

2025-07-19 via Nuitee
G
Gordon
10
Amazing stay
Pros:

Was excellent
food was great
Amazing Choice for breakfast
Staff were friendly and helpful
4th stay here and gets better everytime

2025-07-11 via Nuitee
D
David
6
Pros:

This hotel is in a great location for sight seeing in the surrounding area. The hotel itself is in need of refurbishment and general painting badly needed in areas.

The alcohol is over priced, I could go in to a nice restaurant in Inverness and not be charged so much !!

The food was decent, albeit I would say pricey for what you get.

Staff encountered were pleasant.

2025-06-12 via Nuitee
L
Linda family
10
Pros:

Pleasant location

2025-06-11 via Nuitee
M
Mustaq
10
Pros:

Really great experience with hotel and the place
Definitely recommend and would like to visit again

2025-05-27 via Nuitee
V
Verified traveler
8
Good, but needs some attention
Pros:

We stayed for two nights in one of the garden rooms. It had a decking area onto the grass. We ate in the restaurant on both nights and had breakfast there too.

The room was good, and mostly clean. Putting our case in the shelving area disturbed a layer of dust that you could write your name in. However, the bathroom and linen was clean. The decor was fine, but a bit worn. The bathroom tiles were cracked and the paintwork in it badly chipped. The bed was large, but overly firm, I woke with a numb arm on both nights. The grass area we looked onto was badly in need of a cut and looked unkept.

The food was good in the restaurant on both evenings. The cullen skink was superb. Breakfast was not so good. On the Monday morning coming down at 8am I was told that a large group had just left and so many items were no longer available. The person relaying this to me did so in a manner that seemed to accept this as okay, and even if unavoidable, was not something that was out of the ordinary or needed an apology.

This reflects a wider uneasy atmosphere in the place. Staff it seemed were busy but it felt a bit unmanaged and chaotic. Booking a table didn't result in clarity on our booking, but the server would confirm our booking and then wander around to find a free table or offer one in the bar to us.

Would I stay again? Maybe, but I would certainly look elsewhere and not expect to pay anything above an average price.

2025-05-19 via Nuitee
M
Marion
6
Good value stay in a pretty village
Pros:

Clean comfortable room with modern spacious bathroom.

2025-04-28 via Nuitee