Mackay's Spa Lodge Hotel

Our room was under the roof on the second floor, so I had to duck down beside the bed and hit my head in the middle of the night. The bed was just okay, the shower was set at an awkward angle, and the soundproofing was poor enough that I could hear my neighbour peeing. At dinner and breakfast the food wasn't great, and staff attention seemed focused on guests from a coach. We couldn't choose a table we liked in the restaurant, though the price was good. When we arrived at the hotel's extension, the Wi-Fi wasn't working, but staff rebooted it and got it going.

I enjoyed my stay and have no complaints. I was there for a weekend with an Urquhart bus tour, and the staff, food and hospitality were excellent. The hotel itself feels tired, but the beds were very comfortable, and the rooms and general atmosphere were more than acceptable. Well done.

We arrived and first thought the hotel was abandoned. Some letters were missing from its name, the front door was open, and inside it was dusty and seemed empty. Reception was deserted, the computers were off, and after waiting around for five minutes we called hello several times. I found a small Post-it telling us to ring a mobile number. The person who answered spoke very little English and seemed shocked we were waiting in the lobby. We waited another ten minutes for him to turn up, looking bewildered. He said he didn't speak English and called someone else, who told me five rooms were ready. We got five sets of keys and were pointed toward the stairs. Flies were the first thing we saw upstairs. The place was disgusting: the beds had huge dips, the showers were grimy, the doors wouldn't shut properly, and there was a smell in the air. My kids looked scared, so I decided we couldn't stay. We found another hotel in Strathpeffer. While they shuffled things around for us, I went back to oyo, returned the keys and said we were cancelling the booking. They offered different rooms, but I wasn't going to stay in a building that looked abandoned. Later, after we were settled at the other hotel, we walked around and spoke with locals. They couldn't believe this hotel was open given its poor condition. If you care about your health and want a pleasant stay, don't use it.

The meals were lovely, and I liked the hotel's new improvements. The staff were all lovely too. Special thanks to Debbie at reception, and for all the other jobs she does. She was great, friendly, helpful and professional throughout our stay. I'll definitely stay again.