Macdonald Aviemore Woodland Lodges

I booked 3 lodges for family and friends for my daughter’s 40th birthday. We all loved our stay, despite the weather. The lodges were clean, comfortable and very spacious. Grandchildren had a brilliant time with the outdoor space, swimming & dry sledging. Would have loved more time but we will certainly be back as there is so much we haven’t done. Local people & shop staff were very helpful and friendly.

The cabin we rented was in a large resort complex. Where and how to check in was a bit confusing. The cabin was roomy, comfortable enough and quiet but lacked some basic items in the kitchen that would have made eating there easier.

They put us in a two bed instead of the three bed we booked. It took three hours to fix this problem while we had to wait. We then stayed in the three bed lodge but weren’t supplied with firewood for the fire and it was the noisiest house we have ever stayed in - we couldn’t flush the toilets because of the extreme noise it made and all of the floorboards upstairs and downstairs creaked terribly so sleep was very difficult.

Great stay as far as facilities were concerned. However staff generally let the hotel down, things that should have been in the room weren't, and fixing issues took forever

Just a brilliant long weekend. Check in and check out could not have been easier. Loved our time in the lodge and all the facilities were fantastic. We will absolutely be staying again!

The Lodge was extremely comfortable and well equipped, in a beautiful woodland setting but not far from restaurants or amenities. Staff very welcoming and helpful. Well done team McDonald!

This place was absolutely amazing, it was clean, the wood heater warmed up the lodge quickly and every room had its own bathroom which was a lovely surprise! I loved everything about it! I cant wait to come back for a longer family holiday

The lodge was in a great location for the centre of Aviemore. It had everything we needed and was comfortable accommodation for 6 adults. The only thing i could really fault was it could do with a little freshen up of paint.

Our week in Lodge 4 was lovely, but we had some thoughts on simple things that could have made it excellent. Firstly, staying midwinter means lots of coats and wet shoes are likely, but there were no coathooks anywhere in the lodge, only a tiny doormat, no shoe rack or tray. There's plent of space for all these things and they're not expensive to put in, and would have made a huge difference. Secondly, the kitchenette was as described (basic), but if you provide a microwave comi oven, pyrex-type dishes for cooking in it ought to be provided too. We had to use the crockery and pray it didn't crack (it didn't). There was a persistent drawing smell in the main bathroom too, so a little tlc on the plumbing would be good. But having said all that, we had a really comfortable week, and having the convenience of restaurant, bar, gym and pool onsite, as well as Tesla chargers was exactly what we wanted, with the privacy of an exclusive and spacious lodge. Would definitely consider staying again in the winter.

It has the makings of a great resort but falls short on so many levels. It’s really tired with the woodland lodges in need of a refurb. Things like loose tiles in the bathroom, faded/worn carpets / kitchen cupboards misshaped and not closing properly. Kitchen facilities in the lodge also weren’t great. No oven for cooking, no knives for chopping food, pans were dirty in the cupboard too. There were no cushions on the couches in the lodge for added comfort and a rug underfoot would have been appreciated. The staff were friendly enough but just didn’t go the extra mile where needed. We requested a high chair in the lodge for our baby but they forgot and when I asked again they said they couldn’t get one until the next day. I then suggested that maybe they could borrow from one of their 3 restaurants. They then managed to organise this but no one was available to deliver to the lodge for me. I had to carry the high chair from the hotel to the lodge whilst carrying an 8 month old baby. As I said, their were friendly, helpful when prompted but just a bit thoughtless in their delivery. Great woodland area for our little boy to explore but things like fallen fences and barbed wire should be taken care of maintenance. The team in the kids activity centre were really friendly and the pool / soft play were nice and clean. This was the reason I booked this place but I don’t think I’d return again until a refurbishment takes place.