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Tripadvisor gives a Travellers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travellers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
Douneside House is a truly special place in heart of The MacRobert Estate. Here you can expect a warm welcome, award-winning dining, and luxurious comfort in this most hospitable and unique country house. Set in seventeen acres of landscaped gardens, Douneside House makes the perfect base to explore the fantastic area of Royal Deeside. The Douneside Health Club is fully equipped with a gym, swimming pool, Jacuzzi, steam room, and sauna. Outside is an all-weather tennis court and croquet, badminton, and putting on our splendid 2-acre lawn. Our Conservatory restaurant offers a range of menus including lunch, afternoon tea and, dinner. Our Library Restaurant serves its signature tasting menu on Wednesday-Saturday evenings. Douneside House is independently owned and run by The MacRobert Trust, a Scottish charity, originally set up by Lady MacRobert, based in Aberdeenshire.
Star ratings are intended to indicate the general level of features, amenities, and services to expect. This property is classified according to TheAA: The Automobile Association.
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We only drove 30 miles and discovered Heaven! We know that Tarland and the Howe of Cromar is beautiful and has some lovely walks but Douneside is the jewel in its crown. It is a really cosy homely country house, traditionally decorated , with modern touches , full of the family artifacts and original furniture of the Macrobert family. To learn that a lady who lost so much could give so much to others is very moving . Here the mostly young staff are welcoming,the food is delicious, the leisure centre a bonus and the gardens delightful. Come here and enjoy the peace of the countryside in comfort and leave refreshed. Can be most economically enjoyed on a dinner bed and breakfast mid week deal in the low season booked direct with house.
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Date of stay: February 2020
Rooms
Service
Sleep Quality
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from James Payne, General Manager at Douneside House
Responded 7 Apr 2020
Dear Mr. & Mrs. McGregor - how good of you to recognise so many of the details that contribute to making a stay at Douneside House such a restorative experience. Thank you. We sincerely hope to be able to welcome back ‘local’ guests from rural and urban Aberdeenshire once the current restrictions will hopefully be lifted in the not too distant future. On behalf of everyone at Douneside, May we wish you well. James Payne Operations Manager
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We really loved this hotel, the views are amazing! we mainly booked it for the indoor pool as we were staying in January and unsure of the weather, however we never made it to the pool. The hotel is so warm and inviting. It has a very relaxed atmosphere that makes you feel at home. The bar is lovely and quiet with a roaring fire. The rooms are spacious and clean with everything you need including the Scottish shortbread. The staff are friendly, and know how to make you feel really welcome yet at the same time giving you space to relax and unwind. However its the food in the restaurant that really has the edge to make this hotel stand out. We thought we would just have dinner the first night and then venture out to try different restaurants in the evening, We ate there every night as we knew anywhere else would of failed in comparison. We were also shocked how much there is to do in the local area if you have a car.
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Date of stay: January 2020
Location
Cleanliness
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from James Payne, General Manager at Douneside House
Responded 21 Dec 2020
Dear Melanie, We are so grateful for your review that highlights so many of the elements that make Douneside unique, especially the quality of our food. You are quite right that the longer you stay the more you may discover how much this part of rural Deeside has to offer. Kind regards, James Payne Operations Manager
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Douneside cannot be rated too highly. The front of house welcome from Alex and Melanie on arrival, through to the superlative dining and wining experiences provided by Gordon, James and Victor and their team leaves one with the feeling that a very generous wealthy individual has lent you their home and staff for a few days whilst they are elsewhere.
The house and rooms are immaculately presented, as are the grounds with the added treat of a top class swimming pool with sauna, steam room, jacuzzi and full sized gym.
Douneside partners with The Royal Horticultural Society and local staff with students maintain the extensive grounds to a very high standard, with the vegetable garden producing all the needs of the kitchen.
Kitchen? I wouldn’t dare to step in when Chef Victor Navarro and his team are in full flow, for fear of disturbing what must be an incredibly well honed operation. Points of 12 out of 10 for quality and presentation are not praise enough. Culinary excellence is their goal and thankfully well beyond the early days of nouvelle cuisine, which I once described as ‘photographs on a plate’ in that servings could be set out artistically but in minuscule proportions. I defy anyone to leave a Douneside table hungry. Meals are taken in The Conservatory with the deed attraction of special tasting Menu evening hosted in The Drawing Room, how Victor serves the two rooms with such different styles at the same time astonishes. The Conservatory menu can be found on the web site, the tasting menu I have attached as a photograph.
The Douneside experience can truly be given the accolade unique and is highly recommended.
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Date of stay: October 2022Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Douneside House, Owner at Douneside House
Responded 24 Oct 2022
Thank you for such an eloquent write-up of your recent return stay with us. You have described perfectly what we hope to achieve - an all-round team effort bringing together all the elements which combine for a special stay. I'm sure Chef Victor and his team would always welcome you popping in - especially if it's to award a 12/10 score! Thank you once again. We will look forward to seeing you both again soon. Yours aye, The Douneside Team
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A real find , douneside house is becoming a favourite of ours . Aberdeenshire is not blessed with high quality food but douneside breaks the trend in lively setting and staff are attentive, knowledgeable and vey friendly. Set in country near Tarland , it’s a beautiful setting . Rooms have individual character ( albeit we have been in same room twice and it’s a bit on small side , will remember to ask for diff one !!) breakfast was very tasty and plentiful , and we have enjoyed both tasting menu and a la carte . We look forward to summer visit
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Date of stay: December 2021Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Douneside House, Owner at Douneside House
Responded 20 Jan 2022
Dear William, Many thanks for the fantastic write up, we very much appreciate it. Please do remind us next time and we will definitely make sure you can experience a different room, as you say, all have their own character. We look forward to welcoming you back in the Summer and our thanks again. Kind regards, The Douneside team
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We stayed in one of the smaller rooms in the main house, which felt more spacious than the photos on the website suggested, and there were plenty of nicely furnished reception rooms to relax in, too.
The staff were very professional, approachable and friendly - nothing was too much trouble.
The food was phenomenal - we were only going to have breakfast there on our first couple of mornings, but it was so good that we ended up treating ourselves to breakfast at Douneside every day. Dinner was unbelievable! We lost count of the number of courses, each one an expertly crafted experience of unconventional flavour combinations.
It was lovely to relax in the pool, jacuzzi, steam room and sauna at the end of the day - another real treat!
To top it all off, the setting, between the mountains of Aberdeenshire to the east and The Cairngorms to the west, was stunning, with their own beautifully kept lawns and RHS garden from which to enjoy the view.
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Date of stay: June 2021
Value
Rooms
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Douneside House, Owner at Douneside House
Responded 27 Jul 2021
Thank you so much for such a lovely review. We are very lucky to be located in such a beautiful part of Scotland and I'm glad you got to enjoy the setting and local area. Head Chef Matt asked me to pass on that he's delighted you enjoyed your meal and that he managed to tempt you to dine with us on more than one occasion! Our thanks again, it's really lovely to read that our guests have enjoyed their stay, it's what it is all about for us! Kind regards, Gillian
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The sunday lunch here is a real treat - mouth watering describes it best! In the post-lockdown period the location and venue proved relaxing and most enjoyable. The food and preparation as well as the service were of the highest quality but in an unfussy way. A must for all even if you have to travel to get there!
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Date of stay: October 2021
Value
Location
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Douneside House, Owner at Douneside House
Responded 25 Oct 2021
Thank you so much for your lovely review. Delighted to hear you enjoyed the trip out from Aberdeen to enjoy a Sunday lunch with us. Hope to welcome you back again soon. Kind regards, The Douneside team
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From our arrival to our departure our experience was literally perfect! On arrival we were given a tour of the hotel before being shown to our room for the evening (Lochnagar suite). The cosy sitting room features comfortable seating, tv, complimentary mini bar, workstation, storage and a beautifully written welcome guide along with a history of the property and the MacRobert Trust. The bathroom has a luxuriously deep bath with overhead rainfall and standard shower heads. There are multiple lighting options which are perfect for us girls, lovely towels, toiletries and underfloor heating. The bedroom again has an abundance of storage options, full length mirror, tv, bedside tables with sockets & usb points and a wonderfully comfortable bed. When I say they have thought of everything….they genuinely have! We were served tea, coffee & cake in the piano room mid afternoon which was a really nice touch. Cocktails from the bar are lovely, the staff are very knowledgable and passionate about the ingredients and where they are produced. As part of our package we had a reservation for the tasting menu with wine pairings which is served in the library. The food, wine and service were amazing! The thoughtfulness shown to our dietary requirements far exceeded our expectations. Breakfast is served in the beautiful conservatory. There’s an extensive offering with continental, full breakfast and lighter options. We took advantage of the onsite health club and went for a post breakfast swim & sauna. The facilities are fantastic and very clean. Douneside have perfected the definition of hospitality. The staff are what makes this hotel and their pride in their roles emanates around the resort. I hope they are all very proud at the standard they set! We cannot wait to return in the near future.
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Date of stay: February 2024Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Room Tip: Make the reservation….you’ll be glad you did!
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
My daughter and I had the most wonderful overnight stay here mid October. We were met by the ever attentive, knowledgeable and kind manager James. The hotel is beautiful as are the amazing surrounding gardens and scenery. Our room was cosy and warm- just what we needed during these stressful trying times. The food is definitely 5*! Just superb. Leon the bar manager was lovely and accommodating as were other members of staff. The historical element of the hotel and estate/trust is incredibly special and very interesting. Thank you. We will be returning and recommending your 5* service to friends and family. X
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Date of stay: October 2020Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from James Payne, General Manager at Douneside House
Responded 21 Dec 2020
Dear Phylis, It was a pleasure to welcome you both to Douneside soon after we re-opened our doors to guests at the beginning of October. Fortunately, we were able regain our stride balancing the quality of our Chef’s excellent food with courteous, attentive service and the opportunity for a bespoke cocktail mixed by Leon or matching glass of wine to each dish from the restaurant team. Thank you for your review. Kind regards, James Payne Operations Manager
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My daughter and I had the pleasure of having a excellent chef's afternoon tea on Sunday 25th of October,we had a gift voucher from Xmas,so we have waited a while to use it but boy was it worth waiting for oh yes!!,it was so scrummy it made our mouths water.some unusual choices but all lovely and some fresh ingredients from their on garden 😋😋.The staff were all very friendly and professional,and the surroundings and the building its self were fantastic.would love to go back one day.xx
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Date of stay: October 2020
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from James Payne, General Manager at Douneside House
Responded 9 Dec 2020
Dear Gary, Our Chef’s Full Afternoon tea has been so popular as a lovely gift to share with someone special. After such a long wait, we are so glad your experience fulfilled your expectations. Kind regards James Payne Operations Manager
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We thoroughly enjoyed our afternoon tea at Douneside House this week. A belated birthday visit to use a voucher I had been given as a very welcome birthday gift. The library is a wonderful location and we spent a lovely couple of hours enjoying the delicious food on offer. We were warmly welcomed by Amy and learnt a lot about Douneside and their apprentice scheme when talking with Amelia as she served us and kept us topped up with tea. We love Douneside, the location, the story, the ambiance but particularly the staff. Sadly, James wasn't on duty this time but hopefully we'll catch up with him next time. Yes , there will most definitely be a next time. I think breakfast is the only meal we haven't eaten there ! Wishing all the staff a successful festive season.
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Date of stay: November 2022
Value
Location
Service
Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Douneside House, Owner at Douneside House
Responded 14 Dec 2022
Many thanks for your lovely review. James passes on his apologies that he missed you this time and will look forward to catching up next time. We are very proud of our apprentices, who are, in our opinion, future stars of the hospitality industry! We are lucky that The MacRobert Trust (which owns and runs Douneside) supports and invests in the many apprenticeship schemes we run from Douneside House - hospitality, cookery and horticulture. So many thanks for highlighting Amy and Amelia's contribution to your visit. See you next time for the best meal of the day - breakfast! With our best wishes for the festive season, All at Douneside
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Dear Christine - thank you for your enquiry. Many of our Classic Rooms have king size ‘zip & link’ beds.
May I recommend you continue your enquiry via our direct contact email, where we will be better able to answer any further questions.
Kind regards
James Payne
Operations Manager
Many thanks for your enquiry. Dogs are most welcome in our apartments and cottages but they aren't allowed in the main hotel building or bedrooms. There is a vast network of footpaths and trails from our doorstep - perfect for long or short scenic dog walks. I hope this helps but if you have any other queries please don't hesitate to contact me.
Many thanks
Marcel
There are more places to choose from in the Aboyne area.
PRICE RANGE
£175 - £238 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
LOCATION
United KingdomScotlandAberdeenshireAboyne
NUMBER OF ROOMS
28
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