Atholl Palace Hotel

I took my mum here for her birthday weekend and the palace itself is architecturally beautiful and the grounds are magnificent. The hotel itself is tired looking, layers of paint on woodwork, chipped door frames, old carpet etc, a small section is fine however this is across the whole of the hotel and those little details matter when it’s everywhere. The room was small but clean. It was evident the hotel was understaffed in house keeping and dinner service. The breakfast buffet isn’t replenished often so when we went down there wasn’t much left there. It’s also not staffed therefore it all looked a bit messy, no glasses left to use, not obvious where to get toast etc. The woman who showed us to our seat also asked only my mum if she would like tea or coffee and didn’t ask me, there was also no cutlery on the table so I had to help myself from their drawer, again these things wouldn’t be an issue to me… in a premier inn, but we did pay for the premium of a good service at what is meant to be the best hotel in Pitlochry so it did irate me that the bare minimums weren’t being met. Upon booking I didn’t have the option to book the full two nights in one room which I had to do separate, when arriving they said they could keep us in the one room which was great, when we got to the room I realised this was the lesser expensive of the rooms I had booked so I called reception to see if we could be given something complimentary to make up for this and was told they can just book us the other room the next day (would mean leaving at checkout and getting access to our new room after 3pm which would be disruptive) we declined this offer however no refund was offered for the difference in the pricing or anything complimentary which was a little disappointing considering there was a difference in cost between the rooms, I also wanted to mention they were 1 hour late in giving us access to our room and provided nothing for this, no free drink at the bar or tea and coffee, just told sorry for the wait. The bar was brilliant and made our entire stay, the live singer was great and the bar staff were extremely friendly and hospitable in here. My feelings are honestly very mixed, I do think we could have received a lot better service and have been made to feel a lot more welcomed than we did unfortunately. My mum throughly enjoyed her stay and didn’t allow these niggles to ruin her weekend by any means but it has annoyed me a bit for the cost of the weekend to have came away with subpar service and hospitality. Would I come back again? I’d probably book another hotel in the area next time and only visit atholl palace and facilities so no, I likely won’t stay here again unfortunately, as it has been a luxury hotel in its history but as of today it’s definitely not a luxury trip away.

We stayed as a couple and had a wonderful experience from beginning to end. We were warmly picked up at the train station, welcomed by the lovely Connor at reception and greeted with a bottle of prosecco in our room. Our room was clean, warm and cosy, and exactly what we had booked. We particularly appreciated the spaciousness, which allowed us to relax in the armchairs rather than spending all our time on the bed. Although the hotel was very busy, it never felt hectic. Quite the opposite, we felt completely relaxed, and the atmosphere was intimate and homely. We spent plenty of time in the bar, playing cards and occasionally enjoying a meal there. Our favourites were the delicious daily soups! There are several lovely spaces throughout the hotel to play cards, chess or board games, as well as a snooker table. Just a short walk away, there's also a pitch-and-putt course and a tennis court. Both could have been better maintained, as the golf greens weren't in the best condition and the tennis court was covered in leaves. Perhaps this was due to it being towards the end of the season. Nevertheless, both were still playable, and we enjoyed making use of them. There's certainly plenty to keep you entertained if you fancy spending a day or two at the hotel. The hotel is also conveniently located near the heart of Pitlochry. We enjoyed walking into town and to the train station, which made exploring other towns easy, even without a car. There are also several lovely hiking trails and woodland walks nearby, perfect for enjoying the Scottish scenery. The spa was relaxing. We enjoyed the jacuzzi and booked a classic back massage, which was very well done. Spending some time in the relaxation room afterwards rounded off the experience beautifully. Unfortunately, the spa doesn't have a sauna, but if you're not expecting one, you probably won't miss it. The staff were consistently professional, attentive and friendly. A special thank you to Connor, who seemed to be everywhere at once, and to the bar staff for looking after so many guests with such attentiveness. If you're on holiday and looking for a place where you can have fun, explore the surroundings and truly unwind, this is a wonderful choice. We’re already looking forward to returning, next time with the whole family!

Staff were very friendly and helpful, beautiful surroundings of the palace. If you like history as well in the basement has a bit of a museum to check out, really neat! Not used to using a key to get into lodging rooms but it was an added touch to the authenticity of the age of the place. Would definitely recommend staying here. They have a pitch and putt but didn't get a chance to check it out.

Stunning hotel and grounds. Staff very accommodating and decorated the room for my friends 40th. Food was amazing and the staff in Stags Head couldn't do enough for us. Spa facilities and swimming pool were fabulous. Bedroom was spacious and comfortable but a little tired in places. Also a fan would be good as no air con and room very warm. That is the only negative in what was a very enjoyable stay. I will definitely be back again.