First (toddler) holiday: Crieff Hydro, Gleneagles, Auchrannie Resort?

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We are planning our first family holiday in September. We hope to travel from Edinburgh by train/bus. Traveling with DC (3.5 and 2 years) for four nights, and as we haven't traveled since 2018, we've got a bigger holiday budget than we're likely to have again!

Three options keep popping up: Crieff Hydro, Auchrannie and Gleneagles.

Our ideal situation:

• Excellent restaurant and babysitting so adults can have romantic dinner while kids snooze (this is my husband's priority)
• Plenty of fun on grounds or within walking distance/bus for little kids
• I love beautiful/characterful properties but this isn't as important as the above (photos I've seen of Auchrannie don't appeal)
• A creche could be nice but DC quite shy and I won't make them use it if they don't enjoy it

We could afford Gleneagles but some recent reviews have been negative. Since this will be the most I will spend on a hotel ever, I feel I might be annoyed if service isn't fabulous!

If we didn't have kids, I'd want to stay in Monachyle Mhor or a country hotel with a Michelin style restaurant. With kids -- we don't have the experience to know what works best for a relaxed, pampering holiday for everyone.

Any ideas of which option could be best, and if there is a lesser known hotel that would suit us better? Thank you!

Have you considered Dunkeld House Hotel?

It's a beautiful period building in lovely grounds on the river Tay. Has a pool and excellent restaurant. They will organise babysitting for you.

All 3 are great options. I would probably go for Auchrannie though. Large soft play on site, and Arran is small but so much to explore too.

Gleneagles

I’d look at taking the train to Dunkeld, Pitlochry or Aviemore. All have hotel options but we’ve not used the babysitting so you’d have to look into that. All towns have easy links to the train, loads to do/see and everything in walking distance.

I’m late to this thread but 100% Crieff…I first went in 1971 as a baby and have been so many times over the years. We took our kids as toddlers/youngsters then through their teens and my eldest has now been a few times with her partner.

Really didn’t rate Crieff Hydro when we stayed 2 years ago, pool was ok, grounds are nice but the restaurants weren’t great and the room was stuffy and in need of upgrade. The breakfast experience wasn’t at a level I’d expect of that price but it was just after lockdown so maybe wasn’t the usual set up. We much preferred Peebles hydro when we stayed a few years previously, restaurant was lovely and we had a great room in the refurbished wing.