The Scotsman Inn
9 reviews 74 Coleraine St, Pictou, NS +1 902-485-1433 www.thescotsmaninn.com suggest an edit
13 October 2023 23:31
The wife and I had a lovely stay. Sandy is a great host.
We wouldn't hesitate to stay again.
We wouldn't hesitate to stay again.
23 August 2023 9:22
I had contacted this B&B while the owners were abroad and, in the midst of emailing back and forth, never ended up securing the reservation. A mere two days before we were to leave for our trip, I realized that I had never received a confirmation and called the hotel directly to check. Luckily, I was able to secure lodging for our one night stay and the owner provided some driving tips for a more scenic route.
Check-in is available between 4-7 pm. For those driving from out of province, this can be tight, but I was told I could call to advise if we were going to be a little late. I believe we arrived at 7: 05 and we were still able to check in, though I did make sure to call to advise we were on our way.
On arrival, the owner, upon finding out I was from Ottawa, made a comment about Trudeau and left-wing nuts.which I found to be a rather odd welcome after having driven 7 hours to check-in to their B&B, though I admit to not being a purveyor of hospitality myself. ;)
We were upgraded to a very nice and spotless King bed room. It was cool that evening, so we were able to sleep with the windows open. Pictou can be quite humid, and there was some noise from the street well into the night (music from a nearby apartment and a fair number of vehicles on the road). There was a small A/C unit provided that we could have turned on had we decided to close the windows.
The owners recommended some restaurants for dinner, and we enjoyed the food at the Nook and Cranny very much.
A black towel is provided for removing makeup, which was a nice touch, and there were two little locally made hand-soaps in the washroom which we thought was lovely. The provided towels were large and soft.
The shower stall is quite tiny. Be prepared to have your elbows right up against the walls as you wash your hair, especially if you're tall. The hair-dryer in our bathroom didn't work even after we tried plugging and unplugging it a few times.
Breakfast was provided and was a nice touch. It's not a lot of food (a yogurt, some blueberries, and a warm croissant with orange juice, tea, or coffee), but it's enough to start the day.
This has been mentioned numerous times, but if you're not able to do stairs for whatever reason (due to age or injury), this hotel does not have an elevator.this is not uncommon amongst B&Bs in my experience. The hosts will provide you with some bags to bring belongings up to your room.
As we were leaving, the owner provided some nice stops on our route to Cheticamp.
All in all, the price for this B&B was good and it's a good location for a stop and regroup when you're on your way to Cape Breton.
Check-in is available between 4-7 pm. For those driving from out of province, this can be tight, but I was told I could call to advise if we were going to be a little late. I believe we arrived at 7: 05 and we were still able to check in, though I did make sure to call to advise we were on our way.
On arrival, the owner, upon finding out I was from Ottawa, made a comment about Trudeau and left-wing nuts.which I found to be a rather odd welcome after having driven 7 hours to check-in to their B&B, though I admit to not being a purveyor of hospitality myself. ;)
We were upgraded to a very nice and spotless King bed room. It was cool that evening, so we were able to sleep with the windows open. Pictou can be quite humid, and there was some noise from the street well into the night (music from a nearby apartment and a fair number of vehicles on the road). There was a small A/C unit provided that we could have turned on had we decided to close the windows.
The owners recommended some restaurants for dinner, and we enjoyed the food at the Nook and Cranny very much.
A black towel is provided for removing makeup, which was a nice touch, and there were two little locally made hand-soaps in the washroom which we thought was lovely. The provided towels were large and soft.
The shower stall is quite tiny. Be prepared to have your elbows right up against the walls as you wash your hair, especially if you're tall. The hair-dryer in our bathroom didn't work even after we tried plugging and unplugging it a few times.
Breakfast was provided and was a nice touch. It's not a lot of food (a yogurt, some blueberries, and a warm croissant with orange juice, tea, or coffee), but it's enough to start the day.
This has been mentioned numerous times, but if you're not able to do stairs for whatever reason (due to age or injury), this hotel does not have an elevator.this is not uncommon amongst B&Bs in my experience. The hosts will provide you with some bags to bring belongings up to your room.
As we were leaving, the owner provided some nice stops on our route to Cheticamp.
All in all, the price for this B&B was good and it's a good location for a stop and regroup when you're on your way to Cape Breton.
30 July 2023 0:24
Chambre très propre et confortable. Les hôtes sont accueillant mais envahissant même intrusif. Venir fermer l'air climatisé dans notre chambre quand nos chose personnelles y sont, parce que l'électricité coûte cher, c'est ordinaire. De plus lors de la réservation monsieur m'a confirmé un prix et nous ont chargé $20 de plus par chambre. Même que il nous a chargé un $20 de plus encore. Quand je lui ai fait remarqué il m'a dit "je te le donne cash tantôt", j'ai dû lui demandé à 2 reprise. Monsieur est même un peu mysogine sur les bord. Bref belle hôtel, propre, mais attention à votre facture.
08 July 2023 1:46
Many thanks to Sandy and Cathy for an unforgettable stay in a unique location. This is by far the best hotel in my life, and I have seen a lot of them. Warm homely atmosphere, but your home will never be so clean and everything is prepared for you. Incredible and unexpected place. Will definitely come back here and recommend to friends. Thanks Sandy!
02 July 2023 9:55
We cannot understand the bad reviews. We were warmly welcomed by the hosts and taken to sweet and clean rooms. For breakfast there was yogurt with fresh blueberries, granola and croissants. Plus coffee, orange juice and wonderful conversations with Sandy. After taking day trips based on his recommendations, we came back and the bed was freshly made and decorated with a small chocolate ball. If we have the chance again at some point, we will visit Sandy at the Scotsmann Inn again.
15 June 2023 0:04
What a great experience!
Sandy and Cathy were excellent hosts. Unforgettable 2 nights. Comfortable, courteous, clean, convenient, and a bit crass. A perfect blend of everything you need for a memorable stay.
Sandy and Cathy were excellent hosts. Unforgettable 2 nights. Comfortable, courteous, clean, convenient, and a bit crass. A perfect blend of everything you need for a memorable stay.
10 October 2022 23:37
Fantastic world traveller hosts Cathy and Sandy, a classic old house beautifully restored that feels a bit like a walk back in time and a modern at the same time. Huge second floor outside deck to enjoy the evening after your travels! Motorcycle Friendly! With a Bike Barn to put your stead in for the evening. As one Pete of The 3Pete Tour around NS and Cape Breton I can easily highly recommend The Scotsman Inn. Would make a great base for a several day tour whichever way you want to go around fair Nova Scotia.
09 October 2022 13:12
Due to the age of the building there’s no elevator so if you have mobility issues this may not be your stop and only take what you need for the night if your bags are cumbersome. Otherwise, it’s a very clean, unique little Inn focused on preserving the feel of its age while providing modern amenities like internet. There are no TVs in the rooms which I thought was great but it would also take away from the decor and likely be too loud. The owners were friendly, the place was immaculate, room was quiet and a perfect temp. The bed was so comfortable I slept through breakfast. So I grabbed a coffee and chatted with the owner prior to check out. Will be back next year with the husband I’m sure. Also, a great price!
21 September 2022 20:35
This stay was simply a stop over on our way from Charlottetown to Louisburg. We had originally booked the Customs House, but were told they'd overbooked, so the Scotsman Inn was our second choice. It was an interesting old building and the room was very nicely decorated. So many steps to get to it though! The building may not allow for an elevator, but perhaps they could hire a student and pay them minimum wage to assist with seniors baggage needs.
The only negative comment is about the host. I guess he fancies himself a character. Unfortunately he fails to “read the room". I have handled his type of schtick and shrugged it off. My wife, however, was not amused. She has a great sense of humour (she lives with me) but host needs to figure out when his insult comedy is going to far.
One other thing …
He made a big deal of there being no eating OR DRINKING in the room. He even referred us to a notice to that effect posted in the room. There is nothing in the listing info about this. Ridiculous. Said the linens cost $1000 and he wouldn't hesitate to charge us if we soiled them. He said we were welcome to eat or drink on their deck. After spending the day traveling, we were looking forward to relaxing in our own room with our own snacks and beverages like we have done in a million other places. We have never been told not to have refreshments and have been to many beautiful small boutique inns.
This is an out of the way inn and we were very glad we were only staying one night.
The only negative comment is about the host. I guess he fancies himself a character. Unfortunately he fails to “read the room". I have handled his type of schtick and shrugged it off. My wife, however, was not amused. She has a great sense of humour (she lives with me) but host needs to figure out when his insult comedy is going to far.
One other thing …
He made a big deal of there being no eating OR DRINKING in the room. He even referred us to a notice to that effect posted in the room. There is nothing in the listing info about this. Ridiculous. Said the linens cost $1000 and he wouldn't hesitate to charge us if we soiled them. He said we were welcome to eat or drink on their deck. After spending the day traveling, we were looking forward to relaxing in our own room with our own snacks and beverages like we have done in a million other places. We have never been told not to have refreshments and have been to many beautiful small boutique inns.
This is an out of the way inn and we were very glad we were only staying one night.