Andrew and his brother stayed at the Old Loans Inn for the first half of their golf trip to Scotland. Here is our review of this 20-room hotel and restaurant located in Ayrshire County and named Small Hotel of the year for three consecutive years.
About the Hotel
Old Loans Inn is located in the small town of Loans, Scotland, which is about 45 minutes south of Glasgow and just outside of Troon. Awarded Small Hotel of the Year in 2023 at the Scottish Golf Tourism Awards, the Inn also includes a very good restaurant and bar that is frequented by guests and local residents.
The town can be driven through in about 2 minutes and we actually drove past the hotel without even noticing it when we were initially arriving. However, coming back the other way, it was easy to spot the sign on the side of the building. There is plenty of parking behind the Inn and even when the restaurant was busy, we never had an issue finding a spot.
Within the town of Loans, there is a small gas station two blocks from the Inn where we were able to get some snacks and drinks. That was on the only other option for food and drink outside of the hotel restaurant. If you have a car, there were plenty of places to get other groceries in Troon, which was a 10 minute drive from the hotel.
Check-In Desk
Front Lobby
Upon arrival, we walked to the front of the building where we were met with an empty lobby/sitting area. The check-in desk is actually next to the restaurant in the back of the building on the lower level. During our stay, we really only used the rear door to come and go as did just about every guest staying there.
For those in the States, the Old Loans Inn had a Bed and Breakfast feel where everyone is very friendly and a handful of people seem to be doing everything. We really liked the small town feel of the Inn which led to some great conversations with guests and locals throughout our stay.
Our Room
We shared a single room but it was quite large. Old Loans Inn is clearly used to buddy trips because they split a King Size bed into two separate twin beds about three feet apart. The room was plenty big for us as we had two large suitcases, two sets of clubs, two golf travel bags, and still enough room to move around and stretch on the floor (needed to keep my back in good shape).
As far as powering all your devices, the desk had two USB ports along with two plugs (for those traveling across the pond, don’t forget your adaptors). There were also a handful of plugs around the room in case you need more.
The bathroom also had some nice touches including a jet tub, towel warmer, and plenty of counter space for the two of us.
Amenities
Within the room, they included shower gel and shampoo, along with moisturizer. Nothing fancy but we really didn’t need anything so it was fine for us.
Guests of the Old Loans Inn also have access to amenities at its sister hotel, the Gailes, located 10 minutes away. These amenities include a well appointed spa that include a large hot tub, steam room, dry sauna, showers, and relaxation area. We drove over to the Gailes and checked in at the spa desk and were able to use this area for free as guests of the Old Loans Inn. Guests can also book various treatment at the Gailes Spa including facials, massages, boutique therapies, and body treatments.
For golfers, the Gailes also had a large pro shop, which we appreciated since neither of us brought enough golf balls for the trip.
Dining
Our golf trip package included breakfast so not sure if all guests receive this. The complimentary meal was a full Scottish breakfast which was Robertson’s smoked bacon, pork link sausages, black pudding, haggis, grilled flat cap mushroom, tomato, tattie scone, beans and a choice of fried, poached or scrambled eggs and served with toast. There was also a spread of pastries, fruit, and cereal, all of which was included. Other breakfast options were available for purchase but we stuck with the Scottish breakfast all week.
Scottish Breakfast
To begin, we did not have one bad meal at the Old Loans Inn Restaurant. They had quite a large selection and all of them were good. Of course when in Scotland, one must try the Haggis. Chris tried it at a different location but I decided to order it here and it was really good. Their version was haggis wrapped in bacon and a pastry over potatoes.
The biggest surprise for me was the beef. I had no idea beef was a big deal in Scotland and their burgers backed that up. Chris and I had a few burgers during our trip and every single one of them was really good.
Honey & Chilli Chicken Bites
Chocolate Brownie & Ice Cream
Classic Cajun Crepe w/ Chicken
Peri Peri Chicken Burger
Breast of Chicken & Haggis Wellington
Scottish Beef Burger
One of the best things about the Old Loans Inn Restaurant was the fact that quite a few locals frequent this restaurant. I say this because it gave us a chance to chat and learn about the area. We spent one evening with a couple just shooting the breeze for a few hours. They were very friendly and a great time was had by all.
Old Loans Inn also has two large outdoor seating areas. One is the large patio just outside the restaurant that most guests walk through to go inside. The second is on the top floor and includes a handful of tables and would be considered more of a lounge area. Our room was on the first floor so we only found this area because one of the employees let us know about it.
Outdoor Patio & Dining Area
Upstairs Outdoor Lounge
Final Thoughts
While the hotel we stayed at in Edinburgh was much fancier, we really preferred our stay at the Old Loans Inn. Something about that small town feel and getting a chance to sit in a bar and talk with locals for hours and getting to know a lot about them and the area was a great experience that we wouldn’t have gotten at a larger hotel. We enjoyed every meal we had in their restaurant, every employee was incredibly friendly, and we would highly recommend the Old Loans Inn to anyone staying in the area.
The final day of our Scotland trip was spent in Edinburgh, which is about 40 minutes south of St. Andrews. We toured the Edinburgh Castle, the Haunted Vaults, and had a couple good meals. Read on to see if this visit was as good as our first time in Edinburgh.