Kingsclub & Spa

The Kingsclub rooms were fabulous, and the food and waitress were faultless. Breakfast, though, felt a bit flat in what was basically a reception area. We’d been looking forward to the pool, but on arrival found we’d been moved to the Kingsclub. I didn’t want to walk through a car park to get to the pool, so I skipped it, though my husband went. The hotel itself was lovely, with superb service and food, although the portions felt a little small for the price.

We only had one night, and I wish we could have stayed longer. The place had a wonderful feel, from the hotel and rooms to the location, and the staff were lovely. We arrived early, but they took care of our bags and we could have lunch in the lounge by a roaring fire. Highly recommend.

The friendly, helpful staff were a real credit to the hotel, and Room 15 was spacious, clean and comfortable. It’s adapted for wheelchair users, with tea and coffee facilities, a kettle, hairdryer and iron. Its position beside reception was handy, and the pool, gym and spa are at the end of the corridor. We stayed three nights while exploring the Black Isle and nearby area, and the hotel’s central position worked well for seeing the Highlands. The meals were fine, though the menu could have had more variety. One oddity was a door in the room leading to a large electrical cupboard. During a few power outages, maintenance staff needed to come through our room to reach it, which felt a little intrusive. At checkout, the app’s express checkout didn’t work. That turned out to be useful, as reception found we’d been charged about £150 too much. Our meals were already included in the room price, and we should have received two meal vouchers at check-in. Staff corrected the charge quickly. Check your bill and make sure you get any vouchers you’re due. Even with those small hiccups, we enjoyed our stay.

The staff were happy to give our dog pats and treats, but the hotel felt more tolerant of dogs than truly dog friendly. Dogs can’t go into the cosy Whisky bar or elegant restaurants; guests with dogs are kept in a corner by reception, away from the main hub. Even after paying an extra fee to bring a dog on holiday, we felt left out. There were hardly any litter bins, and dog bowls only appeared when we asked. We’ve stayed at good dog-friendly hotels around the UK, and this one didn’t compare well. That was a shame, as the place seemed lovely otherwise.