Boat Country Inn and Restaurant

Very warm and friendly welcome here, a nice and cosy place. We arrived late and left early so couldn't appreciate the stay as a whole as we travelled for work purposes. The bed was large and comfy (in the upgraded room) We originally booked a budget room but glad we didn't stay in this room (very basic and no carpet!)

The room wasn't ready (bed not made) but quickly sorted another room which was an upgrade, so we appreciated that. No cash payments at the bar and no ice. The shower (a large walk in) had very little pressure but it was hot. All in all it was a nice stay and would return if in the area.

The room was lovely. It was actually closer to a suite than a room. Nicely decorated sitting area, with a great view, through double doors to a bedroom with an ensuite off it. The ensuite had both bath and shower. Food was good - we had both breakfast and dinner there. Dinner in the bar by a cosy open fire. Breakfast in the breakfast room. Staff were helpful and friendly. Boat of Garten itself had lots of easy walking that was do-able even in the truly Arctic weather we had mid-January and the roads were kept gritted. (an important consideration when contemplating going away to the Cairngorm area without a 4W drive vehicle)

Draughty windows letting arctic air into the room. Fortunately the curtains were better than most at holding it back. It was below minus 10 overnight so exceptionally cold. Breakfast coffee was not the best and I really value a proper coffee first thing! I found it difficult to find healthy options on the dinner menu, but staff were very accommodating of my adaptations and odd choices.

Hotel rooms are quite dated and could be freshened up with painted walls and doors that you see the different ways brush has been used on the inside bedroom door. Food in the dining room was excellent we only planned to have our evening meal on the first night of our stay but it was so good we went back on our 2nd night of stay. The waitresses were very polite,friendly and had a always had a lovely smile

Distance from the garden rooms where we were staying to dining room. No lift in the property and as I have a disability my husband had to park at the back of the property beside our room and use the car to get me to front of the hotel and park there so I could go into the dining room.

Fabulous location and really cosy. The temperature dropped to minus 8 the night we were there but we were pleasantly warm. The hotel has lots of character and our dinner was excellent. The bar staff were lovely and someone kindly filled my flask in the morning. Very comfortable beds.

Breakfast was a bit of a disappointment. My toast was soggy because of rather wet poached eggs and the “smashed avocado” was a smear of avocado paste. Would have been very different with more interesting bread. Waiter at breakfast seemed a bit impatient with us.

The hotel is really dog friendly, we had a garden room with access to a large shared garden which was great. The room was spacious and the bed was comfy. Breakfast was nice and they made sure the dog got a sausage!

It is a little scruffy and dated - could do with tidying up. E.g. stains on the walls, cracked and rusty mirror, mould around the shower seal. The bathroom floor was filthy, covered in dust and hair. I didn't complain, just wiped down the floor with wipes I had with me, perhaps they would have sorted it without issue but it definitely hadn't seen a mop.

The room was immaculate, and really nicely done. Bathroom was gorgeous. Food was really good. I had the beetroot burger which was delicious, my kid had the macaroni cheese. They did not scrimp on the cheese. Breakfast was amazing. I had the vegetarian full breakfast and couldn’t fault it. We were there on a week night and it was so quiet that I didn’t need my earplugs even though we were directly above the front door. We were going to Landmark the next morning which was literally 15 minutes away so the location was perfect. Staff couldn’t have been nicer.

The bed was old fashioned spring mattress, so whole thing deflated when you lay down making it a smidge too hard for me. But I slept well enough. Room was tiny, but we were only there one night so it didn’t matter.

We visited this lovely venue for a second time on 28th October 2022 and from the moment we arrived the welcome and service we received was without fault and immediately made us feel we were in for a treat. Our room was very well appointed and with a lovely view across Strathspey. There was also a lovely little personal touch with a hand written welcome card awaiting us. We enjoyed a relaxed and friendly evening with pre-dinner drinks in the lounge, always served with a smile. Our dinner was excellent. The were 2 menus, one with the more expected traditional offer, and also a separate game menu. We enjoyed a meal from each and it could not have been better. Again served with a smile. So, the hotel was just what we hoped for in such a wonderful setting but it was the attentive, helpful, welcoming and professional staff on duty throughout our stay who made the stay beyond expectation. On departure, the service continued and the customer care from the front desk member of staff was just the final golden touch. This was our second visit this year and it was great to see a venue that clearly strives to continuously improve and it was certainly Scottish hospitality in a wonderful Strathspey setting with no end of things to see, do and enjoy! We'll  certainly return and we highly recommend the venue and its team if you're looking for rural relaxation with uncompromising standards.

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Staff were extremely helpful with everything we asked. We had two rooms, one was supposed to be a twin but the beds were setup like a double, when we asked about that they gave us an additional room complementary. Incredible customer service which you rarely find these days. We had 3 of us in one room and they let accommodated us with different breakfast times. The breakfast itself was excellent. Food was great at dinner the night before. The hotel itself is really nice and set in a stunning location. We will be back.

Nothing

The garden rooms are perfect for families with children and dogs. The hotel is in a lovely location next to a picturesque train station. Also, only 7 minutes drive to Landmark Forest Adventure Park, 10 mins to Aviemore and many other close by attractions. The breakfast was lovely every day. Dinner in the restaurant was great too. The service was excellent and the staff super friendly. All hotel staff were polite, chatty and helpful.

There was nothing we didn’t like. The only thing I would change, is to have a small fridge in the room.

Location was very good. We liked the breakfast menu with enough varied options and we liked the room we were given which was spacious and quiet and with a nice view.

We were quite happy but we had to change room as there was a noticeable electrical noise in the first but the staff were attentive and found a solution. One downside though was that the water pressure in the shower was very low. Adequate for a quick shower but not to wash long hair.