i have stayed in all kinds of lodgings in my time travelling, from luxury hotels and traditional homes to boutique digs and some downright random things in between, but one type of accommodation i've never tried (alone) before, is staying in a guest house. i have only stayed in something similar once before - with mum and rebekah on our big trip around ireland a few years back, but thinking back, that was more of a traditional b&b with common rooms and shared spaces, and a very "feel at home" vibe. my stay at adam guest house in perth, scotland, last weekend was certainly a new one for me.
very quiet
i didn't see another guest the whole time i was there. from the minute i arrived to the moment i left, i didn't once come across another guest. that's not to say there weren't any, because the "no vacancy" sign was in the window and i did hear some saying their hellos and goodbyes to the owners, but only as i too was coming and going from my room. i ate breakfast in the dining room alone both mornings i stayed there, and from the minute i entered my room for the evening until i opened that door again the next day, i heard not a peep. sure, a little road noise because i sleep with the window open, but absolutely none of that heavy fire door slamming or raucous that you get when staying in other sorts of shared accommodation, and so because of that, i had some seriously good sleeps.
so hospitable
brother and sister stewart and josie run the adam guest house together, and do a smashing job of it too. on the in-room literature i discovered that the guest house was originally run by josie and their mum since the nineties, and stewart joined later on when their mum retired. cute, right? i also learnt that josie is responsible for the cooking, and stewart for the general operations, and i can hand on heart say they do a smashing job of both. the hospitality of them both during my stay bordered on "being at my beck and call", which essentially meant having my breakfast ready for me at a pre-determined time, making my bed for me when i went out for the day, restocking the complimentary chocolates for me to have something to snack on when i got in late from the wedding, and giving me very specific instructions for me to get around without getting lost. it was ace, and they're ace too.
ideally located
perth is a beaut of a wee city. the guest house was about a twenty minute walk from the rail station, and it was a gorgeous walk at that. given the wonderful weather there was no way i was going to jump in a cab for such a short distance, though i did note buses that went past the guest house that went to the station too, so plenty of options. there was also a city map in my room that showed off lots of close-by spots to check out, from restaurants to national trust properties (read on), to boutique shops and just lovely walks to talk along the river. there is something for everyone nearby!
scone palace
when i read through the in-room literature i noticed something immediately, that didn't seem too far away: scone palace. i do love a good national trust property here in england, so i figured that if the scottish variety was even half as good it would be a great way to kill some time before the wedding. it was only a half an hour walk from the guest house, so after i loaded up on breakfast, i head off! the walk was easy enough, and the palace is set back off the road so the walk up to the entrance is very barren of anything other than sprawling fields - it was very surreal to feel like i was alone in the middle of scotland! i paid about £7 to get into the grounds of the palace only, which gave me access to the beaaaaautiful gardens, a pretty cool hedge maze that i managed to get lost in, the peacock enclosure, and the cafe and tea rooms. you would be remiss to not enjoy a scone at scone palace! all in all i was there about an hour and a half, though i would have loved to spend more time discovering the crowning place of scottish kings!
great value
at £45 per night for a gorgeous double room with private en suite, tea making facilities, a cooked breakfast in the morning (as well as your classic fruit and toast if preferred), and all the hospitality you could ask for, i though that my two nights at adam guest house were bloody affordable for sure. there was excellent wifi, a tv in the room, the most comfy of beds, and a perfectly fine bathroom for all my needs. granted, there was no bath, but that doesn't fuss me in the slightest, and would have gone to waste anyway. the room i had was a double, and was more than suitable for just me, and if i'd had a guest with me, there still would have been plenty of room to move about.
all in all, i am so pleased i chose to stay at adam guest house on my recent trip to perth. i found the property via booking.com, which is where i find most of my accommodation when i travel, and chose it as it seemed to have more personality than your classic budget accommodation, and was on the right side of the river tay for getting to-and-from the wedding that i was actually in town for. so yeah, i paid my own way here and am still recommending it to you - it does still happen!
all in all, i am so pleased i chose to stay at adam guest house on my recent trip to perth. i found the property via booking.com, which is where i find most of my accommodation when i travel, and chose it as it seemed to have more personality than your classic budget accommodation, and was on the right side of the river tay for getting to-and-from the wedding that i was actually in town for. so yeah, i paid my own way here and am still recommending it to you - it does still happen!
