Balnakeilly House

Communication with the host was exasperating. I had to keep following up through messages, phone calls and emails to get replies, and made many requests for an email confirmation of the booking. The promised breakfast never appeared, which was frustrating, especially at this price and when we and some other guests were visiting for the Etape and had an early start. The place also wasn’t convenient for the race. We stayed one night at Balnakeilly House while visiting Pitlochry for the rescheduled 2021 Etape Caledonia bike race. We’d first booked two rooms at The Bothy through AirBNB, but after the race date changed and The Bothy was unavailable, we were offered two rooms in the main house. The grounds are beautiful, with a wonderful view across the glen. The room was reasonably comfortable, though it had the creaky bare floorboards of an old building and shared bathrooms. I wouldn’t call it luxury or boutique, more upcycled vintage accommodation, perhaps better suited to large groups self-catering than individual hotel rooms.

The setting around this striking building is beautiful, and the rooms really impressed me. I was here for work last week and loved the accommodation. The hot tub made the stay feel even more luxurious. Easily my favourite place to stay in Pitlochry.

There’s a cosy two-bedroom cottage here as well as the grand 13-bedroom house, and the dining hall is stunning. The property sits in a prime spot on the North side of Pitlochry, close to the ancient village of Moulin and Ben Y Vrackie.

We came back from a long weekend for my 60th birthday, and the house was lovely. Stephanie and the staff gave us great service. A big thank you to all of them, and I’d happily recommend the place for a family celebration.