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Summary of reviewsThe Caledonian Hotel is highly praised for its strategic and convenient location near the town center of Dumfries, making it an ideal choice for travelers. Guests appreciate its charming and well-maintained traditional architecture, which adds to its historical appeal. The hotel's excellent neighborhood ensures a peaceful yet accessible experience, further enhanced by ample and free parking, secure bike storage and its proximity to the train station.
The breakfast service at the Caledonian Hotel consistently impresses, offering a variety of high-quality options including traditional Scottish items and catering to dietary preferences with vegetarian and gluten-free alternatives. Guests find the ample and well-presented breakfast a perfect start to their day, despite occasional minor issues with service.
The hotel's rooms are generally well-received for their cleanliness, comfort and spaciousness. They are well-equipped with modern amenities and feature family-friendly options. While there are occasional comments about minor maintenance needs, the overall sentiment is positive regarding the room conditions.
Staff at the Caledonian Hotel receive high marks for their friendliness, professionalism and exceptional service, greatly enhancing the overall guest experience. The hardworking and courteous team is often highlighted as a significant reason for guests' enjoyable stays.
Despite the largely positive feedback, the dinner service at the Caledonian Hotel has room for improvement. Guests often find the limited availability of evening meals and early bar closure inconvenient, overshadowing the occasional praises for the quality of food when served.
Cleanliness throughout the hotel is mostly commendable with many guests noting the immaculate condition of rooms and common areas. Some minor issues like dated decor and occasional maintenance needs are mentioned, but these do not significantly detract from the overall positive impression.
The hotel provides a good Wi-Fi experience despite some connectivity challenges and it offers generous and convenient parking facilities. The family-friendly atmosphere is noted, although some improvements in room size and safety features could enhance this aspect.
In summary, the Caledonian Hotel is a well-regarded, value-for-money accommodation that combines a superb location, excellent breakfast, comfortable rooms and outstanding staff service with a charming historical appeal. While there are some areas for improvement, especially in dinner services and minor maintenance, the overall guest experience remains highly positive. Show more
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Hotel with Free Wi-Fi
The hotel provides high-speed Wi-Fi in all en-suite bedrooms, ensuring guests can stay connected. The rooms also feature digital televisions, tea/coffee making facilities, and ironing boards.
Hotel with Parking
The Caledonian Hotel offers free on-site parking. It provides a spacious and secure car park free of charge for guests.
Historic Hotel
Family Friendly Hotel
Small Hotel
3-Star Hotel
Room Types
Single RoomThis room offers a TV and tea and coffee making facilities. The en suite bathroom has a hairdryer.
Family Room (4 Adults)This room offers a TV and tea and coffee making facilities. The en suite bathroom has a hairdryer.
Classic Double RoomFeaturing free toiletries, this double room includes a private bathroom with a shower. This double room has a tea and coffee maker, a wardrobe, flat-screen TV with cable channels, as well as chocolate for guests. The unit has 1 bed.
Deluxe Twin RoomFeaturing free toiletries, this twin room includes a private bathroom with a shower. This twin room has a tea and coffee maker, a wardrobe, flat-screen TV with cable channels, as well as chocolate for guests. The unit has 2 beds.
Guest Reviews
7.9
Good
Location
The Caledonian Hotel boasts a superb location that guests consistently appreciate. Centrally positioned, the hotel offers easy access to local amenities, shops and the town center, often noted as being a mere 10 to 15-minute walk away. This convenient setting makes it an ideal choice for various needs, whether exploring Dumfries, catching a ferry or visiting the nearby hospital.
Guests highlight the hotel's excellent and quiet neighborhood, ensuring a peaceful stay while still being close to the hustle and bustle of downtown. The proximity to the train station adds to its appeal for those traveling by rail. The establishment is also praised for its good parking facilities, free parking and secure bike storage.
The well-built and charming building is complemented by politeness and attentiveness of the hotel’s personnel, adding to the overall positive experience. Many reviews applaud the value for money, cleanliness and comfort with commendations for the breakfast variety and quality, making it a good base for both short stays and longer explorations into Dumfries and Galloway.
Overall, the Caledonian Hotel is seen as a strategically located, value-for-money accommodation that meets diverse needs and provides easy access to the vibrant town of Dumfries.
Breakfast
At the Caledonian Hotel, the breakfast experience consistently leaves a positive mark on guests. With high praise for both variety and quality, the breakfast offerings are ample and diverse. Most reviews highlight the buffet-style setup, providing guests with an array of hot and cold options, including traditional Scottish breakfast items such as porridge and smoked haddock. Vegetarian alternatives and gluten-free options are also available, ensuring that dietary preferences are well catered for.
Guests frequently describe the breakfast as delicious, well-presented and plentiful, emphasizing the delight in having a comprehensive selection each morning. The self-service format is noted for its efficiency and the ability to cater to individual preferences with multiple choices. Many found the breakfast to set them up perfectly for the day ahead, whether it’s mountain biking or a long journey.
While occasional remarks about temperature issues and limited service disruptions do appear, the overwhelming sentiment is that the hotel's breakfast is excellent with terms like outstanding, fantastic and amazing frequently used. The breakfast ambiance is complemented by a spacious dining room and friendly staff, further enhancing the overall experience.
In summary, breakfast at the Caledonian Hotel stands out as a highlight, offering a superb start to the day with its impressive selection and quality, making it a noteworthy feature of guests' stays.
Dinner
The Caledonian Hotel's dinner service has been a topic of much discussion among guests. While the hotel has seen some positive remarks regarding the quality when dinner was served, many guests expressed disappointment with the lack of evening meals available during their stay. It appears that staffing issues have led to the periodic closing of the restaurant and bar with some guests needing to seek alternative dining options outside the hotel. Although there are restaurants within walking distance, the absence of in-house dining options was a notable inconvenience for many.
Guests particularly missed having the possibility of a light evening snack at the bar and noted that the bar closed early, which limited their dining and social options. On occasions when the restaurant was operational, the meal quality received praise for being good and substantial, particularly enjoying items like a hot pie with chips and vegetables. However, these instances were few and the general sentiment leaned towards hoping for a more consistent availability of evening meals and extended bar hours.
Overall, while the breakfast service and seating options received mixed but generally positive feedback, the prevailing sentiment requested a more reliable and available dinner service to enhance the overall experience at the Caledonian Hotel.
Rooms
The Caledonian Hotel offers a range of room experiences, largely praised for their cleanliness, comfort and spaciousness. Many guests find the rooms to be well-equipped with everything needed for a comfortable stay, including amenities like coffee, good-sized beds and modern decor. The presence of family-friendly rooms with multiple beds is also a noted advantage.
Guests frequently highlight the spacious rooms, which are often described as large, warm, cozy and well-maintained. The decor receives positive mentions with some rooms featuring four-poster beds and modern furnishings. The daily room maintenance and cleanliness standards are generally appreciated with many reviews noting that the rooms were regularly tidied and well-attended.
However, there are occasional remarks about issues such as the small size of some rooms, dated bathroom facilities and occasional maintenance needs, like cracked tiles or issues with room temperature control. Despite these occasional drawbacks, the general consensus is that the rooms offer good value for money, contributing to a comfortable and pleasant stay for guests at the Caledonian Hotel.
Beds
While staying at the Caledonian Hotel, guests had a range of experiences with the beds provided. Many found the beds to be comfortable and noted that they contributed to a pleasant stay. Several reviews highlighted the availability of rooms with multiple beds, including double and king-size options. Guests frequently described the beds as firm, comfortable and conducive to a good night's sleep. The pillows, on the other hand, received mixed feedback with some describing them as ultra-thin and lacking support.
Cleanliness was a recurring positive point with guests appreciating tidy rooms and well-made beds. The hotel also features a variety of bed types, including lovely four-poster beds which garnered positive remarks for their aesthetic appeal, though some guests mentioned the beds were old and uncomfortable.
However, a few reviews mentioned issues such as noisy, creaky beds or mattresses that were old, lumpy and provided a less-than-ideal sleeping experience. Specific problems with window blinds and some inconsistencies in the room furnishings were also noted. Despite these drawbacks, the general sentiment leaned towards satisfaction with the comfort and quality of the beds at the Caledonian Hotel.
Cleanliness
Caledonian Hotel receives mixed feedback regarding its cleanliness, but overall, several positive points are highlighted by guests. Many reviews commend the hotel for its generally clean environment with some rooms described as spotless, pristine and super clean. It's noted that the staff work diligently to maintain cleanliness with some guests specifically appreciating the immaculate condition of the rooms and clean comfortable bedding. Daily cleaning and tidying of rooms are also valued, contributing to a pleasant stay.
However, there are mentions of areas requiring improvement. Some guests noted scuff marks, dirty spots on walls and occasional dustiness. Specific issues such as black mold in bathrooms, dated decor and worn-out fixtures like shower heads were highlighted. Despite these concerns, the hotel’s overall cleanliness is largely considered adequate with the positives often outweighing the negatives.
Additional perks mentioned include friendly staff, ample parking, spacious rooms and a great breakfast selection served in a nice dining area. While there are aspects that may need attention, such as thin walls allowing some noise intrusion, the general sentiment reflects a well-kept establishment offering good value for the price with clean and tidy rooms being a dominant theme.
Staff
The reviews for the staff at the Caledonian Hotel are overwhelmingly positive. Guests consistently describe the staff as friendly, helpful and professional. Many reviewers highlight the staff's welcoming nature and their willingness to go above and beyond to ensure a pleasant stay. Words like brilliant, awesome, fabulous and exceptional are frequently used to describe the team at the hotel. The reception staff is noted for their friendliness, efficiency and ability to handle requests and issues swiftly. Guests also appreciate the engaging and courteous manner of the staff, including specific praise for the bar manager and waitresses. The overall sentiment suggests that the hotel's staff significantly contributes to a positive and comfortable guest experience.
Wi-Fi
The Wi-Fi experience at the Caledonian Hotel has been a mixed bag for its guests. On the positive side, the staff have been noted as helpful, attempting to address the connectivity issues. However, several challenges were highlighted by guests, including the difficulty in connecting to the Wi-Fi and a lack of Wi-Fi codes readily available in the rooms. Connectivity itself was often erratic with some guests experiencing frequent cutouts. Overall, while the intention to provide internet access is apparent, the execution has left some guests wanting a more reliable and user-friendly experience.
Parking
The Caledonian Hotel offers a highly accommodating parking experience for its guests, garnering numerous favorable comments. The hotel boasts a large car park with ample parking spaces, ensuring plenty of parking is always available. Guests consistently remark on the ease and convenience of parking directly at the hotel with some highlighting the generous provision of parking specifically for motorbikes. Additionally, the availability of free on-site parking is a notable benefit, adding value and convenience for travelers. Whether arriving early or late, guests can expect to find adequate parking without any hassle, contributing to a stress-free stay at the Caledonian Hotel.
Family
The Caledonian Hotel receives generally positive feedback regarding its family-friendly environment and accommodations. Guests particularly appreciated the spacious family room, which features two double beds and the option of a travel cot. Many found the hotel to be a nice and safe place for families with children, contributing to a pleasant stay. Families expressed their happiness with the environment with some planning to extend future holidays. Despite these positives, there were a few concerns. Some reviewers mentioned the room size being inadequate for four people and noted safety issues such as windows that could not be opened and radiators that were out of order. Overall, the hotel seems to offer a good environment for families, though there is room for improvement in safety and room size.
3 Star
Caledonian Hotel offers a budget-friendly experience with notable value for money. Despite its three-star rating, the hotel impresses with its well-maintained premises and cleanliness, aligning with the expectations for this category. Its modest pricing does not compromise the quality of service, as guests often find it to be a great buy for the price paid.
The amenities are typical of a three-star establishment, featuring basic but sufficient facilities. Guests appreciate the staff for their excellent service, adding to the overall positive experience. The rooms, although basic, are cleaned regularly, ensuring a comfortable stay.
Perfect for travelers looking for a decent, budget-friendly option, Caledonian Hotel is a great stop on the way, providing good value for a modest price. While it may not boast luxury, it meets standard expectations for its rating, delivering satisfactory service and facilities.
Historic
The Caledonian Hotel is recognized for its lovely traditional building, offering guests a sense of historical significance and authentic old hotel charm. Despite its age, the establishment is well-built and well-maintained, making it a cozy and charming place to stay. The hotel's classic architecture and Scottish-stylized rooms enhance its rustic, historical charm, creating a traditional feel throughout the premises. Conveniently located, it also features a pub as part of the property, adding to its traditional and inviting atmosphere.
No, Caledonian Hotel doesn't have any pool.
No, a spa isn't available at Caledonian Hotel.
No, Caledonian Hotel doesn't allow dogs.
Yes, parking facilities are available at Caledonian Hotel.