It is known as the Outdoor Capital of the UK and with Ben Nevis as a backdrop, boasts some of the world's most revered scenery.
However, according to the tourists that arrive in droves every Summer, the Highland town of Fort William is among the worst places for a short break.
The consumer magazine Which asked 3,967 of its members to rate cities and towns across the UK they had visited for leisure purposes and stayed in for at least one night during the past two years and received reports of 7,187 experiences.
Fort William came out bottom in the towns and small-to-medium cities category.
The town received just two stars for accommodation, food and drink, shopping and ease of getting around with an overall score of 58%, putting it on level pegging with Torquay.
Hotels were found to be among the most expensive on the list, at an average of £135 per night while restaurants were described as "overpriced" and "abysmal".
Fort William fared better for peace and quiet, receiving a rating of four out of five for 'lack of crowds'.
St Andrews was ranked third in the best towns and small cities category while Stirling achieved an overall score of 75%, achieving four stars for accommodation, cultural sights, lack of crowds and value for money.
Perth was awarded two stars for food and drink, accommodation and ease of getting around with a rating of 65%.
Edinburgh took third place in the large cities category, three places ahead of Glasgow.
Angus MacDonald, Lib Dem councillor for Fort William and Ardnamurchan, said he would challenge the findings.
"I would completely refute this survey which in no way reflects the feedback we get from visitors," said Cllr MacDonald, who owns Highland Cinema and a bookshop on the high street.
"The food is pretty good - there are some pretty good establishments that have cropped up.
"I think as an area we need to move more towards upmarket rather than mass market tourism," he added.
"We definitely need a high-quality four-star hotel."
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A masterplan is being taken forward to improve the visual appearance of the town, focussed on rundown areas in the east side around the railway station.
"Threesixty Architecture have been commissioned by Highland Council and have done a very good report, which demonstrates what could be down in the east end of the town, particularly around the train station and the back of the high street," said Cllr MacDonald.
"There is also a BID team coming together with some very good plans for the town," he said.
"I think it's definitely on the up."
Frazer Coupland, Chief Executive of Lochaber Chamber of Commerce said he was "surprised" to see the town rated so poorly.
He said: "While tourist reviews matter, they miss the magic of our town.
"Fort William is the beating heart of the Outdoor Capital of the UK.
"It's your gateway to the jaw-dropping Scottish Highlands, but it's also a vibrant manufacturing business hub bustling with local charm and working every aspect of our natural capital .
"Don't be fooled by rankings. We would like to invite Which to come discover Fort William."
South of the border, Bournemouth and Torquay ranked bottom of the table in their categories. Both were described as ‘dirty’ and ‘rundown’.
Visitors complained that Torquay was a ‘typical British seaside resort. . .shabby and unkempt in places, especially the High Street and harbour area.’
Both got just two stars for food and drink, shopping, ease of getting around and value for money.
However, despite famously being the home of the fictional hotel Fawlty Towers, Torquay got four stars for accommodation.
Famous as the final resting place of Richard III, Leicester also failed to impress on the whole with a city score of 58 per cent, and received just two stars for accommodation and ease of getting around.
Multiple respondents noted poor hotel stays, and some recounted difficulties with local transport.
One said, “Driving into Leicester is not straightforward for anyone new. It all seems overly complicated.”
The city did however receive four stars for its shopping experience and lack of crowds, and one visitor noted that though “it’s not a pretty city… there are gems if you know where to look."
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