Birnam Inn @ Birnam House Hotel, Dunkeld

The public bar of the hotel is called the Birnam Inn and is located in a separate building adjacent to the hotel itself. The Inn consists of a restaurant and lounge, both of which were very quiet, despite the fact that it was a Saturday night. There were only half a dozen diners in the restaurant and only one other drinker in the bar. Although the building itself is old and appealing, the interior has been overly modernized for my tastes. The décor is white flocked wallpaper with wood paneling and a tiled floor. Seating consists of chairs at tables and three bar stools. The one TV screen was showing a music channel. An electric fire occupies what looks like a genuine old fireplace. The dart board in the corner seemed rather out of place as the Inn is distinctly lacking in a pub atmosphere. There is a very attractive beer garden at the front, facing on to the road, but it was understandably deserted in mid-February. A pint of Guinness cost £3.45 and Tennent’s lager, Caledonia Best, Magners cider and San Miguel are all on tap, with local Perthshire ale Strathbraan True North on hand pump.