Macdonald Houstoun House

“The world melted away…”

I went for a massage with Trudy at the Spa and it was absolutely wonderful. The atmosphere created from the moment I stepped into the spa was so relaxing. Trudy is a fantastic therapist, not just because the massage itself was second to none but because she pampered me from the get go, made me fe... more

I went for a massage with Trudy at the Spa and it was absolutely wonderful. The atmosphere created from the moment I stepped into the spa was so relaxing. Trudy is a fantastic therapist, not just because the massage itself was second to none but because she pampered me from the get go, made me feel special (who doesn’t want to be treated like a princess?) and ensured the world melted away for the duration of the treatment. Afterward she encouraged me to relax on the comfy chairs with my book. I don’t often get treatments at a spa but this experience has ensured I will return.

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“Lovely old hotel”

Lovely old hotel. Booked a king deluxe room. This was spacious but dark due to outside trees blocking window. Small but adequate bathroom with good hot shower. Breakfast was included in price which was very good. Lovely well kept gardens. Friendly and welcoming staff. Yes some parts could do wit... more

Lovely old hotel. Booked a king deluxe room. This was spacious but dark due to outside trees blocking window. Small but adequate bathroom with good hot shower. Breakfast was included in price which was very good. Lovely well kept gardens. Friendly and welcoming staff. Yes some parts could do with a refresh but this didnt spoil our stay and we would definitely return if we are back in the area.

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“Disappointing spa day but lovely staff”

The staff were lovely but the spa day itself was disappointing. The changing rooms were small. Only two showers and one I used the soap dispenser didn’t work. The toilets didn’t have Elemis products but the hotel itself did. The sauna and steam rooms were fine and there was iced water avail... more

The staff were lovely but the spa day itself was disappointing. The changing rooms were small. Only two showers and one I used the soap dispenser didn’t work. The toilets didn’t have Elemis products but the hotel itself did. The sauna and steam rooms were fine and there was iced water available. There was no jacuzzi. The spa where we had our treatments was lovely. We had the couture touch which involved 25 minutes of back and shoulders and either face or feet treatment with Elemis. I had asked for a firm massage as I am used to deep tissue massage and told Afton this. I would have preferred a full body deep tissue massage. However the massage was certainly relaxing as was the foot treatment though my muscles remained sore and tight afterwards. My friend had Kirsty and she said she was excellent applying the right pressure and leaving her refreshed and relaxed. Kirsty spoke to us afterwards. She is certainly an experienced masseuse and would recommend her if you want anything more than a relaxing gentle massage. If the latter is your preference then Ashton is the one. We then had afternoon tea in the hotel. Liz took our order and looked after us very well. The latte was excellent. I found the afternoon tea itself okay but not g special compared to some I’ve enjoyed. They catered for my friend as she only wanted tuna. The scones and cakes were nice. Surroundings lovely and relaxed. But overall probably no more than a 3/4.

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