Aviemore: Scotland: Chirstmas....

[shhhh]

Anyone any experience of this place as a place to visit at christmas allowing our lo's to see santa and SNOW (!!)...?

Wanted to go to lapland BUT with dd (2.6 years) and ds (9 month)I don't think they would be old enough to appreciate such a journey atm iykwim.

DH read a write up about the above place in the times and has since looked it up on the internet. Looks fab for a weekend break.
Anyone any experience and can you recommend somewhere nice to stay. Looked at the macdonald chain hotel BUT tripadvisor don't give it too good a write up...
Looking for somewhere nice and luxary.

We stayed here 2 Christmas's ago with 4 and 3 yr old dcs

Sadly there was not much snow except on top of Cairngorm but the scenery was fab and all the Santa stuff great.

It did snow the evening of our last night so we were outside in the pitch black having snowball fights!

Hilton have aplace just outside the town which has loads for the kids and also on the way to the Cairngorm railway, which is a must.Also try the Dalfaber estate which has time share for hire, the Macdonald is fine depends on your standards, but it is in the centre of town. When I say town I do of course mean a very small town. Aviemore is lovely I lived there for a few yeasr when I was much younger. Chance of snow in town is anyones guess, but more likely up the hills.There is a great eating place at the Rothiemurcus Estate just before the Hilton, the food is the best in the area, might be called the Schoolhouse?

thanks carbonel and giggly. Will have a look at the places mentioned with dh later tonight. So it seems like its a good thing for the lo's..? DS will be to young to realise BUT dd will be at an age where I guess she will probably appreciate it a bit...

Hmm...possibly no snow...

We go up to that area quite often, we were up for New Year a few years ago and as we drove up the A9 it was a blizzard and we just made it as they closed the snow gates behind us.

thats a good sign seb...dh is looking for accomodation etc atm.

Just feel that in the uk now..it never seems like christmas..Yeah sure the shops do their best etc BUT imo what makes it is snow...Not had it at christmas for years....Im guessing 10 years..and even then it was probably new years eve...