Ballathie House

Ballathie House enjoys a lovely setting beside the River Tay, and the main building has all the character one would hope for from a traditional Scottish country-house hotel. The public rooms are spacious and elegant, with high ceilings, fireplaces, period furniture and plenty of quiet seating areas. I initially booked one of the cheaper “garden rooms”. It was clean and functional, but extremely plain, with basic furnishings and little sense of being at Ballathie. In truth, it could have been a room in almost any modern budget hotel. I had not studied the photographs carefully enough when booking, but prospective guests should be aware that the garden rooms provide a very different experience from the main house. Fortunately, a room in the main building was available for a modest supplement, and the upgrade transformed the stay. My upper-floor corner room had high ceilings, sash windows on two sides, a view towards the Tay, better furnishings, complimentary water and a proper selection of bathroom toiletries. For the extra money, it was unquestionably a worthwhile upgrade. The hotel grounds include terraced gardens going down to the riverbank, making for a very pleasant stroll before dinner. The hotel’s public areas and riverside setting are excellent, and the staff I encountered were pleasant. The main weakness was the guest Wi-Fi. My phone remained connected, but my laptop was blocked. When I reported it, reception acknowledged that I was “not the only one”, suggesting this is a known problem. Dinner was excellent, as you'd hope for the price, with impeccable service which I'll review separately. I did not take breakfast, although the buffet appeared to offer a decent selection of fruit, cold meats, croissants and the usual cooked Scottish items. Overall, Ballathie is a very attractive country-house hotel, but I would strongly recommend booking a room in the main building. The garden rooms may suit someone seeking cheaper, practical accommodation, but they do not offer the same character or atmosphere.

A perfect location, beautiful main building, with a deceptive experience. The room was in what most seemed to be a campsite that in no case deserves a class of 4 stars. The outdoor lights lit until after 2am enter through the door window. The windows have no blackouts or locks, forcing to wake up with sunrise. At breakfast, which is marked in advance, the cheese, for example, “is already done”.

Wonderful location, restaurant staff and food were both amazing, scallops were the best we had ever had. We stayed in the main house in a lovely large room with the biggest bath I’ve ever seen!