Best Western Inverness Palace Hotel & Spa

Set in a Victorian mansion dating back to the late 19th century, the Inverness Palace has an attractive facade with distinctive conical-roofed towers and a palatial symmetry. After stepping into the hotel's Scots Baronial-style entrance and through its old-fashioned revolving door, guests will find a fresh, modern lobby with airy tones. Renovated after our visit, the interiors retain a few period touches such as ornate coving and elegant arches, adding new modern furniture and carpeting in shades of brown and gray. The property includes a spacious leisure club and spa -- the only one found in a river-side Inverness hotel. The property also features plenty of space to unwind with many pleasant spots overlooking the flowing River Ness. A tiny and sluggish elevator transports guests to one of the original property's three floors.

The property acquired a neighboring Victorian building in 2017, dubbed 10 at the Palace, which provides additional accommodation.

The hotel is set on a relatively quiet and pretty street on the banks of the River Ness in the center of Inverness. Largely surrounded by other hotels and guesthouses, most of the city's restaurant and bars are five to 10 minutes' walk away and across the nearby bridge. Inverness Castle is directly opposite the hotel on the other side of the river and around 10 minutes on foot, while the main train station -- with connections to Glasgow and Edinburgh -- is a five-minute drive. The famous Loch Ness is about a 25-minute drive away. 

The hotel's 88 original rooms mix modern decor with antique wooden furnishings, high ceilings, and period touches, though the overall look can be a bit hodgepodge and chain-like. River-facing rooms are finished with Farrow and Ball paint in earthy tones. Standard amenities include free Wi-Fi, flat-screen TVs, and tea/coffee facilities, while bathrooms are clean and modern with decent toiletries and a rubber ducky called Duck Ness. Most have shower-tub combos, but the small Single Rooms have tiny stall showers. While front-facing rooms overlook the river and castle beyond and tend to be more spacious, rear rooms can be noisy and small.  Lack of air-conditioning can also means some rooms can get stuffy during warmer weather.

The hotel added 21 extra rooms in an adjacent building in 2017, called 10 at the Palace. These refurbished rooms match the look of the hotel's renovated lobby, and many retain original architectural elements like decorative molding and exposed wooden beams. Guests should note that there is no elevator in this building.

The hotel provides a decent buffet breakfast each morning that includes fruit, cereals, toast, and Scottish items such as haggis -- but it's not generally included in the rate and is on the pricey side. The Eight on the River restaurant is bright and spacious and makes the most of the riverside views, while serving a la carte and set menus. The other eatery, Ness Brasserie, serves Starbucks coffee and light meals and snacks for lunch. The hotel's on-site leisure facilities are most impressive, featuring a 50-foot swimming pool with poolside spa tub as well as a steam room and sauna. There's also a decent gym (machines aren't the newest, but there's an adequate selection for a hotel of this size), and a good range of massage and beauty treatments available. Car parking for up to 19 vehicles is free of charge, while Wi-Fi is also free and available throughout the hotel.