The Deeside Inn

The Deeside Inn descritpion

In the picturesque village of Ballater, The Deeside Inn is located in the heart of the Grampian Highlands. It offers elegant rooms with a flat-screen TV, and free Wi-Fi.
The restaurant has hardwood floors and a traditional fireplace for the colder months. It offers hearty cuisine, and guests can also enjoy breakfast in the morning.
Each room at The Deeside Inn is spacious, and all have tea and coffee-making facilities. The building still retains many vintage features, including wooden paneling and beamed ceilings.
Ballater is on the Dee River, and is surrounded by scenic walks and the beautiful views of The Cairngorms National Park. It is a 15-minute drive from Balmoral Castle, the vacation home of the British Royal Family.

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Facilities of The Deeside Inn

Ski ：Ski Storage | Ski School

Pets ：Pets are allowed on request. Charges may apply.

Food & Drink ：Bar | Breakfast in the Room | Restaurant with Dining Menu | Special Diet Meals (upon request)

Internet ：Free!WiFi is available in public areas and is free of charge.

Parking ：Free!Free public parking is available at a location nearby (reservation is not possible).

General ：Newspapers | Non-smoking Rooms | Facilities for Disabled Guests | Heating | All Spaces Non-Smoking (public and private)

Languages Spoken ：English | German

Reviews for The Deeside Inn

Review 1：loved the ambience of this building, the loung bar dining area and function suite are very tastefully decorated well themed for its deesisde location.had a lovely 2 day stopover.great breakfast,staff were friendly and efficient my pet hate is being asked " Is everthing all right" none of that nonsense here. great sleep nice room nice view of the cairngorms (where i was heading) overall i have no complaints and hope to return, won't hesitate to recommend this well run establishment.

Review 2：I travel around the whole of Scotland in different hotels BUT the room I had (Room 10) was very basic and very disappointing to say the least.

Review 3：Staff were very helpful and couldn't do enough and were very pleasant. Evening meal and Breakfast very good.

Review 4：The rooms were tired and dated but very clean. Had to plug the kettle in on the floor and no plug near a mirror for hairdryer. Cracked sink

Review 5：The staff were very friendly and the breakfast was excellent. Situated in the centre of the town with easy access to all amenities.

Review 6：Shower was a bit tricky, and having a band playing under the rooms on the night we got in was a bit surprising.

Review 7：changed room for my Mother after the shower and towel rail were not working - so thanks for that. The dining room staff were delightful.

Review 8：My mum and her friend are 88 and as requested were given a ground floor room with a shower. They felt very well looked after by the staff and enjoyed the meals they had.

Review 9：An excruciatingly naff £2 credit card charge The place is old and tired... And won't ever feel clean Food was OK but a bit expensive for what it is

Review 10：Nothing especially

Review 11：i appreaciate that fees can be high during special events but really?? our room shouldnt have been used. Dated, noisey with sound coming from the boiler not at all satisfied

Review 12：the food was excellent the staff were friendly

Review 13：The smell of damp, stale air throughout the hotel. The hotel is still in the 80's. All areas are tired and dated. The Restraunt food is average. We tried desperately to stay elsewhere in the area but had already paid £193 for two nights stay. The price for this hotel should be around £45/ night. If you are looking to house refugees in this country, put them here they will soon head home it really is that bad.

Review 14：The customer service when we checked out a day early. The manageress clearly understood how bad this hotel is and tried her best to encourage us to stay.

Review 15：If only to stress that my stay was nearly perfect, I mention that the cold bath tap was hot while the hot bath tap had no label.

Review 16：The Deeside Inn was very attentive to my unusual needs as an ambitious hill walker, notably by providing breakfast at 0600!

Review 17：The room was poor and the bed shocking. The mattress must have been 40-years only with iron springs that were determined to injure me.

Review 18：Great location and somewhere to store my bicycle

Review 19：When we arrived our 3 room booking was not registered? The staff moved quickly to sort but nothing was heard from the management. Whilst they did accommodate us all, we felt the rooms were below expectations. They charged for any "card" settlement.

Review 20：The reception area has a pervading aroma which, to me, was a cross betwee wet wool and stale cooking oil. In need of a thorough clean. My original single room was a throwback to the 1950's with a spartan single bed. Shower and toilet in a built-in cupboard and a wash basin in front of a window with clear view in from two houses across the narrow street.. No access to wifi in my original room but ok once I was moved into a more reasonable double-bedded room with a 'proper' bathroom. Overall this hotel is in desperate need of an internal make-over. Original booked price was exhorbitant in view of what we were offered but my room was changed and the cost discounted by 15pct.

Review 21：The assistance of the receptionist in changing my room.

Review 22：Appalling standard of room 205 (and 211 where our friends stayed was worse). Though clean, it was very basic and certainly not worth £109 for the night. Musty smell, particularly in the bathroom (not sewage); no shaving mirror in the bathroom; tiny shower head; just one small bar of soap; only place to plug in kettle for tea was on floor right below the TV. To keep up to modern standards the bathrooms need to be much better fitted out with a good, efficient shower and some nice shower gels provided. The bedrooms need complete refurbishment to create a welcoming and comfortable space for guests.

Review 23：Very welcoming and friendly staff. Good food. Convenience of location for town, and particularly the Ballatar Games

Review 24：Wi-Fi only in shared areas (as described). TV remote and room's lock didn't work properly.

Review 25：Shared areas are traditional Scottish rooms. Good value for money.

Review 26：It's like forty towers... There was no choice on the meal menu... The rooms and the hotel was not clean and there was dogs everywhere... Won't stay there again...

Review 27：The staff was friendly...

Review 28：Bar meals could be more varied

Review 29：Comfort of room, quality of food, efficiency of staff -especially waitresses. The hotel environment was restful and spacious.

Review 30：Dirty cup with tea still inside it and bin not emptied. No blind or screen in room as looked out to peoples house so no pivacy.

Review 31：Location, comfortable bed and lovely breakfast.

Review 32：there was no entertainment on the Saturday or sunday nights of our stay and the full breakfast was very ordinary

Review 33：it was very quiet and peaceful and we enjoyed the privacy also enjoyed visiting crathie kirk and the royal lochnagar distillery but disappointed that we couldn't see balmoral castle as the queen was in residense

Review 34：Breakfast was a shambles on our first morning-long wait for a table-no juice-no fruit-no yogurts Too many inexperienced staff in the restaurant. They were all very nice but out of their depth. Still waiting on some of the courses from the night we had dinner! No toilette ties in the SUPERIOR room. As advertised. We had to buy a bar of soap. Disappointed that there has no entertainment on any of the3 nights we stayed , as we many other regular guests we spoke to.

Review 35：The location. The residents lounge The friendly bar staff

Review 36：The rooms were very poor and only very, very basic. They were also very cold and looked like they hadn't been updated in a long time. Our friends stayed in a guest house and got a lot more comfort for their money

Review 37：Staff are all really nice. Bar area and lounge is nice.

Review 38：I have stayed there before (7 yrs ago) and there has been no further refurbishment done to the rooms in the part I stayed in. The bathrooms need to be seriously updated, but everything worked and I would have no problem staying there again.

Review 39：The location is great and the staff were excellent. Cooked breakfast is well worth it. The room was clean and tidy.

Review 40：The shower was impractical, I'm a slender person but it was a bit of a squeeze. Also the bathroom mirror light did not work and the shelf to put toothbrushes etc. on had come off and not been refitted.

Review 41：My bicycle could sleep safely and dry in the beer cellar :-), the staff was very accommodating

Review 42：I had intended to stay at this hotel once a month on business, but they have a £2.00 surcharge on credit card payments. Unless they change this, I will be booking a hotel elsewhere!

Review 43：The top window was stuck, and trying to close it, I squashed my thumb in the locking mechanism, which was very unpleasant, and has left a bad bruise below the nail. There was not much shampoo, soap, etc in the4 very small shower room.

Review 44：A pleasant hotel with a poor menu in the main restaurant, but good food in the bar. The room was fine in general, but the detail needs improving.

Review 45：Tiny room, faded décor and water in the shower far too hot. Staff were thin on the ground and one poor lass was having to deal with both reception and the bar at the same time.

Review 46：Breakfast was good

Review 47：Only thing I could hear was the toilet sliding door from another room.

Review 48：Staff were very friendly from the offset which always is a good sign. Rooms were comy and clean. Hot water and a good shower is a must...passed with flying colours! Breakfast was excellent, something for everyones taste.

Review 49：The ensuite bathrooms are worse than NHS hospital bathrooms , they are ancient , cold, in poor condition , souless .Chipped bath , shower head the size of a 50p piece . You could not have children in these rooms and allow them to wash their hands themselves . The water is scalding out the hot tap , there are no mixer taps . Rooms need updating .

Review 50：Location and staff

Review 51：I had walked from Tomintoul for 2 days and slept in a tent for 2 nights. I would have liked to have just dropped my kit and had a quick shower before exploring Ballater.unfortunately the policy of not being able to get in before 3 was a bit of a pain. Maybe a little more flexibility for a backpacker would have made it a 10 across the board

Review 52：Staff were very attentive and helpful

Review 53：rowing guests outside window bad fishy smell in reception and corridors could be a nice hotel if it had make over foreign did not understand English at breakfast over priced for quality especially single room more like prison cell very disappointed

Review 54：location

Review 55：Large clear glass bathroom window with no curtain - fine for exhibitionists! Cheeky £2.00 charge for any kind of card payment including Debit Cards. Take plenty of cash.

Review 56：Much better than earlier reviews suggested. Agreeably surprised. Room fine with new furnishings & carpets. Friendly staff and excellent food.

Review 57：- Hotel needs refurnished, looks dull - Poor view from hotel windows - Matress was poor - Cold water and shower head is very old. Install a shower tray and power shower - Not enough power sockets - Was not given WI-FI password, until I left. - No phone in the room - A menu on arrival may have tempted me to eat in. - Parked on the street outside, was there a car-park?

Review 58：- Reception girl had a smile, very warm and welcoming and departing.

Review 59：Scottish breakfast a bit on the small side for us. quite a walk to get to reception area.!

Review 60：very grand hotel, they upgraded us to a suite, which was lovely as it had a separate living area. clean. good coffee making facility in room and biscuits a nice touch. Lovely bar down-stairs.

Review 61：No bad experiences but, although a lot of money has obviously recently been spent on the hotel, modernisation is clearly Aggan on-going process. We had a superior double room all very nice and obviously freshly painted but there were traces of mould around the single glazed window frames and the glaze on bathroom ceramic fittings was in poor condition.

Review 62：Ambience of public rooms, eg lounge, dining room & bar. Low ceilings and varnished wood created an atmosphere of warmth well matched by the comfortable surroundings.

Review 63：Not having any hot water in the room! Toilet not flushing. Having to run across the lobby to another room to shower and shower very slow and cool. Advertising a band on the Saturday night on the website but not having one!!!

Review 64：The food was good and staff were friendly

Review 65：Rooms a little disappointing and a bit dated and quite expensive but warm and comfortable.

Review 66：Beautiful lounge with open log fire and fantastic restaurant.

Review 67：Overworked bar/waiting staff- rather surly-unable to cope with residents and Burns Supper at same time; perishing cold toilets;

Review 68：Central position; excellent food; comfortable beds; good value for money; excellent breakfast; friendly check out staff

Review 69：Lovely experience, seeing Stu Larsen perform in the lounge, while sitting on comfortable settees. Staff were friendly and helpful, breakfast was good.

Review 70：Our room (a standard one) was pretty dated as was the bathroom. In need of a refurb. But clean and comfortable.

Review 71：The location, the service, the restaurant food was stand out good, friendly staff, the common areas and the space to sit and relax

Review 72：The bathroom was a bit old and tired and the bathroom door made a loud noise when you shut it! The bed was only a double, so a bit cramped

Review 73：The location which was very central and quiet The breakfast which was excellent The friendliness of the staff The beautiful lounge and dining room which were tastefully decorated and charming Excellent value for money at £84 for the room with breakfast

Review 74：Hotel kitchen seems to close about 9pm. Breakfast was over by 1030am. Rooms and corridors to rooms were exactly like hoarding school. Pale green, no deco, no warmth. Room was cold (they knew we were arriving late) with night storage heater that needed a PhD to operate. Bathroom so small, so small. No chest of drawers. Had to ask for hairdryer.

Review 75：Downstairs hotel lounge, dining room and bar. Furnished in Scottish style, and comfortable. Soothing on the eye. When we asked for something to be addressed, service was good, except for food. Good hot water in room.

Review 76：Proper shower over bath would be good Another rasher of bacon at breakfast would be good Main light in bedroom not working

Review 77：Comfortable good sized room Good location Room warm enough Bar food very good

Review 78：massively overpriced for what you get, room are very basic, bathroom even worse, the water took an age to warm up and the shower was so small and old it was rather unpleasant. Generally if we hadn't paid over £100 a night, I wouldn't mind the basic standard of the rooms. If the cost was more like £70 a night I would have no issue. Also the food in the restaurant was again overpriced for what you got - presentation was nice, but food lack any taste.

Review 79：The staff were wonderful. Due to the lack of taxis in the area they offered to drop us off to the wedding we were attending. They were always polite, friendly and nothing seemed too much trouble to them - such a shame the facilities didn't match up to the quality of staff.

Review 80：There was no fridge in our room

Review 81：I liked the old world interior of the dining room and lounge down stairs. The Traditional Scottish interior was very cosy. The reception also was very traditional in terms of architecture with dark wooden beams and tartans. The staff were helpful, the food very good, breakfast was served by a waiter/ waitress. Up stairs it is getting redecorated bit by bit. There was a kettle etc and tv in the room. The bathroom was old fashioned with lots of hot water.

Review 82：Rooms very dated and in need of a major upgrade.Hotel grossly understaffed especially in the dining room causing several guests to have been kept waiting in excess of thirty minutes before their order was taken

Review 83：Location great and staff very helpful

Review 84：Grossly understaffed considering the Inn was fully booked for the Highland Games. Room rates were excessively inflated considering the poor state and cleanliness of the rooms. Parking was not available and guests were required to find a parking spot on the street and carry their luggage to the Inn. Reception was dysfunctional - often empty as the staff of 1 tried to sort out numerous issues raised by guests.

Review 85：Location to Braemar Highland Games was good.

Review 86：Very small bathroom, hopeless shower, a bit pricey for what it was. Not as good as other Crerar hotels we've stayed in

Review 87：Friendly staff, good location, good food

Review 88：No lift ,decor a little tired

Review 89：Comfy warm beds,clean towels every day.hardworking friendly staff.extensive breakfast menu.central location ,just what we needed for our break.comfy lounge

Review 90：This was in no way four star accommodation, we were ut in a ground floor room which was so basic it was untrue, the wardrobe rail was broken so there was nowhere to hang any clothes, the hot and cold taps were back to front, you could only plug the kettle in if you stood it on the floor as the cable was so short, there was no hairdryer and on checking out I complained and said how disappointed I was, I was given the excuse that I should have been told before I was given the keys to my room that they were being refurbished !!!! I was told I would be contacted by the hotel manager and to this day I am still waiting. Would I recommend this hotel, certainly not !!!

Review 91：The food and service in the restaurant was good and nice friendly staff

Review 92：The lighting in the bar was not very cosy. I didn't feel I wanted to stay there long.

Review 93：Very good breakfast. The room was comfortable and clean. The hotel has a nice lounge area.

Review 94：staff slow, 30 minutes to get a cofee and 45 minutes to get cooked breakfast, confusions when paying etc.

Review 95：Facilities were OK, nice lobby and restaurant

Review 96：No shower in room!!! Had booked large suite and had a tiny room with old furniture Breakfast staff hadnt a clue - 20 minute wait for coffee - had to ask two different staff for butter - 10 minute wait - toast then cold

Review 97：Location Downstairs decor was lovely Front desk staff friendly

Review 98：The rooms were rather small and decor might be a bit dated. Good value for money (we booked last minute and it was the peak of the season - Lonach gathering)

Review 99：Excellent staff, the food in the restaurant was of good quality (freshly made). Good location to discover the Highlands.

Review 100：felt it was over priced. Room was basic and appeared quite drab. I wish i hadnt dined in the restaurant. It was quite expensive and menu was limited. Perhaps a couple of more basic choices. I realised after i had eaten that there was fish and chips on offer but was never pointed out to me when menu was brought to me

Review 101：Location was great. Staff were efficient and friendly.

Review 102：Very noisy (water pipes, ventilation). Small rooms. No WiFi in the rooms. Very expensive for this lack of comfort. Takes advantage of the very limited number of hotels in the area

Review 103：The only downside to this hotel is the antiquated shower system over the bath. It's the combined tap and Shower combo which worked well only after considerable adjustment of taps to get to a temperature that was comfortable. This then fluctuated in use (suspect other hotel guests showering may have been to blame!). Snoring neighbours could be heard through the walls reducing the score for sleep quality.

Review 104：The staff in all areas of the hotel were very friendly and could not do enough to make our stay as pleasurable as possible. The waiting staff in particular were very helpful in both food and wine choice! The steaks (they were so good we had again on 2nd night of a two night stay) are the best I have ever tasted and cooked to perfection. I am usually very adventurous with my food choices but when steak is this good I couldn't see beyond it! Room was clean and well serviced during our stay. The reception staff were very well informed and helped with information requested. This hotel is well managed and we would stay again. The breakfast matched the high standards of the dinners had.

Review 105：The bedrooms were kind of "basic" but after a day walking the moors that did not matter all that much. The stairs was VERY steep and with no lift this made carrying our shooting gear in and out difficult and laborious.

Review 106：The friendliness and helpfulness of the staff was quite outstanding and made all else kind of irreverent. We stayed three nights but the food quality was such that we had no desire to eat elsewhere. Both dinner and breakfast (served at the table) were quite excellent.

Review 107：Our twin bedroom was Very basic, tired, run down. Not as nice as the ones featured on-line. This made me feel a little cheated due to the high price. Premier Inn prices without the quality or consistency. Night Bar service not available to residents from Raul the night porter. Service at reception had to be found Every single time it was needed.

Review 108：Location was very convenient in the heart of the village. The breakfasts were very good. The staff, when available, were helpful and friendly. The traditional feel of the decor in the dining room and lounge.

Review 109：No lift - I was on second floor! Take a torch for the bar as it was very dark!!!!

Review 110：Whilst the welcome and hotel facilities were fine, the food was excellent. Evening meal of Sirloin Steak and Peppercorn Sauce was quite the best I had in a long time!

Review 111：Difficulty in getting booked in with the receptionist who wasn't confident with the system. We asked for an early breakfast to allow it to meet a business deadline but had to leave after half an hour with no breakfast. The hotel managment were helpful but some of the others are poor.

Review 112：The location and hotel were very good, beautiful scenery and riverside location. The evening meal was good and the rooms comfy and clean.

Review 113：No water pressure for shower and toilet didn't flush properly. Windows being screwed shut. A bit expensive for what you get & at times there weren't enough staff present - had to go looking for them.

Review 114：Very comfortable. Staff were very helpful ... Couldn't do enough for you. Breakfast was delicious.

Review 115：The rooms themselves (including the bathroom) were very dated. Definitely need upgraded soon.

Review 116：The reception areas were decorated nicely and we're comfortable.

Review 117：The location,hotel and staff were all grate

Review 118：The hotel had few guests and obviously a skeleton staff who seemed quite uninterested in serving those few guests.

Review 119：We enjoyed the whole experience from our walk around Balmoral Estate to our afternoon tea at the Deeside Inn.

Review 120：Location was perfect

Review 121：Friendly and accommodating staff. Great food in the pub. Wonderful breakfast.

Review 122：Didn't like the stairs to the bedrooms. Thought food was mediocre with limited choice.

Review 123：Pleasanr staff.

Review 124：No hairdryer Bathroom very cold and a lot of mouldy bits. Food very expensive. View from window was dire.

Review 125：Breakfast was included and very nice.

Review 126：The staff were extremely helpful, nothing was too much trouble. Hotel was quiet but could imagine there must be a great atmosphere during busy times.

Review 127：Serving breakfast at 5AM

Review 128：Only the accommodation

Review 129：The staff were lovely bedroom not worth the price badly needs refurb!

Review 130：close to amenities good breakfast menu staff friendly and helpful

Review 131：No heating in the room!!

Review 132：Location

Review 133：Stern head waiter (possibly). Other staff friendly and helpful. Hallway smelled.

Review 134：Outstanding Breakfast