Leonardo Hotel Inverness

I recently stayed at the Leonardo Hotel in Inverness and, unfortunately, I came away feeling quite disappointed, especially considering the price. I paid £180 for one night with breakfast included, which I felt was seriously overpriced for what was on offer. The room was very small, the furnishings were grubby and showing plenty of wear, and the overall décor felt tired and in need of a complete refresh. Breakfast was probably the best part of the stay. The buffet was enjoyable, although the choice was fairly limited, and by around 9:30am was completely finished. The hotel’s main strength is its location, which is convenient for getting around Inverness and accessing the main roads. However, it sits in an industrial area, so don’t expect particularly attractive surroundings or scenic views. Overall, while the hotel is in a practical location, I don’t feel the standard of the accommodation justifies the price charged. There are better value options available in and around Inverness.

The negative impression started right upon arrival: From the parking lot, we immediately saw a broken, poorly patched window. Although it did not belong to our room, it perfectly reflected the worn-down condition of the building. Unfortunately, the situation inside continued in the same manner. The rooms are basically just furnished holes - completely worn out and anything but clean. The bathroom is a disgrace: The built-in exhaust fan is completely non-functional, which has already led to mold growth. Since the room windows can only be tilted slightly, the heat accumulates extremely. The small fans available do not manage to push out the warm air at all, making the stay in summer an absolute torment. As if that were not enough, the room safe was also defective. When we inquired at the reception, we were merely informed that there is currently a technical problem with absolutely all safes - we were not offered any help or an alternative. Nothing is right here anymore!

I stayed at the hotel on the 17th of May in Room 516 and, regrettably my experience was one of the most disappointing I have had in many years of extensive travel. Having myself managed hotels in both the UK and the United States, I appreciate that mistakes happen and that no property is perfect. However, the issues I encountered were so numerous and fundamental that they point to a serious failure of housekeeping, management oversight and the non existent customer service. My concerns began at check-in. The receptionist was polite enough, but his presentation and personal hygiene were noticeably poor and entirely at odds with the standards one would expect from a four-star hotel. Most concerning was the foul odour. Upon entering the room, it was apparent that cleanliness was not in any way treated as a priority. The carpet was heavily soiled (see pictures), surfaces caked in dust, and the room was tired and neglected. Most concerning were the marked bed sheets, which immediately raised questions about whether the room had been properly inspected before my arrival. As I st down and straight back to work, I went to order room service, I saw that the room telephone was filthy, covered in a mixture of grime and paint splatters. I was reluctant to even pick up the receiver and wrapped the receiver in a towel before I picked it up. After calling reception, I was told to call back later to order as the receptionist was working alone and too busy to take my order. When I eventually managed to place the order, I was informed that I would need to collect it myself which was really poor on the part of the hotel. If you don’t have the staff, I understand - just 86 room service until you fix the issue (especially as there is a ridiculous £6 charge added). The bathroom was a dammed disgrace. The soap dispensers were not refilled (empty), the toilet still contained remnants of faeces, the shower curtain was heavily stained with mould, bath had no plug and floor heavily damaged. These are fundamentally basic standards of presentation and cleanliness that any guest should reasonably expect be top notch. When I contacted reception regarding the missing shower gel, the manager brought some to the room. Unfortunately, there was no apology, no enquiry as to whether everything else was satisfactory, and no concern for me as a guest. The item was simply handed over before he scurried away. His personal appearance also resembled that of the rest of the hotel, run mown and lacking pride. The worst of the worst was next, as I climbed into the bed (against my better judgment) I felt something brush my leg and when I lifted the sheets, it was a filthy blue polishing rag INSIDE MY BED as pictured. Talk about faulty towers! This was the straw that broke the camels back, I’d tried to forgive everything else but this was utterly outrageous. I called down and was offered another room which meant packing up everything, going to collect the key myself at nearly 11pm (no offer of assistance given, naturally) and then had to traipse back with the original. There were apologies, but absolutely no attempt to make things better. The kicker? The new room absolutely stink of nicotine. What struck me most about this place was that none of these issues were isolated. Taken together, they give an account of a hotel where standards have been allowed to deteriorate to the absolute pits. Cleanliness, presentation and guest experience but be nailed at a 2*(never mind a “4*”) and are the foundations of our industry. The nearby Kingsmills Hotel is also a four-star property, yet the difference in standards is night and day with prices not too dissimilar. I have had countless positive experiences at that hotel, I only wish I’d gone back. I do not leave negative reviews lightly as I, myself have also dealt with things that go wrong, but I have pride and standards, and go to the ends of the earth to try and turn things around for a guest, the staff here simply don’t care. Ultimately, prospective guests deserve to know what they may encounter, and based on my experience, Room 516 should not be occupied until it has undergone a thorough deep clean and inspection, the hotel’s management should take a long, hard look at the shambolic standards they accept.