Ballathie House Hotel

Stunningly gorgeous…. Well trained staff……professional friendly and helpful. Stayed at many fabulous hotels all over the world, but Ballathie House feels like you are just staying with some lovely friends. It feels so relaxing, but also professionally run. We just loved It. The gardens are wonderful to walk In, also a short walk from the Croquet putch?….. down to the river. The staff make the hotel though! We will be back…

A lovely stay as a birthday gift and staff were all very good. Room 8, in the main building overlooking the river was lovely. Breakfast was very good, although for the money paid I would have expected a served menu style served rather than a buffet - good quality with Nethered butter portions, quality sausages, great yoghurt, sauces and delicious strawberries. Would have loved beans but none on offer, nor offered, although did see others getting some portions served to the table. Only slight let down was dinner. 45 minute wait for our amuse bouche, which resulted in an hour wait for our starters. Whilst the whole meal was tasty enough the broccoli veloute was part of your 3 courses for £60 and was basically a small cup of "soup" and was on the lunch menu the next day..... Starters were good but at £60 for 2 courses (I wouldn't count the amuse bouche as a course) I'd have expected 2 scallops (advertised as plural on menu). Mains tasted good. The sauce with the trout was exceptional but my main of lamb should have been served with asparagus but instead I got 1 small piece of tenderstem broccoli. Again,at the price, I would have expected to have been informed of this change. All in all a good stay. Was booked for the food experience rather than the room, but worked out the room was better than the overall dining experience. We did mention the dining wait during dinner and given no explanation and mentioned when checking out and was just advised that they would pass it on.

In a quandary - just how to review this. We had a lovely time at reasonable cost but standards are slipping. We knew last year that big changes were planned but no sign yet ! Grounds are lovely as ever We enjoyed a lovely big bedroom at a very fair price - but it will require serious updating for modern expectations. Also failed the dust test pretty badly. Mattress was in poor condition. Breakfast was included and therefore good value - but a level below our last two visits. My wife was really looking forward to her Eggs Benedict (fraid not !) Dinner was both good and irksome. Meal was very nice but the format was not. I’ve never been charged for an amuse bouche before - or had it counted as one of your 3 courses. Cheeky and self defeating really. Wine (by the glass) mark ups are at the top end of acceptable. Bill was produced at 10pm without request and our time was up ! Apparently. 2 years ago - we had a lovely dinner of amuse bouche , three courses and coffee with petit fours. Last year coffee was extra. This year …. There were some nice touches but hope the direction of travel changes for the future. Also Wi-Fi was awful…. Still - we did have a nice time…