Macdonald Lochanhully Resort

Negatives: There was an overwhelming damp/off smell when we first entered the apartment which I later discovered came from the vacuum cleaner when I used it. The bathroom light and hot water tap didn't work and the duvet for the sofa bed had a yellow stain on it. The "free kids club" is a run down cabin in which you pay £1 per game of pool (don't expect chalk). There are no plug sockets beside the bedroom mirror/dressing table. The bar area was always empty. Positives: The area is fantastic. My kids loved feeding the ducks and walking around the grounds finding the assault course, as they called it. The kitchenette was well equipped. The pool is ok. It was peaceful and really lovely to be surrounded by nature. We used the accommodation more as a base for discovering attractions nearby. However, had the restaurant been open or if there were better amenities indoors (for when the weather was poor) then we might have spent more time at the resort.

Felt compelled to come and write a review. I booked, I read the reviews after and I was very nervous about my family of 5 spending 3 nights here BUT is was ok. Yes the cabin was dated, furniture and carpets could do with a revamp. However kitchen and bathroom was new and very clean, shower was actually excellent. Agree that the wooden panelling wasn't very clean and I had to go round it myself but it was fine. It was a great base for exploring surroundings, the resort itself was lovely. Friendly ducks and peacock coming to your cabin each morning. This was a good base for us, we didn't spend much time at the resort and we were straight to bed when we got home each evening. We used pool, steam and sauna and it was fine. Kids had a ball. I think you get what you pay for in Aviemore. I seemed to get a discounted last minute rate and would have been disappointed if I had to pay more for what we got, because it is very basic and in need of a bit of TLC but you don't go there to hang around and look at the dated interiors. 2 bed cabin was a squeeze for 5 of us but again not an issue as it's just some where to sleep. I would go back, we had a great October week in Aviemore and a great night sleep each night.

We arrived at 335pm, we thought check in was 4pm like ALL the other McDonald's resorts, to be told it was not till 5pm from a less than welcoming receptionist. As we had 2 small kids we asked if we could please get in slightly earlier as they eat around 5pm? He told us yes if we paid an extra £29! We used the toilet at reception which was disgusting, blocked sink and dirty toilet. There was no help or hi how are you from this receptionist just staring at us and rude! As soon as we got in to the lodge the smell of dampness was overwhelming. We could see at the side of the beds the wood panels had been sanded to remove damp spores recently as the varnish was off these areas! Check in at 5pm and out by 10am is something we've NEVER had on holiday either. All of us have been unwell since getting home and off work. ALL our clothes and jackets stank of DAMPNESS.

Shabby interior with stained pillows and holes in the bed linens Broken bath overflowing and fire . Everything needed a good clean

We checked in late, around 9.30pm and by the time we unpacked our car and got inside we immediately noticed the terrible smell. It was very damp smelling, the main bedroom had a ridiculous amount of hair on the pillows and in the bedding, sheets were stained and just overall very dirty, dusty and rundown. We then discovered the terrible smell was coming from the bathroom, it was covered in black mold. It was so cold inside the chalet the bedsheets felt damp, and turning on the heater created even more terrible smells. As it was not almost 10pm we didn’t feel there was much we could do after a day of traveling - especially as the property was full. The next morning I reached out to the property, they did offer a solution for our second night and relocated us to the sister property in Spey Valley which was appreciated, but unfortunately was not very convenient and obviously for a family of 4 during a 2 night stay we had to repack and move, all while MacDonald resorts have refused to even partially refund our first nights stay. Unfortunately an £80 credit for their restaurant which we had no intention of eating at was not acceptable. I am still in shock that the resort think it acceptable to rent out a chalet in such a terrible state, and to then blame it on their housekeeping crew for not notifying management, the state it was in did not happen overnight this is months if not years worth of mold and damp growth. Very disappointed.

Amazing location

It was amazing. Wonderful for families.

A nice lodge to stay with the kids for a couple of nights. Clean and tidy but very dated and dull. Staff were friendly and facilities were good. The wildlife around us kept the children amused. Local neighbouring town of Aviemore is a few minutes drive away.

The only annoying thing was there was only a single bed and a double bed made up. We had to make up the sofa bed and the single pull out. They knew there were two children. Apart from that it was fine and had everything we needed. We were busy throughout the day so we left the sofa bed up.