The room had stains and marks, the thermostat/aircon buttons were broken, bathroom bin was damaged and toilet holder hanging off.Reception staff were nice bar one rude woman. Noted we would be arriving at 1pm, arrived just before 3 for check in and was given the room key, room wasn't set up, additional purchases not left and ruined the surprise. Blamed by the reception for being early, but was told the room was ready and allowed to check in.1st experience here was amazing, 2nd time has made me reconsider coming back.Not a great start to an anniversary night away.
Lisa Watson
Stayed here after a wedding, room was nice, spacious and comfortable.Paul the bartender in the room where the reception was, was fantastic, great guy full of cheer. The 3 course meal was served well, prompt, hot & tasty..... Only downside to our stay we couldn't check in until 3pm and there was no where for us to get changed before that for the wedding which was at 2pm. Not even a toilet, told us to go the retail park over the road and use their facilities. When we did eventually check in after the wedding ceremony meal etc, Joanna on reception was far from friendly, not a smile or "enjoy your stay" anywhere to be seen!
Sean and Julie
Awful check in service. Receptionist was late off shift and showed her anger. Her words “ I’m due off but I’m going to do you a favour and check you in” After she was relieved our 2 rooms were allocated, 40 and 39, our teenage children next to us. Another receptionist pitched in that we can’t have 39 as it was allocated, same with next offer of room 32. My children ended up on the next floor down. Our restaurant bills were all messed up. On check out we were apparently under charged, and we were telephoned on our way home and told we needed to pay over the phone another £98. When we queried this, as this was wrong, it came down to around 50 and then further reduced because of all the mistakes to 20 something. I have been emailed to ask for payment and I’ve emailed back to get a fully itemised bill, of course 3 days later I have not received this. I’m not sure anyone there knows what they are doing. And one last thing, a barman refused to pour us a Guinness because he said he didn’t work on that bar and that we’d have to wait for the person who did. We ordered a pot of tea for 2 also and this was left on the bar and the lady serving shouted over for us to come and collect it. This is not service, this is shoddy mismanaged, under trained, under enthused and possibly under paid staff. A very poor experienceFood & drinks: Nothing to write home about. Breakfast was poor. Sausages not cooked, hash browns you could knock a nail in with, coffee cold, I could go on.
Gaynor Marvin
Our rooms were booked 5 months prior, but we were placed on separate floors.We were advised the bar would close at 11p.m. but when my son went at 10:45, he was told that the till had been removed already. As a landlord himself, he insisted it be returned so he could buy his drink. Room service (reception will ask for £25/room on check-in) is apparently available until 2a.m. but we had already been advised against it.The saving grace was the king-size bed and breakfast selection - fruit, cereal, croissants, toast, full english, tea/coffee, juice.The bathroom needs a proper CLEAN. as per usual the chamber maids obviously don't get the necessary time. The floor was lifting and separating from the seams. Lighting is also an issue!
131lesleyt
Customer Service - Whilst we did not have a bad stay, we did notice some downhill changes since our last visit. There seems to be a bit of confusion on terms and conditions on changing or cancelling room reservations that not everyone is up to scratch with. Also not everyone who works behind the bar are properly trained. After checking in and unpacking we headed for the bar, I asked for and got served a large Gordons gin but found out the next day that the only Gordons gin they have is alcohol free! why was I served an alcohol free drink when I didn't even ask for alcohol free? This sort of issue could easily be resolved with proper training for staff. I was also charged three different amounts at the bar for the same drinks on three occasions?? Bedroom - We had a double room on the first floor straight opposite the linen room - the door of the line room was opened and closed continuously and could get quite annoying. The double rooms are really quite dated and in need of decorating and some decent lighting required, they are very dark and miserable looking. The beds were firm with a lovely soft duvet and comfortable pillows. Tea/Coffee facilities available with one shortbread biscuit per person per day. Bathroom – Again a bit dated and could do with some modernisation. Large white flurry towels were given though so that was a bonus. Toiletries consisted of 3 tiny bottles (enough for one person in a two person room) Breakfast Restaurant – First day our server was very informative and let us know if we wanted poached or scrambled eggs just to let her know and she would ask chef to make them, second day our server was quite uninterested and simply said “if you want anything else just let me know” If that had been my first visit to breakfast I would have presumed that no choice of egg was available apart from the fried egg on display. First day our cooked breakfast was simply beautiful and cooked well, second day all the cooked items looked dry, unappetising and looked like they had been on display overnight. Main Meal Restaurant – Our meal was outstanding, well done to the chef! Female waitress was hell bent on not reducing a 4 place set table to a 2 place setting even though I asked if we could move from that tiny area with chains around it – I felt claustrophobic in there. The place a loads of tables empty so it wasn’t as though I would have been limited a table of four from entering. We had the summer deal £239 for two nights bed, breakfast, scone and coffee on arrival and £20 per person towards second evening meal. It was good value for money but the customer service and breakfast on the second day let it down badly. This was our third visit to Smiths but sorry to say I am positive it will be our last.
nic B
We arrived fairly late on our first day and was greeted by a very pleasant receptionist. We literally threw our cases and headed off to the pub as we had been travelling all day. Managed to find the hotel after quenching our thirst and collapsed into a very nice bed. On closer inspection the next day the room wasn’t quite the 100% we had anticipated. The bathroom was a bit wiffy with some staining behind the WC and the side of the bath was somewhat grubby. The heated towel rail was a delight after a shower though. The whole room seemed fairly dark even with all lighting switched on, this was annoying as I had to bride up my face and my eyesight isn’t great ( let’s hope his wasn’t either) There were hairgrips left on the bedside cabinet from a previous guest too! The breakfast was excellent. Really crispy bacon and juicy mushrooms. We asked at reception about a taxi and was handed a sheet of A4 and it turns out that 4 of the first 5 numbers haven’t existed since lockdown. This was very frustrating and not very helpful at all. I was going to point this out to the girl on the desk but she was busy chatting to her colleague. We were told that the night staff man the bar until approx 2 am, however at 1am we were told they were closing. It’s probably just as well as the drinks are very expensive. We also had to pay a retainer of £25 pp pn which we weren’t aware of. Whilst this was fine, it could have been an issue if our budget was tight. Our stay was comfortable. As I said the bed was lovely and comfy and the majority of the staff were helpful and friendly. Top marks for the breakfast as well.
Lindsey Murray
The reception area was lovely, however the seating in bar needs throwing out, it is stained thread bear and I didntcwantcto sit down. Had food on the evening, this was beautiful, however the breakfast the following morning was the worst I've had, no orange, limited items, no beans, long wait. When sausages came out they had a short curly hair on them.The room was nice, clean on arrival but not cleaned whilst there forc2 days.Walkability: 2 minute walk to the blacksmiths for our friends wedding
Bessie
Breakfast was inedible, however dinner was amazing - clearly different chefs on! Room had numerous faults (broken radiator, broken toilet roll holder, bedding did not fit etc) plus they charged us for a family room when we only requested/needed a travel cot. They then refused to provide bedding and a mattress for the travel cot - obviously they think toddlers do not deserve a good nights sleep!! I politely complained at check out and was assured someone would be in touch. 3 weeks later and still no contact from them, I have emailed 3 times and heard nothing back. Disgusting customer service. Would not recommend at all
Vicki T
Came for our son’s wedding. Everything was great, lovely staff, nice rooms (highly recommend the Bensmoor Cottages too), great bar area, didn’t try the restaurant as it was full, lovely wedding service in the blacksmiths shop and nice reception room. Even though they deal with multiple weddings every day they made us feel special which is quite an achievement. I guess if you’re not part of a wedding party you may feel a bit outnumbered but it’s hard not to enjoy the lovely romantic atmosphere.
kisaca
The staff were all great, but our experience in the hotel itself was not good. The radiator was left on in our room by staff on a really hot day, so by the time we got back at 10pm the room was unbearably hot. The A/C was ineffectual and the windows don’t open much. The beds were saggy, the shower curtain barely functioned, the floors weren’t well cleaned, there were stains on the carpet, and the lighting in the room is so dim. The walls are thin enough that we were woken by kids screaming and running around in the corridor and parents shouting at them, at 6.30am. The breakfast was fine. The room cost is far more than it’s worth, though I’m sure when the hotel initially opened it was lovely. You would have to pay me quite a lot to stay here again.
We stayed for 2 nights as part of our wedding package. We were made to feel welcome the minute we checked in. Stayed in a very pretty and very clean room, and had a complimentary bottle of prosecco on ice as we arrived. All staff from reception, to bar and waiting staff were absolutely lovely. Helpful and friendly. We ate in the resturant the night before we got married and the food was amazing!! One of the nicest steaks ive ever had! And our private alcove meal the day of our wedding was perfect. Again, absolutely beautuful food and we were made to feel so special. Like the only couple getting married would definitely recommend staying here, especially if youre getting married in Gretna.
victoriamK3784YC
Myself, my husband and our young children recently spent 8 days at Smiths and had our wedding reception here. We can honestly say that it's was exceptional service from start to finish. All staff members that we had dealings with always treated us with curtesy and respect and nothing was too much trouble for anyone. Our wedding reception was perfect.. The food was amazing, the room and again the service was excellent! So much so we extended our stay and have booked to return next year. A special mention to Paul, Ria, Julie to name a few. Many thanks!
NeilandLauraCarlisle
We stayed at Smiths for a night earlier this month, and came away feeling like the hotel is failing to achieve its full potential. It has a great location and friendly staff, yet it consistently missed the mark: It has a stunning location on the edge of the historic Gretna Village site, wasted by surface car parks on every accessible side. We had to wait over 25 minutes for two cocktails in a bar with (as far as we could see) only two other tables occupied. Our room was immaculately clean, but had no toiletries of any description. When we reported this to reception, someone arrived a few moments later with toilet rolls (which we did have) but no soap/shower gel/shampoo, etc. There was an electric fire in our room, which generated lots of light and noise but no discernible heat. The breakfast menu was extensive, but the food was noticeably undercooked, especially the potato scones and hash browns. The bathroom had clearly been fitted to a high standard, yet the lack of a splashback had resulted in water stains across the plasterboard around the sink. Room service is always welcome, but a £5 tray charge seems excessive to carry food up one or two flights of stairs. There's a great deal that's right about this hotel - comfortable beds, a great seating area beside the main bar, high-end TVs and high-speed WiFi. However, management need to tackle a litany of minor issues, from creaking doors to anaemic hot food, to make Smiths the hotel Gretna deserves.
S3628PAtinam
Horrendous stay, stains on sheets no aircon but on reviews said it was up and working. Reception said its not its sitting out back not onand shouldn't say that on reviews. asked for fans no fans. Very rude bar and reception staff. Overpriced Hotel for what you get. Breakfast stale like it was from day before. Had makeup done for wedding. My sister said have you had your makeup done, she said doesn't look like you have any on. Just awful stay please stay
O9139UKwaynej
Came here for my wedding a party of 10 and it was fabulous, had a phone call a few days before to say the Penthouse suite was available for a reasonable upgrade price which we opted for and so glad we did as it was fabulous and great for everyone to meet up prior to dinner the evening before the wedding and gave us plenty of space on the morning of the4 wedding for getting ready. The staff were all fabulous, food lovely we did slightly upgrade our wedding meal package everyone commented how delicious it all was, All out other guests said their rooms were very comfortable. We will return for another visit for sure and our guests said the same.
The room had stains and marks, the thermostat/aircon buttons were broken, bathroom bin was damaged and toilet holder hanging off.Reception staff were nice bar one rude woman. Noted we would be arriving at 1pm, arrived just before 3 for check in and was given the room key, room wasn't set up, additional purchases not left and ruined the surprise. Blamed by the reception for being early, but was told the room was ready and allowed to check in.1st experience here was amazing, 2nd time has made me reconsider coming back.Not a great start to an anniversary night away.
Stayed here after a wedding, room was nice, spacious and comfortable.Paul the bartender in the room where the reception was, was fantastic, great guy full of cheer. The 3 course meal was served well, prompt, hot & tasty..... Only downside to our stay we couldn't check in until 3pm and there was no where for us to get changed before that for the wedding which was at 2pm. Not even a toilet, told us to go the retail park over the road and use their facilities. When we did eventually check in after the wedding ceremony meal etc, Joanna on reception was far from friendly, not a smile or "enjoy your stay" anywhere to be seen!
Awful check in service. Receptionist was late off shift and showed her anger. Her words “ I’m due off but I’m going to do you a favour and check you in” After she was relieved our 2 rooms were allocated, 40 and 39, our teenage children next to us. Another receptionist pitched in that we can’t have 39 as it was allocated, same with next offer of room 32. My children ended up on the next floor down. Our restaurant bills were all messed up. On check out we were apparently under charged, and we were telephoned on our way home and told we needed to pay over the phone another £98. When we queried this, as this was wrong, it came down to around 50 and then further reduced because of all the mistakes to 20 something. I have been emailed to ask for payment and I’ve emailed back to get a fully itemised bill, of course 3 days later I have not received this. I’m not sure anyone there knows what they are doing. And one last thing, a barman refused to pour us a Guinness because he said he didn’t work on that bar and that we’d have to wait for the person who did. We ordered a pot of tea for 2 also and this was left on the bar and the lady serving shouted over for us to come and collect it. This is not service, this is shoddy mismanaged, under trained, under enthused and possibly under paid staff. A very poor experienceFood & drinks: Nothing to write home about. Breakfast was poor. Sausages not cooked, hash browns you could knock a nail in with, coffee cold, I could go on.
Our rooms were booked 5 months prior, but we were placed on separate floors.We were advised the bar would close at 11p.m. but when my son went at 10:45, he was told that the till had been removed already. As a landlord himself, he insisted it be returned so he could buy his drink. Room service (reception will ask for £25/room on check-in) is apparently available until 2a.m. but we had already been advised against it.The saving grace was the king-size bed and breakfast selection - fruit, cereal, croissants, toast, full english, tea/coffee, juice.The bathroom needs a proper CLEAN. as per usual the chamber maids obviously don't get the necessary time. The floor was lifting and separating from the seams. Lighting is also an issue!
Customer Service - Whilst we did not have a bad stay, we did notice some downhill changes since our last visit. There seems to be a bit of confusion on terms and conditions on changing or cancelling room reservations that not everyone is up to scratch with. Also not everyone who works behind the bar are properly trained. After checking in and unpacking we headed for the bar, I asked for and got served a large Gordons gin but found out the next day that the only Gordons gin they have is alcohol free! why was I served an alcohol free drink when I didn't even ask for alcohol free? This sort of issue could easily be resolved with proper training for staff. I was also charged three different amounts at the bar for the same drinks on three occasions?? Bedroom - We had a double room on the first floor straight opposite the linen room - the door of the line room was opened and closed continuously and could get quite annoying. The double rooms are really quite dated and in need of decorating and some decent lighting required, they are very dark and miserable looking. The beds were firm with a lovely soft duvet and comfortable pillows. Tea/Coffee facilities available with one shortbread biscuit per person per day. Bathroom – Again a bit dated and could do with some modernisation. Large white flurry towels were given though so that was a bonus. Toiletries consisted of 3 tiny bottles (enough for one person in a two person room) Breakfast Restaurant – First day our server was very informative and let us know if we wanted poached or scrambled eggs just to let her know and she would ask chef to make them, second day our server was quite uninterested and simply said “if you want anything else just let me know” If that had been my first visit to breakfast I would have presumed that no choice of egg was available apart from the fried egg on display. First day our cooked breakfast was simply beautiful and cooked well, second day all the cooked items looked dry, unappetising and looked like they had been on display overnight. Main Meal Restaurant – Our meal was outstanding, well done to the chef! Female waitress was hell bent on not reducing a 4 place set table to a 2 place setting even though I asked if we could move from that tiny area with chains around it – I felt claustrophobic in there. The place a loads of tables empty so it wasn’t as though I would have been limited a table of four from entering. We had the summer deal £239 for two nights bed, breakfast, scone and coffee on arrival and £20 per person towards second evening meal. It was good value for money but the customer service and breakfast on the second day let it down badly. This was our third visit to Smiths but sorry to say I am positive it will be our last.
We arrived fairly late on our first day and was greeted by a very pleasant receptionist. We literally threw our cases and headed off to the pub as we had been travelling all day. Managed to find the hotel after quenching our thirst and collapsed into a very nice bed. On closer inspection the next day the room wasn’t quite the 100% we had anticipated. The bathroom was a bit wiffy with some staining behind the WC and the side of the bath was somewhat grubby. The heated towel rail was a delight after a shower though. The whole room seemed fairly dark even with all lighting switched on, this was annoying as I had to bride up my face and my eyesight isn’t great ( let’s hope his wasn’t either) There were hairgrips left on the bedside cabinet from a previous guest too! The breakfast was excellent. Really crispy bacon and juicy mushrooms. We asked at reception about a taxi and was handed a sheet of A4 and it turns out that 4 of the first 5 numbers haven’t existed since lockdown. This was very frustrating and not very helpful at all. I was going to point this out to the girl on the desk but she was busy chatting to her colleague. We were told that the night staff man the bar until approx 2 am, however at 1am we were told they were closing. It’s probably just as well as the drinks are very expensive. We also had to pay a retainer of £25 pp pn which we weren’t aware of. Whilst this was fine, it could have been an issue if our budget was tight. Our stay was comfortable. As I said the bed was lovely and comfy and the majority of the staff were helpful and friendly. Top marks for the breakfast as well.
The reception area was lovely, however the seating in bar needs throwing out, it is stained thread bear and I didntcwantcto sit down. Had food on the evening, this was beautiful, however the breakfast the following morning was the worst I've had, no orange, limited items, no beans, long wait. When sausages came out they had a short curly hair on them.The room was nice, clean on arrival but not cleaned whilst there forc2 days.Walkability: 2 minute walk to the blacksmiths for our friends wedding
Breakfast was inedible, however dinner was amazing - clearly different chefs on! Room had numerous faults (broken radiator, broken toilet roll holder, bedding did not fit etc) plus they charged us for a family room when we only requested/needed a travel cot. They then refused to provide bedding and a mattress for the travel cot - obviously they think toddlers do not deserve a good nights sleep!! I politely complained at check out and was assured someone would be in touch. 3 weeks later and still no contact from them, I have emailed 3 times and heard nothing back. Disgusting customer service. Would not recommend at all
Came for our son’s wedding. Everything was great, lovely staff, nice rooms (highly recommend the Bensmoor Cottages too), great bar area, didn’t try the restaurant as it was full, lovely wedding service in the blacksmiths shop and nice reception room. Even though they deal with multiple weddings every day they made us feel special which is quite an achievement. I guess if you’re not part of a wedding party you may feel a bit outnumbered but it’s hard not to enjoy the lovely romantic atmosphere.
The staff were all great, but our experience in the hotel itself was not good. The radiator was left on in our room by staff on a really hot day, so by the time we got back at 10pm the room was unbearably hot. The A/C was ineffectual and the windows don’t open much. The beds were saggy, the shower curtain barely functioned, the floors weren’t well cleaned, there were stains on the carpet, and the lighting in the room is so dim. The walls are thin enough that we were woken by kids screaming and running around in the corridor and parents shouting at them, at 6.30am. The breakfast was fine. The room cost is far more than it’s worth, though I’m sure when the hotel initially opened it was lovely. You would have to pay me quite a lot to stay here again.
Restaurantji Recommends
We stayed for 2 nights as part of our wedding package. We were made to feel welcome the minute we checked in. Stayed in a very pretty and very clean room, and had a complimentary bottle of prosecco on ice as we arrived. All staff from reception, to bar and waiting staff were absolutely lovely. Helpful and friendly. We ate in the resturant the night before we got married and the food was amazing!! One of the nicest steaks ive ever had! And our private alcove meal the day of our wedding was perfect. Again, absolutely beautuful food and we were made to feel so special. Like the only couple getting married would definitely recommend staying here, especially if youre getting married in Gretna.
Myself, my husband and our young children recently spent 8 days at Smiths and had our wedding reception here. We can honestly say that it's was exceptional service from start to finish. All staff members that we had dealings with always treated us with curtesy and respect and nothing was too much trouble for anyone. Our wedding reception was perfect.. The food was amazing, the room and again the service was excellent! So much so we extended our stay and have booked to return next year. A special mention to Paul, Ria, Julie to name a few. Many thanks!
We stayed at Smiths for a night earlier this month, and came away feeling like the hotel is failing to achieve its full potential. It has a great location and friendly staff, yet it consistently missed the mark: It has a stunning location on the edge of the historic Gretna Village site, wasted by surface car parks on every accessible side. We had to wait over 25 minutes for two cocktails in a bar with (as far as we could see) only two other tables occupied. Our room was immaculately clean, but had no toiletries of any description. When we reported this to reception, someone arrived a few moments later with toilet rolls (which we did have) but no soap/shower gel/shampoo, etc. There was an electric fire in our room, which generated lots of light and noise but no discernible heat. The breakfast menu was extensive, but the food was noticeably undercooked, especially the potato scones and hash browns. The bathroom had clearly been fitted to a high standard, yet the lack of a splashback had resulted in water stains across the plasterboard around the sink. Room service is always welcome, but a £5 tray charge seems excessive to carry food up one or two flights of stairs. There's a great deal that's right about this hotel - comfortable beds, a great seating area beside the main bar, high-end TVs and high-speed WiFi. However, management need to tackle a litany of minor issues, from creaking doors to anaemic hot food, to make Smiths the hotel Gretna deserves.
Horrendous stay, stains on sheets no aircon but on reviews said it was up and working. Reception said its not its sitting out back not onand shouldn't say that on reviews. asked for fans no fans. Very rude bar and reception staff. Overpriced Hotel for what you get. Breakfast stale like it was from day before. Had makeup done for wedding. My sister said have you had your makeup done, she said doesn't look like you have any on. Just awful stay please stay
Came here for my wedding a party of 10 and it was fabulous, had a phone call a few days before to say the Penthouse suite was available for a reasonable upgrade price which we opted for and so glad we did as it was fabulous and great for everyone to meet up prior to dinner the evening before the wedding and gave us plenty of space on the morning of the4 wedding for getting ready. The staff were all fabulous, food lovely we did slightly upgrade our wedding meal package everyone commented how delicious it all was, All out other guests said their rooms were very comfortable. We will return for another visit for sure and our guests said the same.