Lancaster Hotel

Hotel

This hotel was an absolutely hole, the person that checked us in was rude and the rooms were that bad all you needed was 2 pound worth of petrol and a clipper lighter to improve it as for the barman he thought he was doing us a favour by serving us and it’s advertised they have a cocktail bar which they don’t even do cocktails. Spoke to an ex employee outside hotel she said the owners treat their staff like and the owners haven’t done anything to the hotel since they bought it years ago and there beds have bed bugs and when a lady told the manager he was so rude and told her if you don’t like it don’t stay cause they think there’s nothing wrong with the hotel as for breakfast a full English breakfast only consists of bacon 1 sausage and an egg and you only get Black pudding if you ask for it, when my partner asked if he could get mushrooms and beans he was told they didn’t do it. The TV was that small you couldn’t watch it from your bed cause you couldn’t see it So we had to move to another hotel cause it was that disgusting but Oban is so beautiful it’s worth going just avoid the Lancaster hotel.

The location was really great. I've noticed some other reviewers have described this place as tired or dated but the room was clean and comfortable, the bar was well stocked, staff friendly enough and the breakfast was ok so I wouldn't complain at all. Could do with a few more veggie options on the breakfast menu but what we had was satisfactory and the staff were as accommodating as they could be.

I thoroughly enjoyed staying at this old hotel and was impressed by the very welcoming and helpful staff, the little lounge with local music and the most excellent and beautifully served breakfast. This hotel is full of charm and suited my needs well.

The place needs a total and absolute refurb, and a much nicer person on reception.

Pleasant staff hotel in good position. Breakfast good.

Booked this because of the location and facilities. Location brilliant… Hotel I knew was dated but not as bad as it was! All the floors squeeked, beds were very old sprung mattresses and uncomfortable desperately needing replaced. Shower did not work well too small area taps on basin too small you could hardly get your hands under the water. Needs a lot of TLC as could be a gold mine staff do a good job in hard conditions.

The pool didn't work. Our room felt like visiting ones grandparents… although the view was really nice and the breakfast good, I wouldn't recommend this hotel.

One of the worst hotels I have every stayed in. The place needs a total revamp, beds lumpy, couldn't have a shower TOO hot and couldn't get any cold water, had to stand up to watch anything on the small TV, you sink into the chairs, bannister railing very loose. Wifi only in the foyer. Heaps more to say. Staff very friendly and a good breakfast.

Tatty, the hotel is a in very poor state of repair. It needs a bit of financial investment but a huge amount of hands-on effort by the owners to turn this from a worn-out Fawlty Towers to a really nice place to stay. The staff are lovely so they're halfway there already.

Very helpful and friendly staff. Fairly much at the budget end. Offers very good facilities including swimming pool.

The staff were amazing & would love to go bk very soon fingers crossed.

On tour organized for 15 days in Scotland I have never seen a hotel as shabby and dirty smells in the hallway and in the room very unpleasant flee.

Friendly staff. Nice pool and sauna.

Only hotel I've ever stayed in that I've actually been in fear for my health. Read a previous review saying do not stay in room 12, same applies for room 14 and 15. Sleep well, don't let the bed bugs bite!

Utter disgraceful, dirty, shabby doesn't cover it. Need to work on customer service.

Once but not two: rooms frozen in the years 1970, view on the backyard (not on the bay) stale odor masked by a really unpleasant strawberry chemical deodorizer, binding schedules, non-functional shower and everything in addition. Too bad, because the interior could have been charming. Two stars for breakfast and the server really nice.

Cheap and very shabby. Holes in the bed linen and the walls, cracks in the sink mould on the walls and ceiling. Tin box for a shower cubicle. No internet in the room allocated to me but was advertised as being there. Scary place.

Nice hotel. Has the appeal of a carry-on movie type hotel that being 50s to 60s decor. Triple rooms have a double bed and a single. Both mattresses could fo with changing as when I lay down it felt as though it had collapsed and I was sleeping on the bed frame. Had a better sleep the second night, but perhaps I was knackered from the lack of sleep. Shower is in a very small cubicle just off the main room, the water doesn't drain away quickly so watch the level in the bottom of the shower it has the potential to overflow into the shower room. I suspect it was a wardrobe beforehand. The toilet in the same room. Unfortunately I had to fix the toilet seat as it came off. There is a bedside sink right beside the beds. Creaking floorboards makes for a ballet type dance so that you don't wake anyone up. Room can be chilly in the middle of the night but the owners had put a heater in the room so that helps. Tv is miniscule and fitted by a swivel bracket on the wall. However there was no tilt, so if watching while on the bed all you see are dark shapes. Furnature in the room was a bit dated, think of your grandparents standing wardrobe and side units and you'll get the idea. Food is ok and the view is beautiful out onto the oban harbour and approaches. Staff are always helpful and pleasant.

The second time I have stayed here this year. The first time was ok but this time I was put in one of the rooms over the bar area. The noise was terrible jukebox, people's conversations and doors slamming all sounded as if they were in the same room as me which went on from me booking in at 6pm until 11'20pm. As I had been working from 5am all I wanted was an early nights sleep which I did not get. In my work I cover all of Scotland and stay at least 2 nights away from home every week but this will be the last time I will stay here. Having said that the staff were friendly and the breakfast was ok. Like comments on here the place is dated but you get what you pay for and I have stayed in worse places and paid double the cost.

Friendly staff and helpful good value for money Got what we paid for.

Had a lovely week here rooms are very basic but clean, good choice of breakfast and staff were very helpful.

Great friendly staff. Place dated but perfect seafront position.

Where do I start. Read reviews properly. Don't get room 12. Couple of staff were good. Breakfast was good that's it.

I was looking forward to a short break with friends and booked this skip. I am not being too harsh they have a cheek to call this dump a hotel. I know its an old hotel that I can live with, but it dirty the management team should be ashamed. Sorry I never review hotels and can always find a positive point not this time. Save your money dont book this hotel.

Hotel is a wee bit dated, but food is great staff are friendly, room's are clean and it has a swimming pool and steam room… Will definitely be back…

Clean rooms, nice breakfast. Would recommend.

Was great my dog was made feel at home and she enjoyed the stay just as much as me and didn't want to go home the staff were very good and helpful.

Rude staff, ancient filthy place and breakfast is of poor quality. Never again in my life. The Addams familiy house is far much modern that this "hotel".

… In view of the plethora of hostile and negative reviews, I felt that I just had to try out this establishment, on a recent trip to Oban. Previously I had stayed at the only "five star" hotel in Oban and I felt that the Lancaster Hotel, by comparison, was a little less grand (or, perhaps, a little less ostentatious) — but at least it was properly staffed and exuded a friendly atmosphere. Facilities are first class and the Lancaster is one of the few dog-friendly hotels in the area. I had asked for a single room and, being politically incorrect, I could hardly contain my indifference when I was informed that the only single room available was above the smoking area and bars in the hotel — so what — at least I knew what I was getting myself into. The only down-side was the fact that I was ensconced in a room adjoining one in which four (it transpired) very noisy and inconsiderate Chinese guests were staying, who insisted on coming and going to and from their room until nearly three o'clock in the morning, all the while slamming their room door very violently. The hotel management was very contrite, on being told of this some days later by a friend who lives in Oban but, realistically, unless I had informed them of the disturbance at the time there was very little that they could have done about it, and I didn't fancy having a pair of chop-sticks rammed up my jacksie anyway!

I had a brilliant time at the Lancaster! Thanks John x.

Horrible. A shabby, out-of-date hotel with tatty rooms, shabby furnishings, dirty hand-basins, inadequate showers, and awful furniture. Beds were uncomfortable and the mattresses need replacing. Bed bugs could not be ruled out. Staff were not professional and looked as if they came to work in the same clothes that they worked in. Not hygienic. Guest sitting areas were shabby.

We arrived at the Lancaster unnanounced. With no reservation. We were made so welcome it was like visiting a family relative. Now to be fair. The Lancaster is a little outdated. This said. The price was great. The facilities were wonderful. Swimming pool. Hot tub. Sauna. Steam room. Hairdresser. Adjoining snug little bar. Superb Breakfast. Good prices. Wonderful view of the Ocean. Clean rooms. Small wash room. Excellent staff. Karen on the desk. Stuart? in the dining room. Karen gave us all the info we needed to have a great weekend. Incredible sitting room with a view that was really out of this world. Thank you so very much. We shall most definitely return. Al and Karen Deans. Bc canada.

Good experience. I've stayed a couple of times in the last 18 months, which says a lot to start with, and am looking to book again now. The Lancaster isn't the most highly invested hotel, but if you want to see Oban (you DO want to see Oban! ) and have a base in the ideal spot, then look no further. It has a pool, sauna and jaccuzzi, fabulous view from the restaurant and pleasant accomodating staff. As the saying goes "you pays your money and takes your choice". This is great value.

We booked in for two nights in September 2010. On checking out our rather spartan room we discovered there was no soap in the shower, on mentioning this to the front desk we were told by the house keeper that "most guests bring their own" and we should use the hand soap dispenser. There was no further attempt by management to rectify this situation, so obviously we were wrong in not taking our own soap. The hotel seems to have been run by the same family since the early 60's, frankly I don't think they have changed much since then. Breakfasts were served on side plates (to make them look larger? ), edible just, with black pudding cooked to ice hockey puck consistency. The shower cabinet was cracked, the shower head was dirty and was made of cheap plastic and would not stay in place. Bed base was cracked, and the windows had "shot" double glazing, so our view of the Bay was obscured. I'd recommend folk to give this one a wide berth, very poor.