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Original poster

Crieff Hydro with eighteen month old

17 replies

theotherfossilsister · 30/01/2024 12:27

We booked a last minute break to Crieff Hydro, after a difficult few months. Never been to a five star hotel before so I'm quite excited, but also not sure what to do there. We're taking the bus from Stirling as we don't drive, and we will have our eighteen month old who is too young for the kid's clubs. What can we do there? I like the idea of long walks, letting baby out to play and climb and burn off energy so there's a chance he will sleep.

I was wondering what the restaurants are like there and which one is most child friendly (we're not going to inflict ourselves on people who are going for fine dining but would nice to be able to eat in restaurants.)

We're there for a weekend and I cannot wait. Any advice would be amazing x

OP posts:

shreknjumps · 30/01/2024 13:09

Hmm, shame they're not big enough for the kids club but you can do swimming. Either restaurant is fine, neither of them are fine dining.

A long walk up to the big bouncy pillows, are toddlers allowed on there? Would've thought so, there's a big playground too.

Check out the entertainment boards, there is usually a magician or something for the kids

Original poster

theotherfossilsister · 30/01/2024 13:41

Thank you, I've never heard of the bouncy pillows but they sound fun, just going to Google now xx

OP posts:

BigBoysDontCry · 30/01/2024 13:57

Didn't realise they had raised the age for the kids club. It's been a long time since we've been but the first time we went with kids, DS1 was about 15 months and DS2 was 8 weeks. We'd booked in DS1 for a couple of hours to have dinner but they insisted I leave ebf DS2 as well as they were quiet and wanted a cuddle 😁

Redglitter · 30/01/2024 20:31

The only restaurant I'd avoid is The Meikle. Its the 'posh' one. The other 3 are probably more family friendly

MrsRL · 30/01/2024 21:26

We prob did crieff hydro when DC was around the same age. It’s a bit hilly, but nice to wander into town. If you eat early 5-6ish at the terrace it will be full of families. The baby pool is nice and warm. Highly recommend the spa, we tag teamed, so one of us looked after DC while the other had a massage and then swapped over, bonus if you can organise this over nap time

fourelementary · 30/01/2024 21:30

It’s lovely… when we went pre covid, maybe as far back as 2014/2015 there was a wee soft play… the pool is fine for a wee one and there was a cinema room too which I’m sure I just BF baby DS in and watched the film with Dd who was 4 at the time…
Like others have said- it’s family friendly anyway so the non posh restaurants are all nice and the surroundings are fab. Enjoy!!

BigBoysDontCry · 30/01/2024 21:35

I just realised that I'm so old that the Crieff hydro was still "dry" when we first went, pre DC.

You technically could buy alcohol but there was only 1 smallish room where it was served and we didn't fancy going in, felt like we'd be treated like alcoholics 😂

Hope you have a lovely time.

We ended up with a massive corner room when we first took DC as we needed 2 cots. I think in the end we had 2 double beds, two cots, a sitting area and still plenty of room to push the pram around.

Vari757 · 03/02/2024 10:05

I went to Creiff Hydro recently and it was awful. It's also not a 5 star hotel... not by a long stretch.
Food was awful, hotel was dirty they also don't have enough staff for the sheer size of the place.
We complained 5 times during a 24 hour stay and the staff didn't care.
Save your money and don't bother or pay a little extra and go to Gleneagles.

shreknjumps · 03/02/2024 14:41

"We complained 5 times during a 24 hour stay and the staff didn't care."

5 times?! God, you must never have been away from reception 🤣

AprilRoche · 04/02/2024 11:26

Do manage your expectations- it's definitely not 5 star. Fun activities but very very scruffy.

villamariavintrapp · 04/02/2024 11:58

Not been for a couple of years, but there was soft play near the sports hall, and a brilliant park in Crieff just across the road from the hydro which was nice to walk through and also had various play park bits in.

bowwowwowser · 05/02/2024 16:43

We went last year and I agree it's far from 5 star, but we had a pretty good time with young children (especially having rented one of their little cabins with a sitting room, kitchen, and second bedroom for the kids). My toddlers enjoyed the pool and the disco room. The soft play room was scruffy and didn't appeal, and overall I thought most of the activities/facilities would be better for the 7-12 age range.

For us the food was the big down side. We were there in mid-september (which was off-season for them) and options were very limited -- they wouldn't do afternoon tea, The Meikle and some other options were completely closed. I think only two restaurants were open and it was very mediocre hotel food.

However, to people who suggest Gleneagles, I'd point out that they are not in the same price range at all (I think Crieff Hydro was about one third of the price of Gleneagles when I went!).

KinKenKon · 05/02/2024 18:44

in mid-september (which was off-season for them) and options were very limited -- they wouldn't do afternoon tea, The Meikle and some other options were completely closed.

I think they have really struggled for staff since Brexit/covid

Original poster

theotherfossilsister · 06/02/2024 22:14

Hey, thanks for all advice. I see what pps mean about soft play being scruffy but DC loved it, despite being picked up repeatedly by older children. Pool was also great for DC although if we went again I'd be tempted to pay extra so I could use Victorian pool, as it was too full to actually swim.

The small action glen up the hill was also good, and I liked the food. It seemed a bit luxurious to me.

OP posts:

Lifebeganat50 · 06/02/2024 23:16

BigBoysDontCry · 30/01/2024 21:35

I just realised that I'm so old that the Crieff hydro was still "dry" when we first went, pre DC.

You technically could buy alcohol but there was only 1 smallish room where it was served and we didn't fancy going in, felt like we'd be treated like alcoholics 😂

Hope you have a lovely time.

We ended up with a massive corner room when we first took DC as we needed 2 cots. I think in the end we had 2 double beds, two cots, a sitting area and still plenty of room to push the pram around.

I’ve been going since I was a baby in 1971, my parents and their friends took it in turns to have pre dinner drinks in each others rooms from the bathroom glasses 😂

Still love the Hydro now, as do my (now adult!) kids-you’ll have a lovely time there

Lifebeganat50 · 06/02/2024 23:17

D’oh just realised you’ve been now😂 Glad you enjoyed it

FuckinghellthatsUnbelievable · 06/02/2024 23:34

KinKenKon · 05/02/2024 18:44

in mid-september (which was off-season for them) and options were very limited -- they wouldn't do afternoon tea, The Meikle and some other options were completely closed.

I think they have really struggled for staff since Brexit/covid

I live locally and they are known as being pretty poor employers. Owner has been in the papers complaining locals don’t want to work and he can’t recruit abroad. It was running at 80% capacity as can’t recruit/ retain housekeepers.

That said Ive stayed stayed a few times and always found the rooms seemed clean although communal areas looked a bit run down. I’d definitely wash cups/ glasses before use, they use the dirty pillowcase from the last guest to clean the crockery 🤢

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