I spent a couple of nights at the Highland Haven Hotel in Macduff when I visited the area in August 2007. I chose the hotel for two reasons, I wanted to stay in that location, which by the way is not in the Highlands but in Aberdeenshire. It was cheap at £26 a night for a single ensuite room, with twin rooms available at £31 a night per room., through GTA booking service. Now I like to think of myself of being realistic in my expectations and I thought if I had a basic, clean room I’d be satisfied. I knew I only required a place to sleep as I’d be out all day.

The hotel is situated on the shore road in Macduff, opposite the harbour. There is free on street parking outside the hotel but it is a fairly busy road being the main road between Elgin and Fraserburgh. The public areas of the hotel looked very tired and flat. My single room was at the back of the hotel which meant no sea view but at least there was no traffic noise. The room was pretty dingy and dismal with the shower cubicle in corner of the bedroom, a lot of exposed pipes and a squint curtain rail with drooping curtains. The table for the tea and coffee making facilities looked as it had seen better days (perhaps in the 1960s). It was cold when I entered the room as the window had been left open, it was hard to shut the window but once I’d done that and turned on the heating, the room was quickly warmed up. The tap in the sink was very hard to turn on and off and only a trickle of water appeared. The room was borderline acceptably clean.

The photo showing the view from the restaurant over the harbour is accurate but the window was covered with greasy smears and the table cloth was stained. I was looking forward to my “mouthwatering freshly prepared food” only to be served with a blob of scrambled eggs which you could have bounced off the floor, complete with dark yellow dried edges. Perhaps the chef prepares breakfast the night before.

I can only recommend that you stay at this hotel if low price is your main priority, you don’t expect a delicious breakfast and you don’t intend to spend leisure time in your roon. What is truly astounding is that during an oil related exhibition in Aberdeen, around 30 miles from Macuff, the Highand Haven is selling “luxury” twin rooms at up to £300. The hotel may be just about acceptable at a low price but there could be some rather unimpressed oil barons when their limo drops them off at the Highland Haven to experience some unauthentic Highland hospitality.