This hotel is in the very pretty village of Edzell close to the Glen which gives the hotel its name. It’s an imposing building, approached through the distinctive archway that spans the main road to the village, and it can’t be missed. We’d attended a wedding reception here and also had meals, but it was the first time we’d stayed here.
It’s a traditional style hotel, with pleasant public rooms to relax in which had open fires, plus candles on the tables, as well as lovely flower arrangements. There was also a good selection of newspapers, local tourist leaflets and handy maps.
Our room was at the front of the hotel on the first floor and had a small balcony directly above the entrance. We didn’t go out onto it, but did check and the door opened!
The room seemed recently refurbished and had a flatscreen television on the wall, plus good, free wifi. Tea and coffee making facilities included a Tunnocks tea cake and a chocolate log – very traditional Scottish treats! There was also a good selection of teas, including Earl Grey.
Our double bed was very comfortable and the ensuite was in good working order with lovely toiletries. There was a very small cupboard/wardrobe with coat hangers, but the safe below them meant there was little room for storing our cases so we ended up with them in the corner of the bedroom.
One of the highlights for me was the small pool on the ground floor. I swam three times over our two night stay and apart from about five minutes when I ‘overlapped’ with another swimmer, I was the only person there. It is a small pool, so I imagine that even with a few other people, it would feel quite crowded. It’s in a pleasant setting, with pine panelling and at the time of our stay part of it was being renovated. There is a jacuzzi next to it and also a sauna. The changing rooms have lockers and towels are provided.
There is also a small gym adjacent to this, which I didn’t use.
Breakfast is in the dining room, which has views of the grounds and neighbouring golf courses, where guests can play at discount prices. Our room rate included a full Scottish breakfast and there was a good selection of cooked breakfasts, as well as smoked haddock, plus pancakes with bacon and syrup, which I really enjoyed. The buffet selection included fruit juices, cereals, yoghurts, dried fruit, cheese and cold meats, as well as croissants and bread.
On our first morning we were served a delicious cafetiere of coffee and so we placed a repeat order the following morning. It was a different server – and also a very different white China coffee jug with what tasted like weak instant coffee.
When I asked the girl why it was different, she said that the coffee pot we’d had was on another table and she thought we’d prefer the jug! It was soon replaced with another, less attractive but very efficient cafetiere full of good-strength coffee, and the tasteless offering was taken away.
Staff throughout the hotel were very friendly and helpful, which added to our enjoyment.
Although there were some other guests around, there was a lovely, calm atmosphere over the weekend, enhanced by some excellent weather. I’m sure things must change quite a bit when there is a wedding, so probably best to check before booking.
There is free parking at the front of the hotel, with designated disabled parking. Some of the rooms are on the ground floor and were being renovated when we visited. There is no lift, so anyone with access problems would be best to book a ground floor room.
It’s a short walk from the hotel to the village shops, cafes and tea rooms, while the glens are a short drive away, as is Edzell Castle.
We had a really enjoyable weekend and would love to return.
“Visit hotel website”:http://www.gleneskhotel.com
