"We were woken at 7am by a fire alarm and had to evacuate our room with a baby and a 6-year-old, only for it to stop before we even reached the muster point. It was later explained, quite casually, that it was caused by someone showering with the bathroom door open. Given there’s a sign warning about “sensitive” alarms, this doesn’t feel like a one-off and isn’t acceptable in a family hotel where sleep is already precious.
We stayed at Macdonald Aviemore Resort as a family of four. When we raised this, along with a broken kettle, reception initially offered complimentary breakfast but later withdrew it after checking with a manager, which felt poorly handled.
The hotel itself feels tired and in need of investment. Our room was small, especially with a cot, the shower was only lukewarm, and carpets were dirty with an unpleasant smell. The lift also smelt strongly of smoke.
There are positives: the pool and facilities are good and we enjoyed them, though some maintenance is needed (hair dryers out of order, puddles on the floor, drains not very clean). The outdoor park is great for kids but also showing wear.
Aviemore is a fantastic location, but the resort feels like it’s relying on that rather than maintaining standards, it’s certainly not 4 star. With better upkeep, it could be much better."