Macdonald Highlands Hotel

Macdonald Highlands Hotel descritpion

In Cairngorm National Park, the Macdonald Highland Hotel is part of a resort with 7 restaurants and bars, a golf course and a modern leisure center. Aviemore Train Station is just 1,650 feet away.
The 4-star rooms at the MacDonald Highland Hotel all feature a TV and a private bathroom. Some have scenic views of the Cairngorm Mountains.
The range of dining options include an authentic Italian restaurant, a traditional Scottish steakhouse and a sports bar. The Laggan Bar offers over 60 malt whiskeys, and room service is also available.
Guests can relax in the spa, with its sauna, steam room and spa bathtub. There is also a fitness center, beauty salon and play zone, and the impressive indoor swimming pool has a water slide and wave machine.
The Aviemore Highland is surrounded by beautiful Inverness-Shire countryside. Inverness and the stunning Loch Ness are within a 45 minute drive. Free parking is available on site.

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Facilities of Macdonald Highlands Hotel

Outdoors ：Grounds | Terrace

Ski ：Ski Storage

Pets ：Pets are not allowed.

Food & Drink ：Restaurant | Bar | Breakfast in the Room

Internet ：WiFi is available in all areas and charges apply.

Parking ：Free!Free private parking is available on site (reservation is not possible).

Reviews for Macdonald Highlands Hotel

Review 1：Smell of damp in the corridors.Christmas adverts still in place !!As with all Macdonald Hotels drinks prices are ridiculous,which means that guests go out for the evening rather stay in the hotel.

Review 2：Bed was very comfortable,nice cosy room.Breakfast was okay.

Review 3：Service a bit slow in the restaurant on the second night of our stay.

Review 4：Lovely comfortable room. Beautifully furnished. Spotlessly clean. Very professional, helpful and friendly staff. Location excellent. Great swimming pool with good opening times.

Review 5：The cafe next to the soft play area closing too early.

Review 6：Staff very friendly and helpful. Delicious breakfast. Room spotless with beautiful view. Great family place and loads to do for our baby.

Review 7：The distance from the hotel to the main road it's about a ten minute walk. I visited in mid January and the restaurants and bars were closed. The lounge prices were very expensive it is a lot cheaper in the Cairngorm hotel located at the hotel entrance on the main road and it has a good atmosphere and great selection of food a reasonable prices.

Review 8：The leisure facilities.

Review 9：Eletric heating in the room is terrible in one side of the bed, where heater was located, was roasting and other side was freezing. Staff was not friendly at all, cleaner knocked the room door at 9:30am asking if we wanting the room to get cleaned, we said yes and her reply made us so uncomfortable feeling like we needed to leave right away otherwise she wouldn't clean later on. She took the floor towel in the bathroom and never replaced, didn't wash the cups or replaced the milk or toiletries facilities. The bedding was ripped and looked very old. Bathroom has no heating at all, it was a challenge to go for shower or even use the toilet as it was so cold in there we would prefer to use the hotel public toilet. The only thing included in the hotel facilities is the swimming pool, we were advised by reception when we checked in that our child could use the soft play and we went there, was really good but then on second day staff told us we needed to pay £4 to use it, we explained about that to reception and they just said if you want to use it cost £4, the hotel website also states it is free for residents, so, I don't know why the sudden charge that didn't exist on first day( my child is 2years old) when I checked out, staff didn't ask me if I had a good stay, I guess she wasn't bothered about me leaving either as her only reply when I gave her the card was :- "that is you done!" Which I found very rude for a 4star hotel receptionist , not even a "have a safe journey home "or "hope you enjoyed your stay "

Review 10：The room is really nice and bed comfortable. Tea and coffee facilities and shortbread

Review 11：Was impossible to reach guest reception. I left some belongings behind and only talked to anyone via 'bookings'. I called 4 times until I got any answers. Thankfully, I was sent my belongings after 9 days later, understand it was holidays, but very hard to make my case.

Review 12：Liked the helpfulness of Ian the night manager. We had to have our TV replaced & he was very good about getting us sorted with a doctor.

Review 13：The stay simply was too short. Love Aviemore, love this resort

Review 14：Loved 're new activity centre. Great place evening for the kids to let off steam & the playground is excellent

Review 15：Hard to find in the dark if walking - however the hotel have said that if I need a lift from the railway station next time I visit, they'll try to send a car.

Review 16：Excellent staff, comfy and warm room. Bar was excellent and food was good.

Review 17：Extremely comfortable room, spacious with everything you need. Delicious food served in the restaurant, by friendly staff. Reception staff and night porter were very helpful and friendly.

Review 18：Real shame the pool was freezing and the 2 times we went in it the slides were not open but thankfully we had other activities booked so it wasn't a huge issue.

Review 19：The staff especially in the steakhouse were extremely welcoming. Receptionist sorted minor problem with bill quickly and with minimal fuss.Room was lovely and cosy with everything you could need.

Review 20：Service in the restaurant was absolutely shocking. It was the same last time I stayed, so it seems to be the norm.

Review 21：Room fine, location quiet, yet handy for Aviemore centre. Front of house staff really friendly and helpful. Breakfast was lovely.

Review 22：The bathroom was very small and the bath was very slippy on the base. My friend and I (both in our 70s) had falls getting out of it. A suction grip mat for the base is a necessity in that kind of bath. The original non-slip surface has worn away.

Review 23：Lovely room and good food in the Steakhouse Restaurant.

Review 24：Bathroom was too small in ground floor room

Review 25：great place to stay in central Aviemore Rooms clean, good breakfast central facilities too if needed Cairngorms about 20-25 mins drive away

Review 26：The room on arrival was cold, however it did warm up eventually.

Review 27：The room was very clean and comfortable. The staff were extremely helpful, friendly and very professional. The breakfast was very good.

Review 28：Food at gianis italian was expensive and poor quality. Had better frozen pizzas. Staff couldn't understand english. Half the spa facilities were broken. More of a fun pool than spa.

Review 29：Room was excellent. Staff all pleasant. Location.

Review 30：Bed not made properly, sheet not tucked in so the whole sheet came away when the covers were pulled back. No head count during fire alarm x2 .

Review 31：Room was homely, facilities good breakfast good. Staff friendly

Review 32：Too many choices on the dinner menu were unavailable and diners were only informed of this after they had made their choices...in my case I had my third choice main course and there was not a suitable dessert for my diabetes.

Review 33：Our room was superb-refurbished with super comfortable beds

Review 34：Had really noisy people next to us, complained that they were waking up our daughter then they started smoking in the hallway which we complained about again. Was then woken up from the night management at 1130 to inform us that this had been resolved, complaint went in at 930.

Review 35：The swimming pool and breakfast were fantastic

Review 36：Hall way and room smelled of stale smoke, but an hour of ventilating the room got rid of it. Hard to find the right hotel within complex of buildings on poorly lit 'campus' with very sparse staffing out of season.

Review 37：Good mid week deals. Staff mostly helpful, but occasionally less so. Good breakfast

Review 38：Swimming pool was a bonus but disappointed the jaccuzi, steamroom and sauna were all out of action on the morning we used the facilities

Review 39：Big, comfy bed in very quiet room with a good view

Review 40：Shame the sauna wasn't working for our stay but didn't detract from a nice relaxing break!

Review 41：Location was great for sightseeing - cairngorm mountain within touching distance and the great Nessie only an hours drive away!

Review 42：It's not really a hotel for adults its more for families. The sauna and Jacuzzi were broken. The spa facilities were amongst all the kids play rooms etc and all the restaurants were shut (I had rung hotel prior to booking and told everything was open) The whole of Aviemore seems to shut for maintenance first week or so of November.

Review 43：Liked the size of room, comfort of bed, breakfast excellent.

Review 44：It was a pity that it was so quiet that only one of the 3 on site restaurants was open - limited choice!

Review 45：I liked the price as I got a cheap deal. Hotel perfectly located for the hills. Everything was as I would wish it to be - clean, comfortable and the food was excellent.

Review 46：On my own with a baby and our room was up stairs not ideal with a buggy. Found room a little tired was expecting more after the recent revamp.

Review 47：Good facilities for young children. Central location. Was able to check in early.

Review 48：The jacuzzi was covered up when we were there which was a bit disappointing. The waiting staff at breakfast weren't terribly cheerful unlike the others we had encountered.

Review 49：The staff were so welcoming and friendly, from reception to the helpful staff dishing out the eggs at breakfast. The bed we slept in was so comfortable I didn't want to leave.

Review 50：The restaurant has been changed to a steak bar. The options are limited and if you dont like steak with chips forget it. All prices are exhorbitant i.e £!5 for a burger plus 6 chips. We stay there every year but this coupled with a bottle of wine starting at £23 will make us look elsewhere next time. Also the restaurant is understaffed despite the very helpful staff trying their best.The previous arrangement of TableDhote + A la Carte options worked very well and the sooner the revert back to it the better. P.S. I informed the staff of our concerns at ckeckout.

Review 51：Furniture in room is a little tired but clean & comfortable nonetheless.

Review 52：Staff were very pleasant & helpful in accommodating us with early check-in. Meal in hotel was nice, if a little pricey for what it was. Service at dinner & breakfast was excellent.

Review 53：Curtain in room was broken and despite advising reception the next morning nothing was done until I called again that night. It could not be fixed. Then I asked for a non - slip bath mat for the shower in the morning again and did not get it until I called that night.

Review 54：Hotel was in a good location and leisure facilities were good for a toddler. Breakfast was ok too, managed to get gf toast and soya milk.

Review 55：Being charged £7.85 for a SMALL glass of Merlot! Found ourselves in a long queue for breakfast on Sunday. We were advised to go across to another building (in the freezing cold) where we were served immediately. On the Monday we were seated immediately but as we left, we noticed a long queue waiting for breakfast once again.

Review 56：The location! Staff were extremely helpful and friendly.

Review 57：I got in to my room. After having a look around I noticed a card. In the card had happy birthday.I don't know how the hotel knew it was my birthday. Thank you very much, was really lovely. Friendly staff, very clean throughout. Lovely relaxing time. Thank you again!

Review 58：Nothing really, the fire alarm went off 06.30 but nothing anyone could do about that,

Review 59：Room was in good location ground floor . Breakfast was very good with fresh fruit, bacon eggs ect . Staff were all helpful polite all over the resort

Review 60：No info in room regarding menus and restaurant bar opening. Got a poorly printed bar menu from a bartender, tried to order food to be told 'No! no service! Order later!' Felt offended and went to the local Tesco!!!!!

Review 61：Comfortable beds, clean hotel

Review 62：Staff (except reception) very amateurish - seemed untrained - no team spirit obvious. Bed and especially pilows uncomfortable

Review 63：Location and facilities, inluding shopping centre

Review 64：Fire alarm being set off early mornings on both days of stay, needs better extraction in bathrooms to avoid this, bed not particularly comfortable.

Review 65：Pool facilities and soft play for children

Review 66：Foyer design unimpressive- needs revision. Swimming pool unattractive- industrial look-( changing room ok though) Wine list overpriced.

Review 67：Excellent staff, helpful , courteous . Lovely room- modern, fresh, clean, well equipped. Food good- breakfast& dinner

Review 68：The tea ,coffee and toast at breakfast was cold by the time eaten and drunk.

Review 69：The room was clean and comfortable the king size bed was a joy to sleep in.

Review 70：We forgot a few things in the safety box and it took around a week to get to someone who could advise about it, but hopefully we will receive it shortly.

Review 71：Really nice room, very clean, large bed, lots of space. Also good resort facilities, reception service and good food in the restaurant. Lots of parking spaces, lovely setting, there's even a mini-mall and a 3D cinema.

Review 72：No bookings available in steak restaurant,full up,the buffet/carvery was closed with only the italian restaurant open,so we ate out.

Review 73：clean/comfy rooms,staff good.

Review 74：Greasy breakfast ... too much oil used on the eggs etc.

Review 75：I had fantastic help from a young lady called Chelsea (I think) in the highland reception. She very kindly printed our boarding passes and was really helpful as was her colleague. Really great attitude and so helpful.

Review 76：Aviemore is a wonderful Spayside town to visit. MacDonald has three hotels right by each other. This one may not have been the best. Tour buses stop and stay here.

Review 77：Dining room very busy, had to queue for ages for breakfast. Be better if they staggered it and offered a set time for you when you arrive.

Review 78：Beautiful room, really good shower.

Review 79：The Steak House. The service was poor(waited 30mins-although prebooked for order to be taken and another 25 mins to be delivered) The meat was not rested properly and for steak was to chewy. The upside of this was that the Italian the following night was fantastic both on service and food. The breakfast service in Steak House was better but needs improving as well

Review 80：The location,the pool and the Italian. The food and service in the Italian was fantastic.

Review 81：Price of onsite food and drink extortionate compared to local town 15mins walk away.

Review 82：Wonderful staff,spotlessly clean.great facilities.close to good value eateries in the town

Review 83：First (ground floor) room was smelly and overlooking car park, so had to keep blinds closed. Only 2 lights worked. No fridge in cupboard. No safe in any room. Offered second room (disabled) which was better. No folder giving basic hotel information & services. eg restaurant opening hours, room service etc.When I asked for one I was given basic adverts for MacDonald hotels. No tourist leaflets in room or reception (all other accommodation in Scotland had this) was told to go tourist office in town when it opened next morning. Corridors & reception areas dark. No wifi for whole of stay. Had to register with icloud, which my devise didn't recognise and my husband couldn't get connected in our room. NOT acceptable in 2015, when every other little b&b in the back of beyond that we stayed in could connect us.No mobile reception in room. Had to stand in wind & rain outside front door to get any reception. So effectively cut off from any communication for 4 days. Pool was basically a public swimming pool for town. Sauna set to 30 degrees. Spa pool didn't work. Room not serviced til after 4pm on 2 days. Toiletries not replenished. Staff in restaurants would have given Faulty Towers a run for their money. Hadn't a clue how to work out the bill - and we were half board so we're only talking about 2 beers and a glass of wine. Long queue to check out. Only 1 girl on and every one was disputing their bills.Final insult - there was a £3 charge to use a credit card to settle our (large) account. How miserly can you get? I will never stay in a MacDonalds hotel again

Review 84：Location was excellent. High standard of evening meal was only redeeming feature of an otherwise very unpleasant stay.

Review 85：The most disappointing hotel experience the wife and I have ever had. We are both well travelled people, so have stayed in 'interesting' places around the world. Never have we been inclined to write a letter of complaint, before our stay here.

Review 86：It did have a bed.

Review 87：no signage to the hotels as you enter the area. We called at one hotel and the male receptionist did not speak english well. Breakfast was cold on one of the days and we had to stand and wait for ages before we got a table for breakfast

Review 88：Locaton

Review 89：staff: especially the girl in the activity cafe; who overlooked an overflowing bin and a reasonable queue to play with her (hidden) tablet. She made no effort to facilitate the 'no coffee cups' or turn the slush machine on. the following day she ignored my young daughter completely until we addressed her directly, as she was in converstaion with a male friend at the counter. shocking customer service and certainly not what was expected. A booked 'music mixing session' activity resulted in my daughter phoning me to advise that the room had been locked after having 10 mins introduction, with many pieces of equipment broken/ inoperable. yes it is great to invest in a state-of-the-art centre; but advise staff to use it! in general the staff never appeared particularly child friendly.. a smile would have been nice.

Review 90：location was excellent

Review 91：Long queues at breakfast and check out. May have been busier weekend than normal due to a festival nearby but given the price would have expected the hotel to staff accordingly.

Review 92：Very comfortable and staff did their best

Review 93：We arrived at 11.20pm, we had said we would arrive between 11 and 12. and there were several people waiting at the reception and no receptionist. We waited about 20 minutes for someone to arrive to check us in however at this time there were three bar men, however none were particularly useful other than to say someone has been called. The duty manager was very polite when we arrived but we were disappointed by the service. Also the bathroom smelled, the loo didn't flush properly and there was evidence of water damage to the mdf panel in front of the bath. The menu binding was broken and in general the room had a dated and unloved character to it which was disappointed. It was however clean and comfortable and we only needed a room for one night so it was adequate.

Review 94：Bed was big, although was two mattresses bolted together which was a bit uncomfortable

Review 95：Free wi if never worked during the entire stay. Chlorine levels in the pool were so high, a family member has irritation to both eyes.

Review 96：Good location, hotel was clean & good parking facilities.

Review 97：We didn't like that we had an inter connecting door to the room next door, which meant we could hear the other guests more easily. They didn't seem to be very considerate to this fact either and were a bit noisy, which meant we didn't sleep very well.

Review 98：Great location for exploring the surrounding area and a good buffet selection for breakfast too.

Review 99：Breakfast is total disaster, Disturbed by housekeeping 3 times on the Sunday morning before 10.30 to clean room. Unexceptable when checkout is not til 11

Review 100：Nice hotel with good location. Great pool especially for kids

Review 101：Felt the hotel is more geared up to coach parties than other travellers,as when we asked about dinner,the earliest we could have it would have been nine,as they had the coachparties to deal with.Also need more cleaning staff as when we returned in the afternoon room still had not been made up,the cleaning staff were very busy,but very pleasant.Also had to ask twice for our tea and toast,and one of our party arrived after U.S. And got theirs before us.

Review 102：The breakfast was very good, and the dinner at the golf club

Review 103：Very small bathroom with no room for our toiletries, etc. Breakfast service not as expected for a 4* - only brown toast and no cappuccinos as the bar was closed. Pool was more of a public pool which was fine but not as we'd expected. Amazing setting but hotel windows looked across the carpark and blinds kept down at breakfast.

Review 104：Room was very clean and nicely decorated. Good location in the centre of Aviemore.

Review 105：Nothing to dislike

Review 106：accommodation was walking distance to town and gave easy safe access to cycle ways. Rooms were clean and comfortable and the staff helpful and friendly. I have stayed twice this year and had good experiences each time. Access to the pool and sauna was also a bonus and free.

Review 107：Meal was rather cold at the hotel restaurant, however the steakhouse restaurant was great

Review 108：Excellent room, staff were very accommodating and helpful. Transport provided to go to other resort restaurants was great

Review 109：Staff quite rude. Took several attempts to get a spoon for my daughter to eat her spag Bol. Heating in room didn't work

Review 110：Swimming pool and kids facilities were really goid

Review 111：Our room had an adjoining door making the noise levels from the next room quite noisy. Could hear normal conversations - not good!

Review 112：The friendliness of all of the staff

Review 113：Far too much waiting or reception, for breakfast, for a towel. It seemed to be primarily due to insufficient staff numbers. Those that were there dealt with grumpy guest as best they could but ultimately the experience was tarnished by this.

Review 114：Good breakfasts - comfortable rooms (mainly, our mattress on night one should be retired from service).

Review 115：Going on our last stay here all the staff must have been replaced as only one lady seemed to be happy at work. Also we asked for a quite room a where put above the carpark were cars and coachs coming and going at all hour's also noisey guests leaving the bar

Review 116：Hi the location of the hotel was stunning and the out side area was spotless

Review 117：We had to wait on breakfast both days. However the staff explained the delay and were very courteous and apologetic. On the second day we were offered refreshments while we waited and we didn't wait long to be seated..

Review 118：Friendliness and helpfulness of staff, level of cleanliness, quality of food.

Review 119：The breakfast queues. On both weekend days we waited half an hour to be seated for breakfast, completely unacceptable as there were empty tables in the restaurant.

Review 120：Comfortable rooms with own temperature control.

Review 121：The Laggan Lounge is quite dark and gloomy looking and the restaurant upstairs has quite a fancy menu which didn't appeal much to us! But that's just us! Aviemore has many lovely places to dine out!

Review 122：Went to this resort for my other half's 30th birthday treat, I sent some balloons and a birthday banner which the hotel said they would be happy to put up for me. On arrival the room was decorated beautifully, a lovely card and a box of chocolates as a gift! Lovely friendly people throughout the complex.

Review 123：Nothing was excellent

Review 124：We both loves the 3 days that we spent at this hotel. The location was excellent s stones through away from everything in aviemore Breakfast was good, staff were very friendly and couldn't do enough to help.

Review 125：The wifi is shocking for a hotel group this size and also not having a TV in the bar area is pretty poor in this day & age

Review 126：loved the breakfast and the bed so comfy

Review 127：One or two of the waiters in the dining room at breakfast were stood about doing nothing when there was 4 or 5 tables to be cleared. The drinks waiters in the restaurant and the night club do not know that Hendricks him should be served with cucumber and not lemon unless otherwise directed.

Review 128：The staff were friendly and polite. The hotel was clean and tidy as was our room. The quality of food was good and the service was good.

Review 129：Asked for ground floor as traveling with a baby, bedroom was down flight stairs and breakfast was up a flight, this would have been helpful information prior to booking.

Review 130：The evening meal menu was poor. I had the lamb dish which was all fat. Wish I had ordered from the child's menu. It had a better selection. We paid £140 for 3 two course meals and none of us enjoyed it.

Review 131：Quiet family room.

Review 132：Breakfast was pretty standard and rooms are on the small side. Didn't like that the hotel was split into sections, we had to go outside and cross a car park in order to get into the main building for breakfast.

Review 133：Without a doubt this hotel has the best facilities for travelling with children. The soft play area, pool and outdoor play park are fantastic. Would most definitely stay again for these reasons alone!

Review 134：Doors seperating bedroom with 2 doors. Could hear people talking in room next door as they could here us also. Someone tried handle to our room which felt very uncomfortable and strange. Was like sleeping in someones spare room. When we turned up for complimenterary breakfast there was a huge que, we waited 30 mins and ended up leaving to go somewhere else which was very annoying. Also had meal in resturant for my birthday and thought it was slightly over priced ... lovely but over rated for what we got. Also my partner emailed asking for a bottle of champagne in the room for arriving.... and there wasnt one put in room. My partner ended up going to tesco for a bottle.

Review 135：Comfort, clean, location,

Review 136：I phoned and requested for a fridge in the room a week before we arrived due to having a baby who required a few bottles during our stay and obviously the milk had to be kept I the fridge they said they would try , when we arrived they said they don't have any, we could just use the fridge in reception which wasn't great at all considering we were at the opposite outer building in the 3rd floor not the best way to get milk....!

Review 137：The facilities for the children were brilliant and loads of stuff to do, with a large variety of places to wat and drink

Review 138：Rooms pretty small. The service was not friendly, not expected of a resort targeting families. When we ordered some food for in room service (gets charged at £5/tray), the server complained of the room being too far. And she forgot to get all the items ordered. Of course, we made her do a second trip which made her visibly annoyed. We also received coffee glass which was broken. I have a picture as evidence.

Review 139：Nice play area for kids. Pool looked good from outside, we didn't go in as our kid was not well. Location good, very close to the high street.

Review 140：The reception staff were very friendly, helpful and welcoming. Explained where everything was, breakfast time and check out times. When we got to our room it was amazing! Huge bed, very clean, lots of space. Bathroom is kind of small but very clean! Breakfast was good, lots of choices and all the staff were very helpful! Already planning our next trip!

Review 141：Wasn't able to get room service of what's was said that was provided even though we were still within time. Meant having to go into town where most places were closed.

Review 142：Comfort, nice room, friendly staff

Review 143：Very smooth check in and excellent welcome from efficient and very pleasant member of stAff (Charlie?). Very comfortable bed and well appointed room. Excellent choice at breakfast. All round just perfect and good value for money.

The Fine Print

The credit/debit card used to book the Advance Purchase rate must be presented at the front desk upon arrival at the hotel. Please note that failure to do so will result in an alternative payment method being required.Not all spa and fitness facilities are currently available.