We were attending the memorial service of our dear friend, who was also a popular and much loved member of the Strathdon community. The service was in the Lonach Hall, right next door to the hotel. As we approached the door, we were met outside by Paul the owner, who, whilst on his phone, held his hand out to prevent us from coming any closer, and said " I hope you're not intending to check in" There ensued an exchange where we discovered we were not welcome, as it was inconvenient, and the rooms weren't ready. When we informed him that we had given our arrival time online, he contradicted us. We asked if we could at least have a room to change in, and was told this was not possible. Basically, entry to the hotel was not allowed until he was ready to open the door.
There was a heated discourse, as we couldn't comprehend such inhospitable behaviour, especially at such a distressing time. I turned to my colleague, and under my breath called him a name begining with W. He overheardheard, and asked me what I'd said. I walked off, saying " you heard" he was behaving like a total one.
After the memorial service, we had no option but to return to the hotel. It is THE only accomodation in the Glen. We entered a dark, empty and damp smelling hall, and
eventually our "host" turned up. He aggressively demanded an apology for my remark. When I refused, he told me I wasn't welcome in his hotel, but started to have a change of heart when he saw the three of us leave. He then went into detail about all the troubles he was having. When we told him it wasn't "our" problem, and as a hotelier it was his job to make guests welcome in his establishment regardless of difficulties he may be having, he became highly aggressive again. Eventually, we turned and walked out.
I found this man's behaviour unbelievable, especially given the circumstances, and the fact we were in mourning. He neither had the care or the foresight or community spirit to open his establishment and give hospitality to us, and the 600 people that turned up to mark our friends' passing.
People like him are a prime example of why the Scottish tourist industry has a bad name, and this "hotelier" and his behaviour merely serves to compound it.
Avoid this hotel at all costs he doesn't deserve any patronage.

Four of us went to this hotel for one night. On arrival we were told our room had been trashed by a wedding the night before however one of the staff said they hadnt any weddings at that time. To cut the story short we had no flushing toilet, no hot water and no working shower. Appartently all the pipes froze in the winter and this room must still have been "work in progress" by August.. Also the milk for coffee was last year's sell by date and curdled in the coffee. The little breakfast jam jars were also out of date as was the butter and in fact everything that has a date stamp was past it., The Chef/ / Owner was very rude and argumentative, both at dinner and the next morning as we left.. However after we refused to pay the bill he became quite apologetic but it was too little too late. They seem to have plenty of tourism awards and healthy eating awards etc but how they won these is a mystery . His quote that evening will haunt me forever. "Remember who will be cooking your breakfast ! " ,

Having booked weeks in advance using the online system we arrived to be told that one of the rooms had a problem with the shower but it was being worked on as we spoke.

However what we then found after having had dinner was that the room actually had

No working Shower
No hot water
Barely functioning WC that needed treating with kid gloves to avoid it failing & falling apart.
Broken tiles and no grout in sections of the bathroom tiling
Old bits of masking tape stuck on manky windows so it wasn't just there from being painted.

The food while nice was spoiled by the unpleasant and frankly aggressive owner who when we queried missing sides for our dinner basically told us we were lying and tried to start a stand up argument over 6, yep SIX, onion rings. He then told one of our party to "remember it's me that makes your breakfast in the morning"

Had it not been for the fact that we had all be this time had a drink then we would have left and taken our chances finding accommodation elsewhere, but alas we were destined to stay the night !

When I got to my room and made a cup of tea, after spending 5 minutes cleaning the kettle that is, I found that after adding the milk it curdled. Closer inspection revealed that the milk was nearly 1 year out of date !

Breakfast next morning was only taken from sealed boxes of cereal following the owners veiled threats to do something to our food, which is a pity as the meal the night before had been quite nice. When having some toast we then discovered butter that was nearly two weeks out of date and jam and marmalade that were months past their date.

Check out entailed a bill that we were not willing to pay and after an explanation as to why the owner was given the choice of either a 50% reduction or nothing and leaving our details for it to be taken to small claims court. Wisely he chose to take the money.

As a final foot note he told us the lack of hot water in the rooms was due to the burst pipes during the cold winter, I did point out it was now August, but flogging a dead horse springs to mind.


I'd sooner sleep under a tree than darken this hotels doorstep again which is a pity as given the correct management/owner it could be be a good place to stay.

A group of us stayed at the COLQUHONNIE HOUSE HOTEL for HOGMANAY.

WE were THE ONLY HOTEL GUESTS which at first took us by surprise BUT now is clear WHY we were the ONLY GUESTS.....

The OWNER of the HOTEL was initially friendly but I wouldn't say welcoming. His CUSTOMER CARE IS BASIC.

Bare in mind it was HOGMANAY - we were all having fun but soon after MIDNIGHT the OWNER started CLEARING UP and setting the tables for breakfast. He made us feel as if we were doing wrong by enjoying ourselves and made us feel VERY ON EDGE.

For a HOTEL to advertise "COME JOIN US FOR HOGMANAY" and then make us feel as if we were INTRUDING IN HIS HOUSE is simply WEIRD and MENTAL.

The following day after we had been SKIING all day the weather closed in DANGEROUSLY. HEAVY SNOW HAD CLOSED MOST ROADS AND POLICE ISSUED WARNINGS NOT TO DRIVE UNLESS NECESSARY. with this in mind we tried to check back into the same hotel but were TURNED AWAY due to "NO ROOMS AVAILABLE" which we know for a fact was utter rubbish. THE OWNER JUST DIDNT WANT US BACK. The fact he happily watched us head out into the TRACHEROUS WEATHER WAS SHOCKINGLY UNBELIEVABLE; WE WERE STUNNED. We would have happily taken the same rooms we had the night before BUT HE WAS ADAMANT THE HOTEL HAD NO ROOMS AVAILABLE.

So guys and girls N.B to this review.

The hotel is FREEZING COLD and the rooms smell DAMP.
The OWNER turns off the heating and all lights in every room that isn't occupied.

So it seems ANYONE can buy a hotel but NOT EVERYONE SHOULD RUN ONE.