Royal Highland Hotel Inverness REVIEW - Is it the BEST Railway Hotel?

[@RogEdwardsTV]

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[@steve-marsh]

Really interesting, especially that grand staircase, thanks Roger!

[@RogEdwardsTV]

Cheers, Steve. I remembered your pub crawl and had a wander round a few of them (off camera)! 🍺

[@GLovesTrains]

So glad you posted this vlog! I was up in Inverness the other day and noticed how beautiful this hotel looked from the outside.. great to see what it looks like inside 😀

[@RogEdwardsTV]

Thanks so much @GLovesTrains. I’m slowly working my way round the Railway Hotels. They are all magnificent in their own way! 😀🏨

[@paulharvey9149]

@@RogEdwardsTV Does that include the sloping floor in the bar at Perth's station hotel? It's the only one I've ever been to that looks more level after you've had a few!!

[@RogEdwardsTV]

The Perth Station Hotel currently has a 3 night minimum stay - so until that changes I won’t be staying there for the foreseeable! ☺️

[@ReecesTrains]

Great vlog, Rog! This hotel looks absolutely beautiful! I took a trip to Inverness over the summer and it really is a beautiful place!

[@RogEdwardsTV]

Cheers Reece. Will definitely be going back next summer. 😀

[@stephenibbitson5190]

Another great review i love these cant wait for next one.

[@RogEdwardsTV]

Thanks so much! 🙏🏻

[@PlanesTrainsEverything]

Great video! I've passed through Inverness station so many times, seeing the Royal Highland, but have never been in.

[@RogEdwardsTV]

Thanks so much, Scott. The Railway Hotels are all magnificent in their own way but that Titanic staircase is wonderful. 🏨😀

[@SeanMidlandstransporthub]

Great video Rog! Love this series. I stayed here in a single room back in June for £94.85 including breakfast. While there are definitely cheaper hotels in Inverness I just loved the grand staircase, old style lift and proper room keys!

[@RogEdwardsTV]

Thanks so much. I can’t remember the last time I had a proper room key! 🔑😀

[@arthuramado9545]

As always, great video! By the way, what´s the name of that music in the background? REminds me of childhood listening to my dads cds.Right after 2:45 when you´re in the stair lol. Greetings from Brazil!

[@RogEdwardsTV]

Thanks very much. The track was Sacrifice by Elton John! 😂😂

[@betsybottomley8180]

I love this series!!!!!!!

[@RogEdwardsTV]

Thanks, Betsy. 😀

[@spreston1996]

I spent 4 days in Inverness last year and I enjoyed it immensely. It's a good central area to stay in for taking sightseeing day trips. I stayed at a newly built hotel that I would NOT recommend to anyone, especially for dining. I hope to return there when the castle reopens.

[@RogEdwardsTV]

Thanks! I’ll definitely be back to see the castle. 😀

[@richardturnbull6333]

Great trip report again.... I think that I would try a different hotel but brilliant video yet again Roger.... thanks as always....Richard in Newcastle upon Tyne

[@RogEdwardsTV]

That Best Western looked interesting - but then they don’t have a great reputation. 🤔

[@grantelliot9803]

Another great video, as always, Roger. Was it the HST you travelled up to Inverness on?

[@RogEdwardsTV]

Thanks. It was a Class 170 Turbostar from Edinburgh to Perth then an HST from there (which had started out from Glasgow). 🚊

[@cathybonner7888]

Hi Roger lovely architecture and that staircase is fab. Your room was certainly spacious and with 2 double beds. Must watch some more of your station hotel videos to compare, sounds like Glasgow is top

[@RogEdwardsTV]

Thanks Cathy. Glasgow is the favourite still. There is a SECOND Station Hotel in Glasgow which I'm aiming to do soon. That will be interesting. 😀

[@colinmacdonald5732]

I've not been there much in recent years but found it a welcome haven when I was younger, coming off the train into horizontal sleet or something, cosy and grand at the same time.

[@RogEdwardsTV]

A nice warm sanctuary. Especially with a roaring fire and a glass of whisky! 😀

[@johnlawrence2757]

Turn to the right instead out of the station and 300 metres along you’ve got the Inverness Travelodge - excellent value at under 50 quid a night if you book in advance. On the way you pass two excellent Indian restaurants and next to the Hotel there’s a café that does excellent vegetarian food to eat in or take away

[@RogEdwardsTV]

I remember passing an Indian Restaurant with green colours on its logo and menu, but eventually ended up in an Indian called Sam’s. 🥘 Definitely a lot of choice.

[@Trond_travels]

We visited Inverness September last year. Couldn’t visit the back then either. Anyway, it’s a lovely city, underrated perhaps. That Johnny Foxes pub became our favourite. Hope to go back to Inverness sometime in the future.

[@RogEdwardsTV]

Yeah, I need to go back and see the castle when it opens again. 🏰

[@Trond_travels]

@ Also I would like to visit Fort George.

[@James-el2kj]

I have to say when you walked in, I was amazed. I genuinely thought it was going to incredibly regal. No matter how grand the entrance lobby is, I’m afraid it was downhill from there. When you went onto the landing with the red feature wall with the rather odd artwork, I just thought ‘oh that really doesn’t go with the entrance or the building’. Once you went into your room with the key that made me laugh, I was horrified at the yellow walls and I couldn’t help but see all the chipped paint around the door frames and those threadbare chairs really turned me off. Once in the dining room, the furniture made me think of one of these past their best seaside hotel dining rooms and I have to say I still think the Midland Hotel in Bradford was possibly best value for money out off all the hotels you’ve stayed at although the Glasgow hotel is up there as well. I certainly wouldn’t want to go to this hotel if truth be told.

[@RogEdwardsTV]

Thank so much for watching and for your thoughts. Agree! 😀

[@Alan.92n]

Hi Roger, great video again. The Royal Highland Hotel was ok, but Glasgow still tops! The centre of Inverness looked great, and Inverness itself, definitely worth a visit. The room was ok, agree with you on the wallpaper! Price ok as well. Nice lounge area, but cooked breakfast a bit disappointing. Not a fan of baked beans and egg next to each other! Have stayed in hotels where the cooked breakfast is by order, much prefer it laid out, buffet style! Thanks for video. Nice one! 🍷 😊 👍

[@RogEdwardsTV]

Thanks Alan. Glad you enjoyed it. 🏨

[@timonrose5054]

For the record, Roger, this hotel used to be reputed to be the place where the best spoken English could be heard. There was no accent. All this changed with the advent of the oil industry and heavy industries moving in. Personally I used to attend the Highland Ball here as a child. Happy memories.

[@RogEdwardsTV]

Thanks Timon. Great memories - bet those balls were pretty epic. The hotel also has history of being a centre for espionage during the world wars. 😀🏨

[@skerryvorefan1684]

i stayed in the kingsmills hotel which is not too far from the city center it was amazing :D

[@RogEdwardsTV]

I’ll have a look at that for next time. Thanks for watching. 😀

[@martinstilton1535]

Love Inverness! That looks OK to me, bit like the Strathpeffer Highland Hotel, up the road, we stayed in last month.

[@RogEdwardsTV]

Cheers Martin. The Strathpeffer is also a British Transport Hotel. Had it been summer I would probably have done that as well. Next year, I think. 😀

[@martinstilton1535]

@RogEdwardsTV Ah thought it was, the staircase gave it away! Shame the railway is now gone, but still a great place. Look forward to hearing what you think if you do make it there next year.

[@alexmcwhirter6611]

Splendid public areas, especially that staircase, but rooms looked tired. Main selling point for this hotel is its location.

[@RogEdwardsTV]

Thanks Alex. Apparantly, it's the only Railway Hotel in Scotland not to be part of a chain, so probably little chance of big refurbishment.

[@dumbblonde3785]

We stayed there in the summer before covid. Never again . I prebooked months ahead as we came from Italy. We were given the smallest room in the hotel in the roof😢. Had to climb over the bed to the bathroom. It was dirty and old. We left after one night and went to the premier Inn.

[@RogEdwardsTV]

Oh that’s a shame. Hope you enjoyed the city though! 😀

[@dumbblonde3785]

Yes we did . We love the highlands and we have returned numerous times. We normally travel further north. Loving your videos.👍🏻

[@edinburghandbeyond]

How long is a train to Inverness? 9th hotel that crazy aww i seen that hotel when we went up there

[@RogEdwardsTV]

It was nearly 4 hours (with a change in Perth). 🚝

[@arthuramado9545]

By the way, the interior of the rooms reminds e of countryside soviet hotels: Grodno, Brest, GOmel.

[@RogEdwardsTV]

😂😂

[@arthuramado9545]

@@RogEdwardsTV , if you ever go to Canada. You should do reviews on the Grand Railways hotels. The Fairmont York is my favorite!

[@RogEdwardsTV]

@@arthuramado9545 great tip thanks! Only been to Canada once and we stayed in the Fairmount Waterfront in Vancouver! 😀

[@FranP93]

A room like that would be enough for me too. Besides, if breakfast is included and the location couldn't be better, 130 quid is a fair price.

[@RogEdwardsTV]

Pretty decent to be honest! Thanks for watching. 😀

[@andrewsmith-cm9qw]

I worked at the Caledonian Hotel 1978/80 BTH were a a gem in our hotel industry and Thatcher sold it for peanuts.

[@RogEdwardsTV]

So sad that the sale led to some of the hotels closing or being demolished. The Cally is still going strong, of course, and is on my list to review (but given I live in Edinburgh it’ll probably be further down the list). Thanks for watching.

[@walterfillingham]

I wander if the hotel will get a refurbishment when the railway station redevelops happens (2028 they saying, includes a new bus station, it’s a massive project) because I’m not sure if Network Rail Scotland actually owns the hotel buildings and the operators just rent it? Network Rail own all other buildings in Station Square.

[@RogEdwardsTV]

I'm not sure who owns the hotel. They say it's the only Railway Hotel in Scotland that isn't part of a chain. 🤔

[@cabottaxi]

Stayed there in the middle of the pandemic in 2020. Wasn’t too impressed with the breakfast. Wife reminded me the black pudding at the breakfast was raw .

[@RogEdwardsTV]

…watch my comments towards the end of the video! 😂

[@paulharvey9149]

Inverness City Centre hotels always seem a bit overpriced, to me. You're obviously paying for the location at the Royal Highland, though despite being a wee bit tatty in places (and all that's really needed is a bit of filler and a coat of paint to remedy that situation), it's infinitely better than another large hotel I paid not much less for, that's very close to it; so I guess it's not too bad for a middle-range hotel... Like you, I rather have its character than some plain, modern box.

[@RogEdwardsTV]

Character and grand staircases beat modern boxes every time! Thanks for watching. 😀

[@hughgardner2309]

I wouldn’t stay there

[@RogEdwardsTV]

Too yellow? 😂

[@hughgardner2309]

Yes way to bright for me