"This was the worst Airbnb home I have ever stayed in: it. This experience was a blatant example of 1) false advertising 2) breach of baseline health & safety standards of a property that is hosting paying guests 3) disappointing hospitality and customer service. I would not recommend this home to anyone and strongly advise Airbnb ban this host from their platform or at the very least, update the listing to accurately reflect the state of the property. See below for a detailed overview of why the Islay house offered no version of the “comfort of a large home,” “consistency of a luxury hotel” or “conveniences of a 5 start hotel” as outlined in the Airbnb listing. 1. FALSE ADVERTISING - The Airbnb listing spelled out a number of amenities that were not available and oversold the state of the “luxury” historic home. Examples include: a) private beach, b) breakfast baked for the guests, c) Big Kitchen used as a bakery, d) all new heating plumbing, electrics and fibers throughout - Specially on c) the kitchen advertised on the listing was completely inoperable and not even accessible due to flooding and other construction. Instead of the catering size kitchen that was shown in the photos (multiple Arga ovens, counter space, etc), the actual kitchen was a make shift room not a single working oven or stove, leaking commercial dishwasher, dirt and grime on all surfaces, no kitchen knives or prep utensils, and a giant hole in the wall. There wasn’t even a working coffee machine. After raising the issue with the house manager, a new oven was brought in that was also useable due to power issues. The only working device in the kitchen for cooking was a hot plate - Specially on d): there was no heating throughout the common areas of the house, WiFi was barely usable and due to the storm, the power in the dining rooms has gone out. Only upon multiple requests were space heaters provided for the bedrooms and additional lamps provided for some of the working sockets. The only working fireplace to generate heat was a small furnace in the entrance hall 2. BREACH OF HEALTH AND SAFTEY - All throughout the home, the carpets were stained and ceilings cracked throughout due flooding; a number of the bathrooms had mildew, one bathtub leaked and was unusable, and the master bedroom had slugs. I wish the last comment was a joke but beginning on the first night of our stay, we noticed slime trails all over our luggage and sweaters - on the third day, we woke up to a large slug crawling out from under the bed - As mentioned above, the only way to access the advertised kitchen was through a back staircase that had flooded. In order to access the kitchen that was available, one of the entrances led you through a part of the home that the listing describes as “remote, inaccessible and unrenovated.” As such, it was a freezing cold, dark section of the house that incredibly unpleasant to experience as guests who were expecting a safe and light kitchen. 3. HOSPITALITY AND"

"Comfortable hotel on Islay but a bit out of the way for anything. Golf course and beach are available but for whisky focused visits, better off to be at Bowmore or Port Ellen"

"Having never stayed in a youth hostel before and being a single middle aged woman, I was a little apprehensive. I'd booked 2 nights accommodation so I could be near to my friends who were in the adjacent hotel. I was so well looked after by the couple who run the hostel that I soon felt very at ease. My room was comfortable and a decent size with 2 single beds and a sink. All bed linen and one towel are provided. The showers and ladies toilets were just opposite my room so not being ensuite wasn't an issue. Breakfast (paid for separately) was more than sufficient, help yourself to freshly made coffee, toast, yoghurt, fruit, cereals. Milk and coffee also avaliable free of charge if you want to make a drink late at night. The facilities are excellent although I have nothing to compare them with. A very large well-equipped kitchen and dining room and a separate sitting room. All very clean. Other quests while I was there were all adults so I didn't feel an odd one out amongst a lot of youths as I had expected. What a fantastic location too, right on the beach."

"Stopped for a quick lunch en route to the ferry. A very warm welcome with fires lit in the bar. Soup and sandwiches the order of the day were all very nice and we were even offered a box for the unfinished ones. This is a place where we could easily have settled in for the afternoon (the loung looked equally inviting) but ferries don't wait that long. Thank you for the lovely but short visit to your hotel."

"We just got back from Scotland and our stay at The Bowmore House (in the Gowanbrae Cottage) was truly the highlight of our trip. Andrew, the owner, was exceptionally helpful and generous with his time in giving us tips on places to visit on Islay and how best to traverse the roads and Calmac Ferry. We also had a nice time just chatting with him. The cottage is lovely and the views are beautiful. We made use of the kitchen one night using food we purchased from the market right down the street and the other nights got tasty pizza from Peatzeria, also just down the street. My husband and I went to various distilleries (We really enjoyed the tour at Laphroaig, make sure you book in advance) and Bruichladdich tasting room was very generous but we also loved just sitting by the windows overlooking the water at Bowmore Distillery right in town. Our waitress was so nice and the tastings were delicious. We are already missing Islay and the wonderful people we met there. Thanks again Andrew for being such a terrific host!"

"Two couples do it. Both are good people. Husband is serious and sincere, wife is kind and kind. It's a short walk from the airport and the bus stop is right in front of you, so the convenience is good and the scenery is perfect."