The service is "the careless remnant of another age". The kitchen is closed in the evening, even while the staff are obviously still there.

A flooded bathroom, draughty windows, surly bar staff and undistinguished food. The idea of service and quality is a joke, tourists are there to be fleeced, and there is "a complete lack of attention to detail, coupled with a cavalier regard for value for money".

If that is your experience of at least one Hebridean hotel, you are in the company of the Scottish environment minister, for whom a summer tour has proven to be somewhat less than the cushy number some might suppose.

It is not yet Scottish Executive policy for ministers to provide hotel inspections, however. Indeed, it is not executive policy at all. This was from Michael Russell's personal blog, reflecting on the past week's visit to the Western Isles.

There was criticism for arbitrary opening hours and surly bar service on the ferry from Oban to Barra.

But contacted yesterday, Mr Russell was eager to point out this was within the context of enthusiastic praise in his personal blog for other services he encountered on his summer tour.

"The piece I wrote, as anyone who reads it will know, is overwhelmingly positive about the way the Western Isles is determined to succeed, and one small piece of criticism in such a piece seems to have been taken out of context," he said.

On the positive side, the CalMac ferry between Berneray and Harris was "well appointed and had a coffee machine".

He also found staff at the Crown Hotel in Stornoway willing to provide a late meal for 12 people, with the full menu available.

The Caberfeidh Hotel, also in Stornoway, has freshened up from Mr Russell's past memories, with a good restaurant and staff who want to help.

The Castlebay Hotel in Barra may not have changed much in 20 years, he added, but it remains friendly and accommodating. And the modern Taigh Dearg in Lochmaddy was praised for its food.

"Hotels and facilities have improved greatly over the past generation - which makes the continuing few failures more culpable than ever and more obvious than ever," wrote the minister, who used to live in the Western Isles and has travelled extensively around them.

"The biggest problems are those hotels who regard tourists as there only to be fleeced and whose idea of service and quality is a joke."

A spokeswoman for VisitScotland, the executive's tourism agency, commented that the Outer Hebridean islands offer scenery, wildlife and hospitality that make it a world class environment for holidays.

"It is disappointing to hear that on this occasion Mr Russell had a poor experience at one hotel," she said. "However, we are pleased to note that he also uses his blog to highlight the beauty of the area, new investment and the friendly service he encountered elsewhere."