Dalhousie Castle Hotel And Spa — Hotel in Great Britain

I want to preface this review by stating that I visited Dalhousie Castle in June 2022, and had an absolutely amazing stay- I had such a magical experience that year that, when my fiancé and I decided to visit Scotland this year, I insisted that we stay here for a couple nights- we booked two nights, with dinner and breakfast included. After our stay this May, however, I deeply regret that decision.||||This is also not a condemnation of the hardworking, and obviously overworked, staff at the castle, who were all wonderful (especially Craig and Kierra!). Rather, the issues below stem from systemic mismanagement at the castle, and repeated failures of communication. These issues take time to resolve, and with new management at the Castle, there is hope that things improve over the next year, and Dalhousie can once again live up to its own promises. Until then, don't go unless you want your fairytale escape to turn grim!||||From the very start, things began on the wrong foot for us. The castle is undergoing extensive renovations, with most of the common areas within the castle closed off for work, and crews working throughout the day using power tools. None of this was communicated to us (even though we booked in October, before these renovations started!), nor can any mention of the work be found on the website, even when booking today! This sort of notification would be a basic courtesy at any hotel, but should be a necessity for a luxury hotel promising a "storybook fairytale" (quoted from their website). Entering the castle, only to be met with scaffolding, sawdust, and boarded off areas immediately broke the enchantment Dalhousie promised.||||After checking in, we headed down to the spa for our couples massage. It should be noted that the process to book with the spa is convoluted at best- I had to email multiple times to secure the timing for the massage, including following up when my messages were not responded to, and even after all that was required to provide a card number over the phone for pre-booking (the only time I had to make a call across all the various stays and activities I planned for our whole trip). Still, this would not normally be noteworthy, except that it meant that the spa had both my email and phone number and had used direct lines of communication with me multiple times.||||So when we arrived to check in for our couples' massage, it came as a shock when we were informed that they only had one masseuse on site that day, and we would have to get our treatments back-to-back rather than together! There was only a feigning of apology from the spa manager, and no offer to try and reschedule the treatments during our stay, or otherwise accommodate us. Hardly the energy that we should have been presented with at the start of a luxurious spa day!||||We figured this must've been due to an unexpected absence and understood the situation, but to my surprise my masseuse mentioned that the other masseuse was off that day because it was her birthday! I want to be clear that I'm glad she was spending her birthday with family, and have no ill will to the masseuse. However, a birthday is hardly an unexpected or surprise event, and something that the spa manager should have communicated! From the above, they had both my email and phone number- there was no effort to try and inform us of this significant change in our plan, or work with us to try and accommodate the massage at another point in our stay.||||We then had dinner at the Dungeon, which was lovely, and I will say that the food is delicious and our time that night was as great an experience as I remember from 3 years ago. Every course was brought to our table with the warmth expected of a fancy restaurant, and our waitress Kierra made sure we were well taken care of.||||The next morning, after a decent breakfast, things again quickly went off the rails. We decided to walk the tranquil gardens and grounds at the back of the estate, but had not gone out far when we heard a loud bang coming from the castle! Dalhousie has, apparently, recently begun offering clay pigeon shooting, which occurs directly in front of the castle entrance and car park. For anyone with a sensitivity or trauma related to gunfire, or whose spa day was continuously disturbed by the sound of shotgun fire, this could easily ruin an entire stay. And, yet again, this was not something ever mentioned to us, nor discoverable on their site!||||With our walk repeatedly interrupted by the sounds of birdshot being fired, we decided to head back to the castle and just relax in the library, the only communal space open to guests that was not a restaurant. However, the library sits overlooking the car park, and again, the sounds of the clay pigeon shooting prevented us from any sense of calm and relaxation. We decided to head back to our room, but along the way checked in with reception to confirm when our dinner reservation was for the Dungeon. To our surprise, the receptionist mentioned we had been booked for the Orangery (Dalhousie's other restaurant) that evening.||||As mentioned at the top, our booking included dinner and breakfast, and in the booking description (as well as based on what we paid) each night was intended for the Dungeon, Dalhousie's fine dining restaurant. The Orangery, by comparison, is decent but offers a significantly less impressive and downscaled dinner offering (if you can even locate the offerings- their dinner menu is quite difficult to find online). The difference is enough that, had we eaten at the Orangery that night, our package booking would likely have been more expensive than had we purchased dinners and breakfasts a la carte.||||Back at reception, we were able to get our reservation changed to the Dungeon easily, with the receptionist confirming that it was indeed included in our booking. This was at about 13:30, so well before dinner began.||||When we arrived to dinner that evening, though, the head waiter gave us a puzzled look, saying that he still had us scheduled for the Orangery! By this point, this sort of miscommunication was expected from Dalhousie, and in most cases would not be noteworthy. However, our arrival clearly caused some sort of minor panic, and we were hurriedly placed at a table and brought menus quickly and unceremoniously. That cold tone persisted throughout the whole of dinner, with dishes practically plopped on our table- it very much felt like our presence was an annoyance and logistical problem, and we got none of the warmth we'd received just the day before. Despite priding itself as an elevated dining experience, we felt unwelcome and wanted nothing more than to eat our (£75/pp!) dinner as quick as possible, so we could retreat into our rooms.||||The final morning of the stay was fine, with us again looking to wander the grounds in the morning, and again having our hopes of a tranquil walk dashed as the sound of gunfire rang out across the fields. At last our taxi was called, and at last we left Dalhousie Castle.||||I've written this extensive review with the intent that future guests consider carefully booking in its current state. The issues above were not the only ones of our stay, but the most notable and impactful, and the current state of Dalhousie can be described as chaotic, at best. For the hospitality industry, "surprise and delight" are the name of the game. At Dalhousie, we were continuously surprised at how our stay was lessened by things that were never communicated to us or forewarned of until we were at the hotel, and we were delighted whenever something went (mostly right) with our stay. I would expect this chaos from a humble hotel, but for the luxury that Dalhousie promises, and the cost it commands, I would advise people to stay clear until they have righted their ship, which is hopefully...

Overall, this visit was a disappointment compared to our previous stay.||||Most of the staff came across as brisk and unfriendly, with only one or two exceptions who were pleasant and took the time to engage. Our room appeared unfinished, with exposed wires in the walls, a mirror that hadn’t been mounted, a bathroom tap that turned the wrong way, and a sink plug that didn’t function properly. These issues were surprising, especially as these features seemed to be recent additions.||||The layout was also poorly thought out. For instance, the fridge was placed inside the wardrobe, but both wardrobe doors had to be open to access it, which was awkward given how close it was to the bed. There were no instructions provided in the room for using the coffee machine or the heating system, nor were there any directions to the orangery for breakfast.||||Breakfast itself was underwhelming, especially compared to our last visit. The potato cake was consistently overcooked. On the first morning, I requested mayonnaise and, after a long wait, was given some sloppily served in a dirty mug. On the second morning, the woman who appeared to be in charge was quite rude. She ignored us upon arrival, then told us we’d have to wait for a table to be cleared—even though there were several that needed attention. It felt like poor planning, as our arrival should have been expected. We waited ten minutes for someone to take our order, and our drinks didn’t arrive until after the food.||||While clearing a nearby table, a younger staff member pointed out a broken jam holder to the same lady in charge, who responded—loudly enough for us to hear—with a comment: "bloody Frenchies." I can only assume this was directed at the family who had just vacated the table, which was inappropriate and unprofessional. Strangely, when a man in a suit—presumably a manager—appeared, her demeanour changed completely, and she became friendly and attentive.||||We dined in the Dungeon one evening. The table was noticeably wobbly, and the waitress immediately said, “I’ll get you something for that,” suggesting it was a known issue that hadn’t been addressed. We were given a piece of cork to place under the leg. While the food was of good quality, the experience was let down by slow service—there seemed to be only one waitress handling the food. Plates arrived with visible fingerprints, and when we mentioned it, we received a mumbled response that they “should have been polished.” The menus were in cheap plastic sleeves, making them difficult to read. Additionally, the option for cheese and biscuits at the end wasn’t explained clearly—it turned out to be an optional extra but was never mentioned or offered until we specifically asked.||||Given the cost of our stay, the overall experience fell far short of expectations. The staff largely seemed disinterested in engaging with guests. We were nearly charged for two Dungeon meals, despite only dining there once, and we have yet to receive a copy of our bill—even though we requested it at checkout and were told it would be emailed.||||From speaking with the two staff members who did take the time to chat with us, it seems the hotel has changed ownership. While there is clearly some investment being made into refurbishing the property and creating new spaces, the execution feels rushed and lacks attention to detail, which is negatively impacting the guest experience. It appears the day-to-day operations are now managed by a separate company that doesn’t share the same passion for the building or its visitors.||||||||||From: Jolene Imlach ||Sent: Monday, September 08, 2025 10:30||To: Jolene Imlach ||Subject:||||||Staff in general were quite brisk and unfriendly, with the exeption of one or two.||||Our room didn't seem to be finished, with exposed wires in the walls, mirror not fixed to wall and tap in bathroom that turned the wrong way and plug in sink didn't work.|||| correctly. Or vey well thought out, considering they were new additions. The fridge was in the wardrobe, but you had to open both doors to be able to open or close the fridge door which made manoeuvring difficult as the wardrobe was very close to the bed. There were no instructions in the room for the coffee machine or heating, or basic directions to the orangery for breakfast. ||||Breakfasts weren't as good as our previous visit, potato cake was consistently over done. I asked for mayonnaise and on the first morning received this slopped into a dirty mug after waiting long enough to have nearly finished. On the second morning the lady who seemed to be in charge was rude.when we arrived for breakfast she completely ignored us, then told us we would have to wait while they cleared a table ( there were many tables that needed clearing) which I thought was poor planning as they should have been expecting us. We then waited 10 minutes for someone to take our order, the drinks arrived after our food. While clearing a nearby table one of the younger staff members noticed a broken part on one of the jam Holders and pointed this out to the lady in charge, who commented loud enough for us to hear "bloody frenchies" which I can only assume was a reference to the family that had been sitting there. ||||Before we left another gentleman in a suit, who I believe must have been management had arrived and the lady in charge suddenly transformed into a friendly, smiling member of staff. ||||We ate in the dungeon one night and when we sat down the table was very wonky, the first thing the waitress said was "I will get you something for that" which would suggest to me that it is an ongoing issue that should have been rectified We were brought a slice of cork to put under the leg.. While the food itself was good quality the whole experience was let down by slow service, there appeared to only be one waitress bringing out food, Plates had very noticeable finger prints all over them and when this was pointed out we just got a mumbled reply about how they should have been polished. The menus were in cheap plastic sleeves that made reading them very difficult, there was an option at the end for cheese and biscuits that wasn't made clear was an optional extra but actually wasn't even mentioned or offered until we asked about it.  Considering the cost of this the overall experience did not live up to expectation.||||||Staff didn't appear to want to engage with guests if they could help it. We were nearly charged for two meals in the dungeon, despite only booking one night. And we still haven't received a copy of our bill despite requesting one when we checked out and being told it would be emailed. ||||||Overall this visit was very disappointing compared to our first visit, I understand from the two members of staff that actually took time to talk to us that the hotel has changed ownership and while the owner seems to be spending some money on improving the castle by refurbishing and creating new spaces, the work seems hurried and not thought through, which is impacting guest enjoyment. The day to day running of the hotel appears to be through another company who clearly don't have the love for the building or the...

An absolutely bizarre experience. We were so excited to stay at a castle and fell over the beauty of the castle’s exterior. I expected a warm welcome upon entering but staff were disinterested and nobody offered any help. A young woman at the desk had me sign paperwork and said our room wasn’t ready but she would call when it was. We did arrive at 12 so that was understandable. However we were hungry and thirsty and asked where lunch was served. I felt like I had to keep asking her questions and she wasn’t friendly or overly helpful. We were told to make our way to the Orangery restaurant where we sat with another couple waiting for nearly 45 minutes. Another family came in and sat down at one point. Finally a young server came in and didn’t acknowledge how long anyone waited and didn’t bring water or take orders. She just went around asking for everyone’s room numbers and names and that was it. I found that odd since lunch service was supposed to start at 12 and it was now nearly 12:45. She left and didn’t come back for another 10 minutes or so. Another server came and brought water but that was it. He said nothing. Finally got water after sitting for all of this time. Then the same server who asked for our room number came back and asked if we were having lunch or tea service. We said we were having lunch and then she quickly told us we had to move to another table only two tables over because we were in the tea section. The restaurant was basically empty. Only 3 tables in the whole restaurant were occupied. I said, you’re really making us move down two tables after waiting for 45 minutes? She responded “You couldn’t have been waiting 45 minutes because someone was down here to take orders 45 minutes ago.” That wasn’t true because when we came down to the restaurant, a couple and a baby were seated at a table and had also been waiting for someone to show up to take their orders. My mom got upset and mentioned that this is deplorable service and the server clapped back with “Oh you think so?” What a little brat! She upset my mom so much that we grabbed our things and walked out. When I brought the incident to the attention of the young woman at reception, she didn’t really have a reaction other than to bring us to a different part of the castle that also serves lunch. She didn’t give us that information before otherwise we wouldn’t have waited in the orangery for 45 minutes. And then with a very insincere apology, she left us in another room and walked back to reception. I read other reviews about the service being bad but this is all really unacceptable for a place that is advertised as high end. Everyone seemed like they would rather be someplace else. We decided to go for a walk while waiting on our room. We stopped by the falconry just to see the birds which was really special, as they were all out on their perches. We also had a chance to get a good look around the castle, and then started to notice all of the issues pointed out by other reviewers. The castle has such an interesting history and I assume was once well taken care of, but I find that much of the furniture is destroyed and in need of replacement. It actually broke my heart being such a history lover to see a castle like this not getting the attention it deserves. Another thing that rubbed me the wrong way, are the vending machines in the public restrooms that dispense sanitary products and aspirin. I asked at reception if they had migraine medication and was directed to a bathroom vending machine which did not work. This is an expensive hotel and I expected a luxurious experience. You can’t supply your guests with basic comfort and necessities without charging extra? That’s nuts! We stayed in a classic castle room(11) but they could’ve at least tried a little to make this room nice. Everything can use a major update. The bathroom was poorly lit and the sink barely worked. The only positive thing I can add is that dinner in the dungeon was nice and the food was actually very good. Our beds were also good. Leaving sad and...