Kincraig Castle Hotel

I paid £109 for an estate room in December, with a free upgrade offered by Booking.com. For that price, this was poor value. I’ve had better stays in budget hotels for much less. The place feels as if it’s being run on a very small budget, with corners cut, rooms left without proper upkeep and the cheapest items bought. The countryside manor house image in the marketing doesn’t match what the hotel is like now. The room wasn’t clean: there was a sock in the middle of the floor, mould on the windows, peeling wallpaper and a chair with a screw sticking through the seat. The bathroom had no hand soap, only a tiny bar. Loud music carried into my room until 10pm, and was playing throughout the hotel. It made relaxing in the lounge or eating in the restaurant difficult, and I saw one diner wearing headphones. The music didn’t suit the advertised relaxed Scottish countryside setting. Service was also hard to find. I saw just one person working during my stay, and one customer waited 10 minutes to check in. The hotel has a good whiskey selection, but after waiting 15 minutes, ringing the bell and walking around the whole place looking for someone to serve me, I gave up. Breakfast was disappointing too. I was told it started at 7am, but couldn’t book a slot before 7:40 because they were busy, despite only two other cars in the car park. They offered an early continental breakfast instead. The selection was poor, and the other guest was told to wait longer to decide because the kitchen wasn’t ready. For gluten-free food, all I got was a ripped bag of gluten-free bread. The only positive was that there was a bed and it was warm.

The service and staff professionalism were very poor for the room prices. Our evening meal came on cold plates, and the vegetables were cold too. Since the dining room was closed, we had to eat in the Bar. At breakfast the tea and coffee were already made and being kept warm on the buffet, rather than freshly served by Staff members. The Estate room lighting was inadequate and needs upgrading. Stayed Oct' 17th and 18th 2025.

The food was beautifully presented, and we had no complaints. Our room looked out over the gardens at the front of the hotel, which was lovely. Staff were welcoming, friendly and attentive, and we had a comfortable, relaxing evening. This was our second visit, both times for our wedding anniversary, and it just hits the spot. Highly recommended.

Garry, Anne, Vijay and the rest of the staff were the highlight of our stay. They were so hospitable and really made us feel welcome. The rooms and lounge were lovely too. It’s a cozy, family-run hotel in a lovely property, and a very convenient base for touring the Highlands.