Located at the very top of Loch Lomond, The Drovers Inn is steeped in three centuries of Scottish tradition. In fact, Rob Roy himself has enjoyed hospitality at this world-reknowned hotel, bar and restaurant! Our residents vary from those who are stopping-over on their west highland way adventure, to those who are staying purely for the good food and entertainment. The bar regularly hosts local musicians and guests and guaranteed a lively time on Friday and Saturday nights. Come in for a heat - and stay for the warmth.
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The Drovers Inn offers a stay replete with character and a quirky atmosphere, featuring live music and a unique decor that many guests appreciate. However, opinions about the amenities and room quality diverge; some find comfort in their charm, while others suggest a need for modernization and refurbishment.
Service at the inn can range from warm and attentive to disappointingly slow. Additionally, while some rooms are praised for their cleanliness, the value proposition is diminished for some by the high costs and unexpected charges.
Atmosphere
Eclectic
Rooms
Basic
Value
Expensive
Cleanliness
Mixed
Service
Inconsistent
Amenities
Underwhelming
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Really enjoyed staying at the Drovers. My girlfriend had been a few times before but this was my first visit. We left it late to eat so we ended up ordering a starter of tempura veg and chips so we could keep our bar seats as the music had started (Jono). Good atmosphere straight away and good food, as most other reviews have put. In fact, we had a really good night, met a stag do from Manchester who were a lovely bunch of lads, very friendly and that seems to be a recurring theme of the Drovers, you find that it's friendly, warm hearted and the evening is immensely enjoyable.
Sleeping - we stayed in a double room en-suite across the road from the Inn. Both had a good night's sleep! No mattress issues or bedding, it was warm, firm enough, both slept well. Breakfast looked good. We went for the veg option, basically we just asked for veg sausages which were really good along with a few other things. We had a pot of coffee after a pot of tea so it's no issue having extra hot drinks.
Overall, the stay was great. You're staying in an Inn from the early 1700's; I'm no architect but that can't be easy to simply give a lick of paint to. From mgmt comments they are doing the place up but it has charm, character and the food and entertainment is quality. I think if they maybe did the lodges up over the rood and relaid the car park, that would have guests raving about their stay even more. The actual Inn.....as long as it's safe and insulated, then it's doing fine.
The only reason I didn't leave 5 stars is a slight issue with having my bar bill come off twice from my bank but a quick call, a few emails to let me know it was being dealt with and another call to update me that it was resolved seems to be putting the amount back to my account.
That's not a reflection on the stay which was great and we are thinking of making this at least an annual thing unless we do more walking up around there too. See you soon Drovers
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Date of stay: February 2020
Rooms
Location
Service
Room Tip:Get an en suite room. Or for a spooky stay, get no.6. And get involved in the bar atmosphere,...
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.
The Drovers is a quirky establishment, on the go since 1705 and hasn't seen much maintenance since then! If you're an avid fan of stuffed animals, undulating floors, 1980s live music and hostel style accommodation, then this place is for you. If not, keep driving to the nearest Premier Inn. The staff are all very friendly and competent and Bea was extremely helpful and hospitable. The rooms are very basic and if you manage to secure an en suite room, allow yourself a good 10 minutes to get a full body wash in the electric shower with disappointing water pressure. Our evening meal was average, although the burgers were by far the best option; breakfast again was basic but they had both gluten free and vegetarian options and it was plenty enough to eat. The lack of filter coffee meant we had to stop off for a fresh brew soon after we checked out. Overall a unique quirky experience. If I could give it 3.5 stars I would, but it doesn't quite merit a 4
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Date of stay: June 2022Trip 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.
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This charming lodge is about .4 miles off of the West Highland Way trail, at the top of Loch Lomond. The main building is a lovely old stone structure, with numerous taxidermies on the walls (and a standing bear). There is a nice pub (although bartenders were quite surly) and big, outdoor beer garden. It is a tour coach destination so beware there may be crowds. The guest rooms are located across the street and do not have much character. Rooms are spacious, with a comfortable bed and nice towels and sheets. The bathroom shower is quickly hot and has good pressure. The shower floor is slippery and there is no place to put anything (not even a razor) in the shower. Out the back window of my room was a peaceful view of the woods. Bad wifi and cell connection in the guest rooms but ok in the main lodge. Good coffee (a rarity on this trip!) and a tasty veggie Scottish breakfast (for those who want vegetarian).
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Date of stay: August 2022
Value
Rooms
Service
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 is a honest review of our stay at this place as a large family group staying to celebrate a special birthday, I’m afraid from arrival the look of the place is horrific!, it’s very old and really worn looking, I’m all for old and rustic and character, but it need a really good clean and some serious TLC, the old stuffed animals everywhere is definitely a acquired taste, needs a clean everywhere!!!!the room (chalet style across the road) was very basic, and again needs some serious work done to them, tv didn’t work in most of the rooms, very sporadic signal, no WiFi except in main hotel, food was, im afraid just OK, service was very hit and very miss, credit to the guy with the midlands accent, he was the only redeeming feature, breakfast was ok, took forever to get served and not well run at all, carton of orange juice on the table, breakfast was small but tasty, square sausage was delicious but black pudding was overdone, trying to get a drink was so unorganised, people checking in and confusing ques, all in all a cheek to charge what they did for the actual rooms, along with frozen food and not great service, for such a beautiful place. Would not recommend to stay here. Also the midges are horrific!!! They should look into some oil burners or something in place to help the residents avoid being eaten to death.
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Date of stay: June 2021Trip 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.
We stopped for lunch and were surprised that we could get a table just walking in on a Sunday (no reservations allowed), but having now eaten here I know why. My jacket potato was stone cold, poorly seasoned topping and a bit of scraggy undressed salad. The Drovers Blonde takes like weak Fosters. The service is pretty terrible too. To round it all off the toilets have signs requesting that you don’t put your used needles in the bins - you can imagine what that says about who they get in. All in all, don’t waste your time here, it’s not worth the calories!
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Date of stay: August 2020Trip 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 Yvonne McStravick, Agency / Consultant at The Drovers Inn
Responded Sep 2, 2020
Thank you for taking the time to leave a review. Im sorry you didnt enjoy your visit with us. We only take table bookings for residents, for everyone else is on a first come, first served basis - most weekends we are very very busy. The jacket potatoes are served with salad garnish, not a side salad. I wish you had flagged up with a member of staff that your potato was cold as it would've been dealt with straight away. I'm afraid there's not much we can do about it now but do apologize. The Drovers Blonde is a light lager, 4% exactly as stated on the menu. There's 3 lagers to choose from. Again, if this wasn't to your liking, we could have changed it to something else. I would just like to refresh your memory on what it says on the toilet door and we request you remove the paragraph where it says needles as it's a false statement and not something that would ever be allowed in our property. Our sign clearly states: "PHS Bins are provided for santitary products only. Please do not place glass or sharps in these bins. A general waste bin is under the sink for any other litter." Those bins are emptied by humans and we had several incidents where people cut their hands in broken glass put in those bins by customers, hence the note. Thank you again for taking the time to review, we would have liked the opportunity to sort out the issues at the time.
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
We had looked forward to staying here overnight having visited for dinner a few years ago. On arrival we were welcomed by a lovely lady on reception who was one of only 2 welcoming people the entire stay and we were assigned room 9. The room on first glance was ok. We ventured down to the bar for drinks and to meet further family members. The staff other than one girl (with dreadlocks) can only be described as rude and were not at all welcoming especially the waitress staff. After travelling for approx 7 hours a smile wouldn’t have gone amiss. We ate dinner which was fine, the food was tasty, we then ventured to our room as we were tired and had more travelling to do the next day. If you are a family and are booking make sure you do not get room 9. The beds were all camp beds, whilst I can appreciate the extra bed placed in the room for my Son being a makeshift bed the main double bed was also more like a camp bed, my back the next day was crucified. The room was so hot, the radiator was stuck on and the windows wouldn’t open, and with the band playing underneath us until 2am we couldn’t sleep at all. We were all very uncomfortable all night and hardly slept. The shower in the morning overflowed as it wasn’t draining so I had to turn it off halfway through, that was after it scalded and froze me as the temperature of the water went up and down. For the money £135 I feel basically ripped off. The facilities were minimal, no tv, no where to put things in the bathroom (shelves) everything had to go on the floor, no plug in the sink or hot water so my husband couldn’t shave. My other family members who stayed there had much better rooms and paid less money in one case. I stay in hotels every week for business so have stayed at my fair share of venues and I don’t normally complain but I would never stay here again after this experience. It makes sense now why you have to pay before you arrive and why when you checkout they don’t ask “was everything ok”. Extremely disappointed after looking forward to staying here, the bad nights sleep removed the novelty fun factor for us. :-(
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Date of stay: December 2019Trip 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 UniqueDroversInn, Public Relations Manager at The Drovers Inn
Responded Feb 15, 2020
Thank you for taking the time to leave a review. I can only apologise that your visit didn't meet expectations. We take all feedback on board and aim to improve in the future so all our guests to have a great experience when visiting The Drovers Inn. Please give us a try in the future.
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Been looking forward to visiting here for ages, but room was in lodge across the road. Room was basic with a a badly scraped table and chairs a rail for clothes and two strained bedside lamps covered in dust it was dated with old tired bathroom facilities my first impression was to leave and go home but had already had a drink in bar So could not drive. Food was well presented but ‘famous steak pie’ full of grizzle and drink was sold at hotel prices but without hotel facilities. Breakfast also poor with cheap quality produce! A very disappointing stay would not recommend unless your a walker and only looking fior a place to lay your head
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Date of stay: February 2020Trip 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 UniqueDroversInn, Public Relations Manager at The Drovers Inn
Responded Feb 15, 2020
Thank you for taking the time to leave a review. I can only apologise that your visit didn't meet expectations. We take all feedback on board and aim to improve in the future so all our guests to have a great experience when visiting The Drovers Inn. Please give us a try in the future.
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
As a lover of all things 'horror' I had wanted to stay here for years. Booked the haunted room in the Drovers for a nights escape and it appears horror is the most apt word here. So dissapointed.
You don't expect luxury here however, the place is literally falling apart. Worn through carpet, broken doors, stairs, walls... And a bedroom light which would not stop flickering/flashing (100% certain this was not the ghosts!) All the same, we stayed for food, both had the Steak and Guinness pie. Huge portions however, half of the steak was gristle, the chips weren't cooked through and had a really unpleasant taste.
The Drovers has the name, location and history which is such a same given the state of it. Could be a top venue however needs some serious investment.
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Date of stay: March 2020Trip 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.
I last went to the Drovers Inn in 2001 when walking the West Highland Way, so it was only right that I should visit when walking it again. This time, rather than just eat and drink there, I stayed the night.
I was delighted to find it totally unchanged in 21 years. I walked into the ancient looking entrance hall to be greeted by the same stuffed bear, and myriad of other stuffed animals, as I had previously. Check in was quick and efficient (modern technology hides behind the reception desk!).
I sat outside for a very filling and restorative (after the painfully long haul from Rowardennan) meal of venison casserole and ice cream. The bar itself was lively and busy, more so than some others encountered on the WHW, and both food and drinks were served quickly.
My room was across the road in the annex, so I can't comment on those in the main building; but it was simply furnished, clean and comfortable. Hot water plentiful.
Breakfast the next morning was well organised, with different time slots offered, before checking out and collecting a decent packed lunch.
The Drovers Inn's exterior and public rooms are aged and dark, giving the impression that they may not have altered much since the place opened in 1705. The fact that it is exactly the same as it was 21 years ago demonstrates, however, that there is a conscious effort to preserve its atmosphere rather than a lack of care. This is a feeling added to by the staff being well turned out, there appearing to be enough of them (another good sign in these difficult times... some other places are not so lucky), and the efficiency of service.
In summary, I really enjoyed my return visit to the Drovers Inn. Its quirky atmosphere, which appeals enormously to me, was thankfully unchanged. I am sure that it won't be 21 years until I come again, but I hope that in any event the visitor of 2043 finds a similarly unchanging scene to that which greeted me after so many years.
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Date of stay: July 2022Trip 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.
My Wife and I recently walked the West Highland Way and booked a room for a night at The Drovers Inn. As we had read a bit about the place we were both looking forward to our stay. The walk that day was about 15 miles and by the time we arrived at the Inn we were both ready for a shower and a beer. We were put in a room across the street from the main building and when we walked into the room we were accosted by the worst smell of hideous toxic air freshener ever! We immediately unplugged the device and removed it from the room. We opened the one window and proceeded to clean up and get a beer and eat, (we were pretty tired and needed to eat.) The food and drink was good enough. The decoration of the interior is a taxidermist's dream come true; weird but from what I had read expected. When we got back to the somewhat aired out room and turned in for the night. The room was HOT and the bed felt like I was sleeping, (or trying to sleep on springs that were sticking in my back.) The bed was terrible! I got completely skeeved out, dressed and spent the rest of the nigh trying to sleep on top of the comforter. I don't want to forget to mention the walls of the rooms are more like curtains as I could here the drunk biker next door sneezing and farting all night! I've had better rooms in crack hotels in the bowels of America! The following morning we packed our backpacks, ate a breakfast that was fine for the most part and left determined to put the night behind us and enjoy the days walk to Tyndrum. I'm giving The Drovers Inn a poor rating rather then a terrible rating just because of the food and bar, if not for that it would have gotten a terrible rating.
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Date of stay: September 2021
Value
Service
Sleep Quality
Room Tip:I don't know if there are any good rooms
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 The Drovers Inn, Guest Services / Front Office at The Drovers Inn
Responded Nov 11, 2021
Thank you for taking the time to leave a review. I can only apologise that your visit didn't meet expectations. We take all feedback on board and aim to improve in the future so all our guests to have a great experience when visiting The Drovers Inn. Please give us a try in the future.
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Report response as inappropriate
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Beaufort, South Carolina476 contributions145 helpful votes
would recommend you just email them - they are some of the nicest staff there. I bet they would do their best to make this happen for you. TripAdvisor wouldn't let me put the email address here - just go their webiste and hit contact us and you will see it - good luck
There are more places to choose from in the Inverarnan area.
ALSO KNOWN AS
the drovers hotel ardlui
LOCATION
United KingdomScotlandStirlingshireLoch Lomond and The Trossachs National ParkInverarnan
NUMBER OF ROOMS
14
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