Crieff Hydro - hotel or cottage?

[Househunter]

I'm looking at staying at Crieff Hydro next summer. DC will be 7 and 5. I've seen some mixed reviews of the rooms and lodges and just wondering if anyone can recommend one over the other? Would ideally like something a little luxurious (or at least not too scruffy!)

[Househunter]

Hopeful bump for any Crieff hydro tips please. Or is there anywhere else with childcare included and nice accommodation and food (heard it's not always the best at Crieff!)

[victoryinthekitchen]

Maybe look at Forest Hills near Aberfoyle, not been for a while but they had nice lodges and kids club! Also Peebles Hydro, that's hotel only (very nice food and good pool / kids club though).

[myotherusernameisbetter]

Ive stayed in Hotel, executive lodges (cabins) and the proper Culcrieff ones.

Culcrieff were really lovely - a bit of a walk or a drive to the hotel proper but near the driving range etc. Executive lodges are near the hotel and are nice enough but not as nice as Culcrieff or the hotel. The smaller ones aren't that practical with young kids, as the sofa bed type thing is on the ground floor with the bedroom above. We had to take the cushions of and make a bed up in our room as I didn't like that arrangement when ours were small (younger than yours though)

We had a fabulous room one time as we needed two cots - we ended up with a room in the curved tower bit on the corner - it was humungous and we could wheel the pram about and still had a double bed, a single and two cots!

Food can be a bit of a hit or a miss but childcare is really good.

The hilton coylumbridge is fairly good for food and childcare though the accommodation I would say is ok rather than luxurious and you've got to be quick getting tables booked or you could end up with a late slot.

[AmandaTanen]

There are executive chalets right next to the hotel, but these are normally on a DBB basis. There is 1 bedroom upstairs and the kids would be in the living room, I would probably only use these with teens. Culcrieff is lovely, have stayed in a few of them, and love it. If you prefer the hotel, I would recommend paying for an executive family room, they tend to be suited in quieter locations, not near the lifts, and are more spacious. The 3 star chalets behind the tennis courts are not where I would want to stay, and the reviews are not good. Although they are meant to be getting refurbished.

We have also stayed at the murraypark, the sister hotel. Well worth checking out too. Food is lovely.

Booked dinner, big country and any activites you want to do well in advance.

[Househunter]

Thanks all. I thought I had decided on a hotel room rather than a lodge when I factored in the distance that the lodges are from the main hotel. However I see Crieff Hydro is dog friendly and I am very allergic. I can't seem to get any confirmation out of them about whether they have family rooms that have both a separate sleeping area for kids an are dog free. And not sure I want to spend over £2000 to take that risk. So back to the drawing board...

[OwlMother]

Have a look at Auchrannie. Lovely place, very family friendly and much nicer than Crieff hydro. auchrannie.co.uk

[mipmop]

I'd say self-catering with children unless it was a very short break- for the extra space and the ease of suiting yourself. The 3 bed 5* "cottages" (with Mc names e.g. McAndrew etc) are next to the play park and tennis courts, so about one minute walk from the hotel. The Hydro is so close to Crieff town centre that the hotel run buses to the town and local takeaways will deliver to you. Culcrieff looks gorgeous and would be handy for golf and the paid-for children's activities. Being near the hotel is good for the swimming pool, trampolines and other garden games, visiting the ducks and rabbits, and the horse riding.

I am interested to hear about alternatives. My preschooler loves Crieff Hydro

[AmandaTanen]

I'd always thought that the main hotel is dog free, and some of the chalets allow pets. The murraypark allows dogs to stay but there are kennels if staying at the main hotel.

[AgentProvocateur]

I was going to suggest Auchrannie too. It's wonderful. We go every year, even though our DC are adults now.

[OftheTwilighttheDarkness]

I would go to the Dunkeld Hilton, it is much nicer Crieff Hydro is ok but Crieff is vile. The best bit if the town is the public toilet.

[Househunter]

Thanks for the suggestions. Will look into them. Just to say it doesn't have to be Scotland. We live in Northern England so could also travel south for somewhere child friendly especially if there is childcare available!

[myotherusernameisbetter]

What about centerparcs? They have child care facilities.

[KissMyFatArse]

Don't rule out Crieff hydro too soon! Hotel rooms were great, large family rooms, brilliant facilities for kids and AMAZING buffet brekkies.

No Animals in hotel anytime we've stayed so assume that must be for the lodges.x

[CampingClaire]

What about //www.eaglebrae.co.uk near Inverness. Not been but it looks amazing...no pool but loads to do apart from that and they have to be the most luxurious looking log cabins I've ever seen! Not too far a drive from West Coast beaches and the dolphin spotting on the Cromarty Firth.

[Househunter]

That place looks lovely CampingClaire but a bit too long a drive for us. Not ruled out Crieff but might do it as a short break sometime rather than our main holiday.