The Royal Highland Hotel is the oldest hotel in the centre of the Highland capital, Inverness. In 2000, the property was carefully restored, retaining its unique character associated with the bygone age. As soon as you enter the hotel you will appreciate this. In the foyer the grand staircase, the inspiration for the Titanic's staircase, leads to the 84 spacious refurbished bedrooms - all with very high ceilings. The decor is rich with traditional furniture and deep colours. The rooms all have soft furnishings and antique style furniture. The excellent bathrooms are generally medium to large in size. For over 151 years, the hotel has been looking after travellers from all over the world. Perhaps its popularity stems from the fact the hotel is a grand place to stay. Large bedrooms, large lounge areas, quiet meeting rooms, good food, prime location and friendly staff all play their part. All local amenities close to hand, but within a 5 minute drive you are out into the dramatic Highlands. Lochness is only 7 miles from the hotel.
Star ratings are intended to indicate the general level of features, amenities, and services to expect. This property is classified according to TheAA: The Automobile Association.
HOTEL STYLE
Quaint
Historic Hotel
Languages Spoken
English
Location
Station Square, Academy Street, Inverness IV1 1LG Scotland
The Royal Highland Hotel
2,870 reviews
Getting there
Great for walkers
Places to stay are graded on a 0-100 scale. The higher the grade, the easier it is for travellers to find restaurants and things to do within walking distance.
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The Royal Highland Hotel basks in historical allure, with guests frequently applauding its prime location near key transport links and attractions. While the hotel's storied charm and cleanliness are highlights, opinions on service and room conditions vary, with reports of both warm hospitality and neglect.
The value proposition is contentious, as reasonable rates are occasionally overshadowed by unexpected charges. Amenities like parking and breakfast receive mixed feedback, yet the hotel's ambiance retains a sense of grandeur despite needing updates.
Location
Convenient
Atmosphere
Historic
Rooms
Inconsistent
Value
Reasonable
Cleanliness
Mixed
Service
Inconsistent
Amenities
Mixed
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Great central location for train (and bus) travellers. Good value, old-fashioned charm with a few dated features which add to the character of the place.
Large bathroom, WiFi, room safe, iron/ironing board, unexpected free (included) supper + drink on a two day booking.com stay. Comfortable bed, a few dated bathroom features (low volume shower, barely adequately draining shower, toilet seat that won’t stay ‘up’, poor ventilation unless you open bedroom window). Some rooms need a few stairs to reach from the lift.
The restaurant offers a small tasty selection, continental buffet breakfast generous if in a rather cavernous room. The Scottish breakfast (small supplement) looked inviting if I had been more hungry.
All in all a great location for city sights, train and bus; if you don’t mind a few outdated features to be recommended; if you want everything modern and perfect go elsewhere.
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Date of stay: July 2024Trip type: Travelled solo
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Janice Smith, Revenue Management at The Royal Highland Hotel
Responded Aug 19, 2024
Thank you for the kind review and Team Royal Highland would look forward to welcome you back.
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
We were quite surprised to read some of the poor reviews, having enjoyed a perfectly acceptable one night B&&+dinner package. We pre-booked an early check in and were in our room by 11.30am. it was on the first floor and was large, clean and quiet, although a larger bed would have been nice. Continental breakfast was average, but served in the splendid ball-room. Dinner in the Ash Restaurant, with a £50 credit, was OK. Staff attitude and training was variable - you may need to speak to the senior members. We were especially pleased when - a year ago - the hotel did not charge for our cancellation at one day's notice due to circumstances beyond our control. This year they also let us leave our luggage for a few hours when we were non-resident - we had lunch there. Given the central location, its acceptable facilities and the grand lobby, we thought that this independently owned hotel is fairly priced and deserves support against the multinational hotel chains.
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Date of stay: September 2024
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Room Tip:Our room was quiet - it was away from the railway station
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Janice Smith, Revenue Management at The Royal Highland Hotel
Responded Oct 15, 2024
Thank you for the kind review and Team Royal Higland is delighted that you had an enjoyable stay experience with us and would look forward to welcome you back.
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A great value for money 2 day break deal in a ideally situated hotel. Just outside the train station and within walking distance of the city highlights. We stayed on the 2 night autumn saver deal and was very impressed with the extras included, lush cocktails, afternoon tea and dinner on the first night. My brother is a wheelchair user and this hotels wheelchair accessibility is very good, beautiful king size adapted room and plenty of space in the corridors and lift for manouving. The only concern is the ramp access which is very steep and misaligned but sure that this could be sorted. As others have commented the hotel is showing signs of its age and does feel a bit unloved but the friendliness and customer focus of the staff and the price paid made this a great wee break for us. The only thing we were particularly disappointed with was breakfast. Coffee machine, juice machine and stale food and limited choices was not appealing. The second day we went out instead. This is the reason for the 4 star review
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Date of stay: November 2024Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Janice Smith, Revenue Management at The Royal Highland Hotel
Responded Dec 4, 2024
Thank you for the kind review - Team Royal Highland would look forward to welcome you back whenever you are in Inverness and wishes you a Very Merry Festive Season ahead.
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We have stayed in this hotel on a number of previous occasions and have always been most impressed. On this occasion, we did feel that some of the standards had slipped. The restaurant and bar were good for food but very expensive, and errors seemed to be par for the course when paying the bill. Staff at Reception were very pleasant and helpful and the room was clean although very noisy in the early morning.
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Date of stay: December 2023Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Janice Smith, Revenue Management at The Royal Highland Hotel
Responded Feb 10, 2024
Thank you so much for the review and we apologise for any inconvenience. We have noted your observations and will take corrective action wherever necessay. We would look forawrd to welcome you back.
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Absolutely not. Unfriendly concierges, not available to explain things to us. Old room (like the whole hotel) but still comfortable. Breakfast good but nothing exceptional; seeing drinks served from a machine, as well as water in a hotel like this that behaves in a certain way, I didn't expect it. I understood that they changed the towels every two days but instead they didn't even make the bed or clean the room, which I think is the minimum given the price (>200€ per night)
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Date of stay: June 2024
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
A very well appointed and comfortable hotel. Location is excellent- right next to the railway station and moments to the centre of Inverness. Seeing that iconic staircase upon arrival was a genuine pleasure! The rooms are comfortable, warm, and clean. Walls are relatively thin but I slept well. It’s an old building so to be expected. Only minor issue is the price of the food in the Ash restaurant. But the price of the room itself for two nights was incredibly reasonable, so no real complaints. Staff were friendly and helpful. Biscuits in the room which were replenished by the very sweet cleaning crew was also much appreciated! Overall a very pleasant experience and a hotel I would definitely recommend.
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Date of stay: February 2024Trip type: Travelled solo
Room Tip:Parking would be an issue if travelling by car (if coming by train it’s ideal).
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Janice Smith, Revenue Management at The Royal Highland Hotel
Responded Feb 17, 2024
Thank you for the kind review and we would look forward to welcome you back.
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
This hotel has been around since 1856 and unfortunately this is very obvious. The grand staircase is truly amazing and I’m afraid that and the hotels location are the only positives. My room was small, the bed was rock hard, the decor eye watering (bright yellow walls and red divan), the shower dripped all night I had to put a bath mat under the drip to dull the noise. The shower was also cold despite running it for a long time. Soundproofing was poor which is to be expected in an old building but I could hear everything including my neighbours mobile message alert tone, them filling a sink and then pulling plug. At check in I was advised a hot breakfast would cost £16.95 so I paid in the hope that it would be worth it. Unfortunately not, I was told I couldn’t have a poached egg, the food was not cooked fresh to order and the quality was not what you’d expect for the price paid. On reflection I should off gone to a supermarket cafe I think it would off been nicer. All in all it was a convenient place to stay as I was getting an early train the however I would not return.
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Date of stay: December 2023Trip type: Travelled solo
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Janice Smith, Revenue Management at The Royal Highland Hotel
Responded Feb 10, 2024
Thank you so much for the review and we apologise for any inconvenience. We have noted your observations and will take corrective action wherever necessay. We would look forawrd to welcome you back.
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
An old and historic hotel that has been allowed by its owners to decay. The older staff have a tendency to rudeness and lack of customer focus while younger staff are full of energy but do not have any apparent leadership from the owners or their line members. There is an obvious need to repair the fabric of the building with peeling wallpaper and broke tiles in bathrooms.
We had two positives to report. The afternoon tea was very good with sandwiches made to order and great scone and cream etc. The staff in the cafe were terrific .The other positive is the position right next door to the station.
Booking in was disgraceful. My wife walks with a stick and we had emailed in advance to enquire if we could book in early. The email response was that we could book in as soon as the room was ready. That was not correct. The older member of staff on reception seemed put out by our early arrival and did not progress our booking in. Some ten minutes later a big group arrived and she promptly booked them in but did not give them keys which was quite right. Having seen this I asked a younger member of staff if she could do our paperwork and she did this immediately which gave us our room number and our voucher for complimentary afternoon tea.
The older member of staff failed to let us know our room was ready despite us sitting in the reception in her full view. When we asked another staff member if our room was ready she turned to her and said ‘the room was ready’.
Whether my wife’s disability was seen as not worth attention I could not say. However, our impression was that mature staff did not ‘get it.’
Breakfast was in a bare room that lacked any sense of the history of the hotel. I have had more welcoming environments when I was in scout camp under canvas. It was so sad and goodness knows what our foreign visitors must think.
In summary it was a great location being just two minutes from platform one for the 7.55 Inverness to Kings Cross . However I would never repeat the experience. The emptying of bottles into skips by our bedroom during the night did not help a good night sleep. The hotel itself is jaded and staff do not appear happy. This may have been a great hotel in the 1870s but it is now just a mirage of its old grandeur.
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Date of stay: September 2024
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Janice Smith, Revenue Management at The Royal Highland Hotel
Responded Oct 15, 2024
Thank you for the review and we apologise for any inconveneince. We have noted your observations very carefully and will inititate corrective actions wherever necessary. We also hope that we will get another opportunity to serve you in the near future.
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We were very disappointed with this accommodation. Old, ugly, worn, expensive(!) and the service was also rather mediocre. Our room was incredibly small, you couldn't even open the suitcases properly. We also had a terrible view of the back yard, which was full of pigeons and their droppings. There was a small selection for breakfast, with hot meals only costing an extra £7 per person. Unfortunately, the price-performance ratio is not right at all. We can only advise anyone not to book here.
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Date of stay: May 2024Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
I find some of the reviews here very strange as I certainly didn't find the hotel dirty or smelly. The room I had was perfectly clean and comfortable, and I had a great night's sleep. The staff were courteous.
The hotel is very well located next to the railway station and city centre, yet I didn't experience an issue of noise from the street.
I didn't eat in the restaurant but did have a meal in the bar, which was a very generously portioned steak pie. The only slight disappoint was the breakfast, for which you pay extra for a Scottish cooked breakfast. I guess the breakfast is Continental to allow for quicker serving of the coat loads of tourists that seemed to make up the bulk of guests.
I like the quirky artwork in the hotel!
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Date of stay: May 2024
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip type: Travelled solo
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Janice Smith, Revenue Management at The Royal Highland Hotel
Responded Jul 1, 2024
Thank you for the kind review and Team Royal Highland is delighted that you enjoyed the stay. We would look forward to welcome you back.
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
There are more places to choose from in the Inverness area.
PRICE RANGE
C$82 - C$155 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
ALSO KNOWN AS
royal highland inverness, hotel royal highland
LOCATION
United KingdomScotlandScottish HighlandsInverness
NUMBER OF ROOMS
86
Prices are the average nightly price provided by our partners and may not include all taxes and fees. Taxes and fees that are shown are estimates only. Please see our partners for more details.
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Yes, it offers wheelchair access, reduced mobility rooms, and facilities for disabled guests. For specific enquiries, we recommend calling ahead to confirm.