Email
The Kings Arms Hotel enquiries & reservations: bookscotland@madbookings.com
Other places to stay in and around Castle Douglas
A
warm welcome..
As a former Coaching Inn recognized by Visit Scotland (and which recently
welcomed H.R.H. The Duke of Rothesay), the King's has been offering food
and refreshments to guests for over 200 years.
The hotel is the perfect base for all visitors whether it be - golfers, walkers , motor bikers, mountain bikers & cyclists, or to just relax and enjoy the unspoilt beauty of Dumfries and Galloway.
The Kings Arms Hotel Accommodation
The Kings Arms has a total of 10 Bedrooms - a mixture of Double & Twins and 2 Single rooms. One of the doubles has Bunk Beds - so ideal for a family. We have also more recently made a a self contained apartment.
This annexe has 2 x Twin Rooms , Kitchen and utility room which is kitted out with all the appliances including a washing machine, bathroom with seperate Shower & Bath and a Sitting Room with a Plasma Freeview.
All rooms are ensuite with TV/radio and tea /coffee maker.
In Total we can comfortably sleep 22 as we often do for some of our larger golf groups. Our Resident's Lounge with a 42'' TV complete with Domino & Card Table has proved to be very popular !
Please note that we close the Hotel over the Festive period - Dec 25/26th & Jan 1st/2nd.
Restaurant
Guests and locals may dine in our "Courtyard Restaurant"
overlooking the Magnolia Tree and Vine. The Kings enjoys a fine reputation
for its extensive and imaginative menu of mouthwatering dishes. Using
Locally sourced produce The Kings offers the finest Galloway Beef &
Steaks, Solway Salmon, Scallops etc.
Residents staying on a Dinner Bed & Breakfast basis are able to enjoy the daily 'Table D'Hote' Menu. This consists of a Choice of Starters / Mains / Sweets or Cheese & Biscuits and of course Coffee & Mints to follow.
Every Thursday Castle Douglas Rotary Club dine in the Restaurant at 6.30.pm. and visiting Rotarians are made most welcome.
The Kings Arms will soon host 4 Burns Suppers. The Castle Douglas Burns Club Annual Burns Supper is the first of the four Burns Nights at the Kings - the others being The Rotary Club of Castle Douglas, The Stewartry Young Farmers Club and of course our very own Burns Supper chaired by Mrs Liz Harper.
Last year the grand sum of £489 was raised and donated to The Galloway Mountain Rescue Team.The decision as which local charity benefits is still to be made.
We are only too pleased to Host various sizes of groups and are happy to tailor - make menus to suit. From Golden Weddings to 40th Birthday celebrations and we can even put down a small dance floor if required.
Things to do
There are many Castles, Stately Homes, Museums &. National Trust Properties.
The well known Threave Gardens incorporating the School of Gardening and
Historical Castle are only a 10 minute walk from the hotel.
Our own Carlingwark Loch in town is a mere 3 minutes away where you can boat, fish, play tennis, squash, putt and enjoy the views over Screel.
The new Skate Park opened in 2009. Nearby is the Bowling Green and the Swimming Pool including Sauna & Fitness Suite for the more energetic is situated next to the Town Library.
We now have free Wi-Fi for our guests available within certain areas of the Hotel. So if you need to browse or check your e-mails bring your laptop.
Fishing
If Fishing is your passion, then stocked lochs, burns and rivers such
as the Nith, Cree, Esk , & Urr await the keen Angler. Loch Ken, famous
for some large Pike is a vast stretch of water only 6 miles away.
Off shore the sea angler benefits from the warming Gulf Stream of the Solway Firth. Hire a boat at Kirkcudbright to fish for tope,ray and pollock or try from the rocks for cod or dogfish. Secluded Lochs offer coarse or fly-fishing in picturesque settings.
Water Sports
Loch Ken provides exceptional water sports facilities in a zoned area.
From Water Skiing to Sailing , Wind Surfing and Canoe.
Walking
Experience the beauty and solitude of our Galloway Hills including the
Southern Upland Way. Climb Screel and enjoy the views over the Solway
to the Lake District beyond or how about Merrick - Galloway's highest
with majestic Glentrool nestling below. Coastal paths aplenty or walk
along some of the beautiful beaches on the Solway.
Cycling
Where Cycling all began ! Quieter roads and plenty of routes to discover
and adjacent to Cycle Route 7. Bike Hire can always be arranged. Pedal
Power - Pure Pleasure.
Mountain Biking
Scotland's Biking Heaven and Dumfries in 2009 is the Venue for the World
Mountain Biking Conference.
With 5 of the 7 Stanes in close proximity it is a Mountain Biking Destination
second to none. With routes and trails to suit all abilities.
Families and novices can enjoy the many Green Trails and the more experienced will be 'sorely' tested on some of the superb single track and technical areas
Star Gazing
It has just been announced that The Forests of Dumfries & Galloway
have been voted as one of the best places to sit and watch the Stars.
It has picked up an award for the quality of its night skies and has been
confirmed as the UK's first Dark Sky Park by the International
Dark Sky Association.
There are currently only 3 others in the world - in Ohio ,Utah & Pennsylvania ! Areas of the sky are rated from 1-24 with 24 being as dark as a photographers room - Galloway scored 23 giving it the best conditions for viewing distant galaxies.
You will see detail within the grey band of the Milky Way, other Galaxies 7 Nebulae, dozens of shooting stars, the northern lights, Orion,the Pleiades, the Plough and of course true darkness.
Bird Watching
Galloway is well known to many 'twitchers' who come to see the large variety
of birds in the area. Mersehead is a favourite spot to see a multitude
of geese over the winter months. There is now the Galloway Kite Trail
around the picturesque Loch Ken.
Keep your eyes open to see them as well as buzzards, sparrowhawks& kestrels. Nesting Ospreys could be seen from the 'hides' at the magnificent Threave Castle. From the 'Raiders Road' take in the view at Loch Stroan Viaduct and en-route round the Loch stop to see where James Clerk Maxwell is buried at Parton
The Hotel's History
The Kings Arms Hotel has been trading for well over 200 years offering
accommodation for Tourists and Commercial Gentlemen. A former Coaching
Inn and a Posting Department complete with Close & Open Carriages,
Large and Small Breaks, Omnibuses , Wagonnettes , Dog Carts & Gigs
with Good Horses and Careful Drivers.
It even had a Mourning Department with Elegant Hearse and Mourning Coaches ; an interesting History we are sure ! An old Posting Bag still adorns the Hotel Bar.
The Kings is now personally run by the Proprietor David Fulton and his wife Pauline who purchased the Hotel in 1994. Managed by Valerie Davies and an able team of staff you will be warmly welcomed by them and locals alike.
David also successfully ran The Imperial Hotel in Castle Douglas for 27 years until he sold it in May 2008. Fortunately, many of his clients and golf groups have followed him down the street to the Kings.
DIRECTIONS
Getting there from the Information Centre:
From the Tourist Information Centre at the top of the town, go down the
main street to the town clock, turn left and the hotel is at the end on
the left.
Getting There by Railway:
From Dumfries Station its approximately 17 miles, take either a bus or
taxi to Castle Douglas.
Getting there by Aeroplane:
From Prestwick, take the A713 south for approximately 50 miles.
Getting There by Ferry:
From Stranraer, take the A75 east heading for Carlisle. Castle Douglas
is approximately 1.25 hours from Stranraer.
Email The Kings Arms Hotel enquiries & reservations: bookscotland@madbookings.com
