Cairngorm Hotel Reviews Summary

Staff and Service

Pros:

• "Highly recommend staff and service really friendly !!"
• "Lovely and helpful staff, it’s amazing to see a business that can retain local staff as well!"
• "Staff were friendly and helpful."
• "The staff was absolutely awesome."
• "Service was excellent with observant waitresses quickly noticing if we were missing anything and asking if we needed something."
• "Staff are welcoming, helpful, polite, attentive and customer focused, overall another great experience at the Cairn."
• "The staff could not of been more perfect."

Cons:

• "Arrival was chaotic, 4 staff behind the desk, chatting, leaving a queue heading to the main door."
• "However, we now have a small dog who is not welcome in the bar. I’m not going to sit in a foyer by reception to enjoy a drink."
• "Rip off, terrible service apart from 1 guy who gave us our bill and actually looked like he wanted to be there."
• "Terrible restaurant staff. Rude in fact."
• "We asked a member of staff serving in the garden area if they had Sunday roast available - they didn't know."
• "Beware of rigid policies!!"
• "The barman was quite rude."

Rooms and Accommodation

Pros:

• "Rooms had everything we needed."
• "The room was really lovely front facing, king size bed was really comfy."
• "The room was lovely and had 2 CHAIRS."
• "Our room was spacious enough for our luggage, the bed was comfortable and the bathroom was large."
• "Rooms very clean and comfortable."
• "The rooms were cosy and well kept."
• "Rooms are very clean and beds comfortable."

Cons:

• "The smallest bed ever as pictured."
• "The room is not snug it is simply not fit for 2 people, there was no room to place our luggage and the view from the only window overlooking the roof was the last nail in the coffin."
• "Room was small and we had to bend the whole time as I banged my head a few times."
• "Make sure you bring ear plugs as it can be noisy with the rooms next to you."
• "Room was diabolical, charged for a king size room but could only get into one side of the because of the combs of the ceiling."
• "The ‘snug’ double room for 2 nights £298... wasn't worth £298."
• "Disappointing for the price. The outside and common areas are nice but the room was too tiny and lacks storage."

Food and Dining

Pros:

• "The most incredible food, out of 6 starters and 6 mains every dish was amazing."
• "Food very good, bar good and location is perfect right in the middle of Aviemore."
• "Food portions were very generous."
• "The food is first class."
• "Excellent food, especially on the Highland Buffet nights."
• "Haggis lasagne and chick n dips for starter to die for !!! Then burger and sea bass for main, equally to die for !!!"
• "The minced steak and tatties were sublime."

Cons:

• "The haddock and chips dish was highly disappointing; the fish lacked flavor, and the chips were far from being great."
• "Evening meal however was simple classic pub food. Nothing terrible but nothing to write home about."
• "Had an evening meal would have been better going to chip shop."
• "Food is seriously over priced for what it is. Very expensive pub grub."
• "The beef was cold and very fatty. The Yorkshire was soggy and greasy and the roast potatoes would be better on a cricket pitch than a plate."
• "Don't eat here. We thought we'd booked a nice meal in an upmarket hotel. Oh, how wrong we were."
• "The roast dinner was not good at all, fatty meat and undercooked roast potatoes."

Location and Atmosphere

Pros:

• "Food very good, bar good and location is perfect right in the middle of Aviemore."
• "The pub area was friendly and cosy."
• "Nice atmosphere. Tables cleared immediately they were vacated."
• "Great location."
• "Very near the railway station. Warm welcome, very clean and tidy."
• "Great spot. Good bar staff. Live music every night we were there."
• "The Cairngorm Hotel feels magical. The rooms, bar, live acoustic musician, and dining room are very nice, cozy, yet spacious."

Cons:

• "However, we now have a small dog who is not welcome in the bar. I’m not going to sit in a foyer by reception to enjoy a drink."
• "The music was very loud and when trying to have a conversation the fiddle music sounded like screeching."
• "On the weekends you can hear the band or music playing inside of your room."
• "It was a bit noisy from outside busy Aviemore but that's to be expected if, like us, you must have an open window, and we slept well regardless."
• "The pub is located inside the hotel and it's cozy enough but not quite local enough for my taste."
• "Seems amazing to me that there is no area inside you can enjoy a meal if you have a dog."
• "This is an old, creaky hotel with moldy ceilings, thin walls, loud bar noises until the late evening, and no functioning Wi-Fi."

Value and Pricing

Pros:

• "The room rates and the prices for food and drink are reasonable."
• "Service was great, no long waiting times."
• "Food was good quality and arrived quickly."
• "Meals are good quality, hearty, tasty and not drowned by sauce."
• "The food was fantastic, all freshly cooked and very well priced."
• "The prices are very reasonable for Aviemore and the staff are ultra friendly given the pressure they are under as its always busy."
• "Very generous portions, good food and top service - we would definitely come back."

Cons:

• "im 70years olde & i just paid the most ive ever paid for a pint of ale….No wonder pubs are Dying,,,,,,,, £6.30…….😲"
• "Food is seriously over priced for what it is. Very expensive pub grub."
• "The only downside is the drinks prices which are noticeably more expensive than the other pubs in town."
• "Unlike all the other hotels on our trip, the Cairngorms Hotel insisted on charging us the full rate for our unused booking."
• "The ‘snug’ double room for 2 nights £298... wasn't worth £298."
• "Given we paid over 200++ per night the place was not up to standards at all!"
• "The rooms are well appointed and comfortable however unlike most of the hotels we stayed in during our trip to Scotland breakfast wasn't included, if you do it will cost you £12 premium."