Macdonald Lochanhully Resort

6/10

Pleasant

24 Oct 2025

Ross

Unfortunately this resort is very dated now. It would be a struggle to call it a resort as the amenities and activities are very very limited on site.

We had a broken spoon on the porch, a squeaky electric fire place, cheese left in the fridge from last guest I can only presume and an 85% empty garlic mayonnaise in one of the cupboards.

Toiletries being provided was just 3 bars of soap.

Its very quiet if thats what your after, but with young kids it is not big enough to cycle around, or walk around, without venturing onto a main road. We used it only to sleep, and then headed back to Aviemore for the days we were there. All in all a very expensive place to sleep given it is dated facilities, broken swimming pool (40 mins round trip to the nearest offer of a swim), and lack of things to actually do onsite.

Friends_and_family Family

10/10

Exceptional

08 Aug 2025

Margaret

Great accommodation and well equipped for our stay . Enjoyed the on-site restaurant and kids loved the swimming pool. Lovely area and Landmark just down the road which the kids enjoyed the most .

Leisure Family

4/10

Poor

06 Aug 2025

Rachael

The property itself and resort is very dated and needs some money spent to give it some life. When I went in I immediately had to hoover as the carpet was covered in dog hair. I have a crawling baby!! The shower trickled so I needed to use a jug to wash my hair. The hair dryer cut out after 30 seconds. The beds were comfy and the surroundings were peaceful although the cabins are meters apart. There was a lack of privacy as the dining space of our cabin looked into the dining space of next doors. Other notable issues, old electric radiators which became very hot (needed heating on although it was summer). One was positioned at the foot of my son’s bed which wasn’t safe, and above the other single bed there was a blind with metal ball cord that is not child safe. The oven door didn’t shut properly. When looking on various sites it said there was no capacity for a cot however I easily fitted a blow up toddler bed for my baby in the main bedroom so this, and high chairs should be offered to make the stay less hassle for guests. I think a lot needs to be updated to make the facilities and cabins worth the £800 we paid for 4 nights here. We ate at the onsite restaurant, and I thought it was a lovely meal but a bit expensive. The swimming pool facilities were good. Toilets in main building could be updated and cleaner. The play park could be freshened up with a coat of paint. I would say in its current state it would be a push to say it’s even 3 stars! Not worth the money.

Leisure Family_with_children

10/10

Exceptional

22 Jul 2025

Rick

9 Adults and 5 children loved the tranquility of the location, the peaceful adjoining lake, the wonderment of nature with ducks that engrossed children. Definite plus .

Leisure Family_with_children

10/10

Exceptional

03 Jul 2025

Sachin

Excellent

Leisure Family_with_children

10/10

Exceptional

22 Jun 2025

Majid Ali

awesome property for a family holiday

Friends_and_family Family

10/10

Exceptional

18 Jun 2025

David

Individual Cabins in the woods, surrounded by water and wildlife. Great experience. A car is needed as although the town is not far it is not really accessible by walking. Would definitely stay there again.

Leisure

2/10

Poor

16 May 2025

Kenny

Run down wooden shack

Location and setting are good. Lodge 41 was a disgrace, bathroom had black mold patches poorly painted over rusty shower curtain rail. Lodge had what can only be described as a funky smell in it with a do not smoke car air freshener hanging from the Livingroom light to disguise this. Previous occupant must have had a large hairy dog going by the amount of dog hair everywhere. Outside the lodge was dirty with loads of cigarette ends lying around.
There is a wooden walkway over the lochan that is not safe to use but is not very well blocked off. There are no fish in the Lochan as they are still waiting on a delivery.

Business

8/10

Excellent

12 Apr 2025

Natalie

Spring holiday

We had an enjoyable stay at the property, there were a few little issues but nothing to put us off coming back. The cold water tap in the bath didn’t work so had to use cold water from the sink to put in a bath, the rubber edging round the oven door had come off and was loose in the oven, some of the equipment /trays for the oven also weren’t the right size to be able to cook on. The property is slightly dated and could do with a little bit of TLC. Overall though and enjoyable stay

Friends_and_family Family

10/10

Exceptional

23 Feb 2025

Verified traveler

Great place to stay

Great location. Views are amazing. Great swimming pool.

Friends_and_family Family

6/10

Pleasant

09 Jan 2025

Fraser

I arrived here on January the 2nd at night for a 3 night stay with my wife and 15month old baby. The uk as a whole having a very cold weather snap with weather warnings in place,- 3 to be exact with significant snow fall.

On arrival I was asked for a credit card in case of any damage I might do to the cabin, seemed an odd introduction with not much information care or attention taken to welcome us to the resort.

On entering the cabin there was no heating on which on inspection turned out to be electrical panel heaters that had seen better days, the building was damp as it of course had obviously lay vacant with no heating to heat the fabric and make up of the building resulting in a damp smell and unbearable damp cold rooms. This then instantly felt like a survival situation to turn on all the heating and figure out how to set the heating with a small baby in the freezing cold, not quite what I had intended for a wee family break.

I might add that this is very poor and although my wife did mention to them a day later and they had assured us it was not correct and it should have been on for our arrival, the very first thing that was mentioned on arrival at reception was a credit card and how because it was an Expedia online booking we didn’t need to worry about an electrical bill payment! Call me suspicious but it evident that it’s there protocol to save money.

Lastly the roads and paths no salt or clearing just black ice everywhere! Very dangerous!

Leisure Family

8/10

Excellent

18 Oct 2024

Julie

So peaceful!

The peace & quiet here was amazing! Other guests were respectful & the only noise in the morning was the ducks looking for food. Our lodge was dated but comfortable. There were a few minor issues but nothing that affected our stay. So in summary the accommodation is not luxurious but the location & setting are wonderful if it’s a quiet break you are looking for.

Friends_and_family Family

2/10

Poor

23 Aug 2024

Nikki

This place was absolutely terrible, smells awful, black mold everywhere, entire chalet was dirty. Hair all over the bed sheets, and given the opportunity to even give a partial refund the property refused!! The chalet is a health hazard and I cannot fathom how such a once beautiful property has become so rundown!!

Business Family

6/10

Pleasant

11 Aug 2024

Ian

Great place for 2 nights after we were let down elsewhere but the whole place is a bit tired, I wouldn't really call it a resort, it's just a few static caravans around a duck pond but good location for visiting Aviemore and Cairngorms.

Leisure Family

4/10

Poor

14 Jul 2024

James

Expensive for what it is. Shabby and worn out

To start check-in not until 5pm which seems late to me. (Only saw this once booked)
Told a fee to check in early. (Which was steep)
Place was freezing when we entered with no heating on. Which must be a knock on effect for the place smelling damp/musky. It did heat up ok eventually.
Was very shabby inside and worn out.
Kitchenette was in good condition, but only highlighted more that everything else wasn’t.
Sofa bed once folded out was dirty and had dog hairs on and in it. Had to be made up ourselves which we understand why, but clearly isn’t folded out and checked.
Also the sofabed mattress being thin, is also clearly very much used and in need of replacing. The springs on such a thin mattress are easily felt when new, but on this one there were several that are past their best and sore to lay on.

The overall cleanliness was ok considering the condition.
More dog hairs in second bedroom.
Bathroom was a bit grubby.

What we paid was very expensive for what we stayed in.
Wouldn’t return, which is a shame as it just needs a refresh.

Friends_and_family Family

8/10

Excellent

11 Jul 2024

Lynsey

Accommodation needs a facelift

Negatives:
There was an overwhelming damp/off smell when we first entered the apartment which I later discovered came from the vacuum cleaner when I used it. The bathroom light and hot water tap didn't work and the duvet for the sofa bed had a yellow stain on it. The \"free kids club\" is a run down cabin in which you pay £1 per game of pool (don't expect chalk). There are no plug sockets beside the bedroom mirror/dressing table. The bar area was always empty.

Positives:
The area is fantastic. My kids loved feeding the ducks and walking around the grounds finding the assault course, as they called it. The kitchenette was well equipped. The pool is ok. It was peaceful and really lovely to be surrounded by nature.

We used the accommodation more as a base for discovering attractions nearby. However, had the restaurant been open or if there were better amenities indoors (for when the weather was poor) then we might have spent more time at the resort.

2/10

Poor

11 Jun 2024

Janette

Shabby interior with stained pillows and holes in the bed linens
Broken bath overflowing and fire . Everything needed a good clean

Leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

12 May 2024

Gireesha

Amazing location

Leisure Family_with_children

10/10

Exceptional

12 May 2024

Rachel

It was amazing. Wonderful for families.

Friends_and_family Family

8/10

Excellent

09 Apr 2024

moira

It was a nice place

The only annoying thing was there was only a single bed and a double bed made up. We had to make up the sofa bed and the single pull out. They knew there were two children. Apart from that it was fine and had everything we needed. We were busy throughout the day so we left the sofa bed up.

Friends_and_family Family

8/10

Excellent

18 Mar 2024

Laura

Great place yo rest ,beautiful nature.

Leisure Pet

10/10

Exceptional

03 Mar 2024

Lauren

Such good value we loved it. It was even better than we expected. People running the place are lovely too.

Leisure Friends

10/10

Exceptional

05 Jan 2024

Michelle

Lovely cabin in great location

Location is great.
Little things only - A bit litter around the cabin outside area, a few bits of cutlery dirty, cabin needs a bit of an upgrade, a few bulbs not working, grit or salt on walkway, some facilities not available.
Still an overall great experience.

Friends_and_family Family

8/10

Excellent

02 Jan 2024

Zoe

A lovely stay for New Year, loved how pet friendly it was for our dog. Beautiful area for walking and close to Aviemore.

Leisure Pet

10/10

Exceptional

06 Nov 2023

Gillian

Great Stay

Great location . Chalet a bit tired and perhaps a more thorough clean of the wooden walls ( very dusty ) lacking a couple of essential kitchen utensils but not a huge issue and reception informed on checkout .
All staff we came across were lovely . Will certainly return as great location for the dog

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

05 Nov 2023

Alison

Great Location, value for money

Great find, staff so helpful and friendly, pool was great and warm, lodges were well equipped clean and comfy - really enjoyed out time and have booked to go back in December 😀

Friends_and_family Family

10/10

Exceptional

30 Sep 2023

Lisa Ellen

Lochunhully is a lovely and peaceful place to stay in the Inverness area.

Leisure Friends

8/10

Excellent

31 Aug 2023

Amit

The loch and surronding forest where beautiful. The kids loved the loch, park and ducks! In it's hayday I imagine this place was an amazing place to stay. However it looks like it hasn't been maintained for a few years, and lodge was a bit rough around the edges, loose handles, broken blinds and bathroom was a bit mouldy. But nothing too severe. It could just do with some TLC. Especially due to the amount we spent on the room. The reception staff were lovely, however, they felt a little short staffed, and had to close the facilities for a day because of it. Also no food is served here, so you'll have to go to the nearby town, which again only has limited options. Self catering really means self catering so be warned. We did have a fun and relaxing time here though and staff were helpful. And the srrounding area is stunning. A good base camp.

Leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

01 Aug 2023

Sam

We found the staff to be incredibly helpful and friendly. The accommodation was comfortable and the setting was beautiful. If you came here expecting Center Parcs I imagine you would be disappointed but this was perfect for me and my family. All three of my kids said they would like to come back.

Business Family

4/10

Poor

23 Jul 2023

laurence

Plumbing was disappointing.

10/10

Exceptional

13 Jul 2023

Hazel

A great place to stay, cosy cabin, lovely surroundings, swimming pool, nice bar and friendly staff. I would definitely stay again.

Friends_and_family Family

8/10

Excellent

09 Jun 2023

Verified traveler

Excellent setting, cabins in need of some updating

The setting was lovely. And the cabins were not too close to each other. Our cabin was ok, but a bit shabby. Sofa was not comfortable and broken. The second single bed was not set up and as we wanted to use it we were expected to put it up ourselves and make the bed.

Friends_and_family Family

10/10

Exceptional

23 May 2023

Nathan

Perfect location for anyone who loves being in the outdoors and exploring.

6/10

Pleasant

13 Feb 2023

Julian

It's a great location, in amongst the woods. Chalets are nice, but quite run-down and not especially clean. Staff are good, but pool was not working (not communicated at booking), some things were not working in chalets, and it was quite dirty in places (flies, mould in bathroom, hairs on bedding, etc). For the price, it was ok though.

Leisure Family

8/10

Excellent

27 Oct 2022

Verified traveler

Good location, amazing staff

My son loved the swimming pool, good location, plenty walk routes to enjoy. Staff was very helpful and friendly. Definitely recommend.
Clean and quiet.

Friends_and_family Family

6/10

Pleasant

26 Aug 2022

Kathryn

Moved to Spey Valley resort due to overbooking.

We were 'upgraded' to the sister resort in Aviemore as this resort was no longer available due to overbooking. The lodge at the Spey Valley Resort we were moved to was old and very tired looking, the whole lodge needed repainting outside and the bathroom had not been updated in probably 20 years. The oven had one shelf and was seriously lacking in cooking trays etc. The bed was uncomfortable so we ended up sleeping on the sofa bed!

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

27 Jul 2022

Jayme

Great wee place!

We had a lovely stay at lochanhully and can't fault much at all. The only thing I'd say would be that the mattresses could do with updating & it was a shame that the bar/restaurant wasn't open.

Friends_and_family Family

8/10

Excellent

10 Jul 2022

Verified traveler

No communication prior to stay that the bar and restaurant was closed.

Partner

6/10

Pleasant

06 Jun 2022

Jennie

Bit tired and lacking advertised facilities

Chalets were fine. Well equipped if a bit tired, small and needing an update but given we paid less than £100 per night was ok for the price. Beds were comfy though bedrooms were very, very small. I struggle to see how these could comfortably accommodate 6 people. 4 would be the maximum and only on the basis most were children or everyone knew each other really well!! Its well located and we were able to walk in and out of Carrbridge easily in under 20 mins, although a very small track, with no street lights alongside an A Road so may be a bit of a struggle for those with prams/weelchairs or very small children and not safe at all i would say in the winter months. Major issue for us was the lack of advertised bar and restaurant. Feel we were mis-sold a bit on that one. We travelled as a group of 4 families and on site facilities was a major reason we booked here only to be told at last minute that these were unavailable despite all the info on the website to the contrary. Apparently they run the bar restaurant as a franchise and the most recent owners folded 3 weeks before our stay. Time for macdonald hotels to make that clear on their website or take the bar/restaurant in house again so guests can actually enjoy the facilities they expected when they booked! For any new guests caught out like we were, The Cairn Hotel were amazing, squeezed 15 of us in for dinner last minute, food was lovely and accepted dogs, kids etc. Well worth the 20min walk there and back.

Friends_and_family Family

8/10

Excellent

14 Mar 2022

Louise

Location was great, pool was nice and warm but the chalet was a bit tired and could have been a little cleaner .

Friends_and_family Family

8/10

Excellent

31 Jul 2021

Verified traveler

Lodge is nicer on the inside than outside.

Friendly staff. Check in details are wrong on Expedia. Check in closes at 6pm not 7pm.

Swimming pool area could be cleaner.

Leisure Family

4/10

Poor

26 Jul 2021

Donald

Cabin was much smaller than we expected and beds were small and uncomfortable. Very over priced. Lovely setting and relaxing though.

Friends_and_family Family

6/10

Pleasant

11 Jul 2021

Sandra

Comfortable but drab

Been before but felt accommodation was somewhat dark and drab this time. On-site diner food was lush

Friends_and_family Family

10/10

Exceptional

05 Jul 2021

Verified traveler

The chalet was nice and clean with all the amenities. I travelled with twin toddlers and the chalet had everything to make feel like home.
The chalet has 3 double beds, 6 adults can sleep easily. The parking is for single vehicle near the room.
Most interesting part is the loch and it's serene and calm. I would go to this place anytime to stay away from rush hour city life

Leisure Family_with_children

8/10

Excellent

27 May 2021

Maciej

Nice quite place

Two things not happy with was smell on the cottage, smell of damp and oven didn't work. They manage to fixed but we stay just two nights so all first day we was without oven which was very unsatisfactory for us. Apart from that very nice and quite place.

Friends_and_family Family

10/10

Exceptional

29 Sep 2020

Pif

Excelent accomodation, great facilities, amazing location!

Leisure Family_with_children

8/10

Excellent

09 Sep 2020

Verified traveler

Beautiful setting and very comfortable accommodation. Limited facilities due to Covid 19.

10/10

Exceptional

26 Aug 2020

Octavia

The cabin is equiped woth everything that you could ever need in a house. The area is very nice and is 20 km by car away from many places that you can visit. We will come again!!!

Leisure Family

8/10

Excellent

24 Feb 2020

Verified traveler

Great location, nice to have the option to swim with the kids.

Leisure Family_with_children

4/10

Poor

17 Feb 2020

Verified traveler

Nice Grounds with plenty of walks.

Lodge was ok, but a bit small and pokey. Nowhere really to dry wet clothes.

Downsides - you pay for all your electricity, you pay for wifi in the lodge. Plus an extra £50 for the dog. Staff member told me it was all in the small print so technically my fault for not reading everything, but in this day and age seems rather excessive.

The gym/swimming pool are very dated and not particularly nice.

No idea what the bar is like, but as they for some ridiculous reason don't allow dogs in we just went elsewhere. Pretty much every restaurant/bar in the area allow dogs in at least some part of the premises so they are missing a trick here. Didn't see anyone in the bar at any time we walked passed..

Leisure Family_with_children