Macdonald Aviemore Hotel

A bit dated, but a decent hotel overall. The room was a good size, and given the price, the breakfast wasn’t as bad as some of the reviews we’d read made out. The location is great. The pool was warm, and the kids loved the slides and soft play. The playground was decent too, though a little frozen at that time of year. Dinner at the restaurants was not okay. I’d strongly recommend eating elsewhere or buying something from the shops. It was probably the worst burger I’ve ever had, and the ribeye steak made me cry. The kids’ food was passable. For those prices I’d expect good food. Maybe the time of year played a part, but I doubt it. Service was good.

The resort facilities looked a little worn in places, though it wasn’t a deal breaker. Our room was clean and warm, and the beds were comfortable. It’s well placed in the middle of Aviemore, and breakfast was a standard buffet.

The staff were really nice, and both the room and breakfast were decent. The location is great, just off the main road, with plenty of parking on site. But we stayed for a few nights in February 2026 and the place felt scruffy and worn, badly in need of proper care. The pool was especially disappointing. It looked half-filled and was cold. The flume and wave pool didn’t open until later in the morning, at 10 AM. The smell between the soft play and changing areas was foul, like stale cheese. The steam room didn’t look as if it had been cleaned properly in weeks.

We were at the Aviemore Hotel for four nights, and the housekeeping was disappointing. When we requested room service, the coffee tray still wasn’t replenished while we were out. Used cups and spoons weren’t replaced either. I saw them being washed in the toilet room and then put back for us to use. The bedsheets weren’t changed during our stay. I understand changing them every two days may not be standard, but for a stay longer than two nights, I expected the sheets and pillowcases to be changed at least once. Shampoo and body wash also weren’t topped up when they ran out. The cleaning service didn’t meet our expectations.