Scots revellers seeing in 1998 at a local hotel were left reeling after a New Year nightmare.

For a host of guests at the traditional bash held at the Sonesta Beach Hotel were stunned after staff announced they had run out of keys for room mini-bars.

And the drinks hiccup on Hogmanay -- the biggest party of the year in Scotland -- put a damper on the celebrations.

One guest at the party, organised by the Caledonian Society, said the problem cast a Celtic cloud over her carousing.

She said: "I couldn't believe it -- the hotel manager must be an Englishman.

An Englishman with a warped sense of humour at that.

"It's almost sacrilege to deprive a Scot of alcohol at New Year -- and I don't think the desk staff really appreciated that.'' She added: "There were a lot of people staying at the hotel overnight -- and I wasn't the only one who couldn't get into their mini-bar.'' The Highland fling -- attended by around 300 people -- finished up around 3 a.m.

But Scots party animals -- many dressed in traditional kilts -- were determined to continue the celebrations in their rooms before finding out many of the mini-bars were off limits.

A spokeswoman for Sonesta Beach, who was working in the early part of the evening, apologised for the drinks drought.

She said: "I was on duty at New Year -- at one point we were short of keys but I got some more.

"We had a lot of people staying that night, but most people who asked for a key got one.

"There isn't normally a shortage -- but perhaps there was just so much of a demand.'' And she added: "I know the girl who worked that night had quite a few problems.'' A spokeswoman for the Caledonian Society said yesterday it was the first she had heard of the drinks dilemma.

But she added: "That's the whole idea of having these mini-bars, so people can enjoy a drink or whatever in their rooms. It seems a bit strange.

"We will bring it up at our next meeting and discuss it with the Sonesta management.

"They probably won't be able to do much about it at this stage, but they may give us an apology.'' But she said that only minor problems marred the event, the first time the Caledonian Society has organised a New Year party.

"On the whole, it was a great night and going by what's been said, it could become an annual event,'' she said.