Selkirk Arms Hotel

We stayed for two nights in the hotel and we enjoyed our dinner and breakfasts which were very well presented. The staff were all lovely and helpful and we could not fault anything. The garden is beautiful and has nice outdoor furniture. Our bathroom was very small and plumbing a little unpredictable with no toiletries other than hand wash and shower gel. I would call it a 4 star hotel with 3 star rooms. Generally a very pleasant stay.

I would agree that this is a friendly hotel. There is obviously a strong local clientele and a nice, busy atmosphere. Parking is available at the rear of the hotel and there is on street parking at the front but which is nearly always full. We have stayed here before and were impressed. This time things not so good. The room was in a garden annex up a narrow steep staircase and whilst it was a reasonable size the decor and fittings are very tired, the room has old timber sliding sash windows which are either stuck open or closed and very difficult to open or shut. The bedroom looks out onto the garden and privacy difficult -in fine weather the noise from the garden where drinks and food are served would be very intrusive. The bathroom was cramped and a bit dilapidated and the shower pathetic. The bed however was very comfortable. The dining room lacks ambience . The service in the whole area seems confused and rushed. The cooking is mediocre. The ‘woodland mushroom starter was acceptable but uninspiring - mushrooms on toast. The main was on the face of it traditional - salmon fillet, boiled potatoes and romanesco but it said ‘chilli sauce' which I assumed was for the romanesco - a bit odd but no matter. No, the main ingredients were cooked as in a traditional plate but then dumped into an oily hot chilli goo . A complete disaster. The dessert was a ‘rice pudding’ which was clearly meant to be east Mediterranean or Indian in concept and which I love. I was warned it was not ‘hot’ which is one indication of what others might have expected. It was inedible slushy rice liberally sprinkled with dry, crushed pistachios. A travesty of the classic version. I was unable to eat either Dish There was solicitous listening to my reasons but no more. Why such kitchens have to indulge , literally in spicing dishes that well-cooked don’t need it rather than turning to genuinely creative ‘re-inventions’ if thats what they intend defeats me . The ingredients may be fine but the menu construction and cooking is very poor. The pricing is not expensive but neither is it out of the normal range of high quality restaurants and it thus offers very poor value for money . The wine list lacks imagination and is overpriced. The hot food at breakfast on the other hand was well done— cooking to order is very welcome and its quite efficient. The side dishes were not so good and the side table was not always stocked up promptly This is the premier hotel in Kirkcudbright which is a delightful and very popular destination. It's not part of a chain which is good but it seems to me to underperform and would benefit from a revamp and a complete re-think of the menu and some true creativity in the cooking.

Had an amazing evening meal. Lovely atmosphere. Staff were polite and attentive. We had Thyme roasted chicken, superb, vegetables were fresh and tasty. Highly recommend a visit. Good value for money. Booking ahead is recommended as always busy and popular!

We enjoyed this hotel very much & it far exceeded expectations - the best value for money of the hotels that we stayed in on our Scottish tour. Our Superior King room was lovely, comfortable, quiet, with great view of garden. Staff friendly and obliging, & knowledgable of the district. Dining good & reasonably priced. We’d like to make special mention of the breakfast kippers from Galloway Smokehouse - we ordered some more from them as soon as we got home & have not been disappointed!

First of all, the arrival at Selkirk Arms main entrance after a long day of cycling was an instant lift, with the beautiful garden and lovely building. The staff here are absolutely first rate and made our stay so pleasant. They are hard working, cheerful and helpful. Our room was very comfortable. It’s an older building, so there are some quirks, noises from plumbing and such, but it was absolutely quiet at night and very restful.

Was looking forward to staying here They upgraded me to a double room, though with numerous stairs The hotel is Georgian and the stairs and rooms are from that time, sash windows that rattle, small tight bathroom with shower in bath not easy if you have disabilities, no safety handles and not easy climbing into bath for a shower, not very disabled friendly but they have some ground floor rooms outside at the back. Wifi good Parking at rear of hotel My main annoyance was the price via quality of the food at £10 for a prawn cocktail and £32 for a steak (which was tough and inedible, though they did refund me). I do not drink so £99 for two dinners says a lot. Not cheap at £125 a night for a single in January. I left a day early and drove home, losing £125 but had paid for that and did not fancy another £50+ dinner sitting in a bar area The service was pleasant and breakfast was ok they cooked me tomatoes and toast Lovely town but will not be in a hurry to stay here again, though I have friends in the area and had driven 250 miles