The Lodge on the Loch in Aberdeenshire

Both the dinners and breakfasts were of good quality ingredients, well cooked and presented. Special mention of the steak pie -fairly large and very tasty. All food had to ordered either the night before or for dinner in the morning

First of all apologies to all those poor and terrible reviews that I ignored and shouldn’t have! Within half an hour of arriving we contemplated going home. Check in was a rushed affair with no exchange of pleasantries. The main focus of the female owner was for us to get our breakfast and dinner pre orders in ASAP. When I returned back through I started ordering breakfast and a comment was made about ‘that’s a lot’. When I said cereal and cooked breakfast, twice more comments were made about ordering a lot of food and was I sure I wanted so much. As someone who struggles with my body image I was mortified and asked was I not allowed to order what I had. It was pointed out I would be charged extra for cereal!! I ended up cancelling this more through embarrassment than anything else.(I have to point out here that we had spent two nights previously at the lovely Carnoustie Hotel. The Lodge was £50 dearer per room than Carnoustie who had no surcharges on anything and whose staff were super attentive. I’ve also worked in hotels so know about customer service)The room at the lodge whilst large and looking into the loch was not particularly amazing. On closer inspection it wasn’t very clean in corners and one of the face cloths was brown rather than white. The room above was occupied on second night and the room is not well insulated so we could hear every footstep, etc. I also felt that the shared walkway outside left the room with no privacy.We went for dinner in the very outdated restaurant/bar on the first night. There was a total of five other guests and no atmosphere at all. We had just sat down when our starters arrived, then my husband just finished the last bite of his when the plate was removed as clearly our main course was ready. This is what I hate about pre ordering - the food had clearly been kept warming. Our plates cleared - again no pleasantries, no checking if it was ok, nothing. Our sum total time for what was a basic pub grub dinner was 25 min start to finish! It was so disappointing and rushed that we went into Aboyne the second night for tea.Breakfast wasn’t much better - Curt questions, overcooked bacon and black pudding, our dirty plates left in front of us so we didn’t feel welcome to sit and have a relaxing cup of tea to start the day. Just absolutely no finesse or luxury at all. I have no issue paying astronomical prices if you get what you pay for an you absolutely do not get value for money here and if not careful could run up a number of surcharges. The lodge is, as one other review states, a complete rip off especially when compared to our stay at Carnoustie and other much nicer hotels.I notice some people saying they felt like family well I must be the black sheep as I did not feel at all welcome at this place and was on edge whenever i was anywhere near the female owner after her attitude to me from the outset. The male owner didn’t even speak to me the whole stay and when my husband handed in key he was only concerned with had we paid - no check made if everything had been ok. In fact we both felt that the owners were more focused on making money than customer service. So in conclusion take a lesson from my mistake and DO NOT stay here - there are far more nicer places to go for a lot less money!! Read the other negative reviews as they are all pretty accurate and I wished I had listened to them.

Beautiful location, nice meal, totally spoilt by the attitude of the lady I presume to be the owner. In the course of a very brief conversation in which we were simply asking for directions to the ladies’ washroom, she treated me in a most condescending manner, addressing me as if I were a naughty schoolgirl. I can fully understand why a considerable number of earlier reviews refer to the rudeness of the owners. Neither I nor my friends will be back again.

My daughter and I were looking for a base to visit Deeside and this hotel and spa retreat fitted the bill beautifully.The bedrooms were very comfortable and the views of the Aboyne Loch were stunning.We had dinner on the first night and the food and wine were of good quality and reasonably priced.The owners were very friendly and helpfull as they knew the area very well and recommended eating places and also where to visit.My daughter made use of the leisure facilities and had a massage.Nothing was too much for the owners in terms of help and advice and we stayed for an extra night.Breakfast was superb.

We unfortunately had to cancel our reservation that was made via booking.com two days before our arrival. We were traveling around the West Coast of Scotland and had very limited access to wifi/coverage. I sent an email to the hotel and informed them of the cancellation. Our journey continued and we no longer had access to internet. Whilst we were on the road the hotel sent a response acknowledging the cancellation but said it had to be done via booking.com. By the time i read this and had the opportunity to get on line we were within the cancellation window policy and were charged the full amount. I phoned the hotel seeking understanding and to explain the situation. The “duty manager” was not helpful and determined to stand on the moral high ground of “policy”. He continually blamed the owner (who lives in Singapore and not available to talk to anyone) and said the policy was not flexible and he would be “fired” if he deviated from protocol. I was open to compromise and would have been totally happy with just paying 50% of the amount. What pushed me over the edge was when i asked if the room was resold if i could at least get my cancellation rebated. He categorically said no. My recommendation would be not to book here. As a frequent traveler in this beautiful country i can confirm that there are 100s of unique and stunning hotels and guest houses. This place is more concerned with policy not guest experience.

what a lovely relaxing place to go looking over the loch we had a snack which was very nice would be a lovely place to stay with a hot tub and Jean does a super massage.

Just returned from a fabulous stay. We stayed in the Glentenar Suite which was very spacious with an amazing hot tub on the balcony overlooking the loch, although we would of loved it to be a bit more private. To me it would of been nice if we could of stayed in it longer than 8 pm, however it never dampened our stay. Special thanks to Jean and Denise, we will definitely be back again!Gregor & Zoe

We had heard mixed reports about the Lodge but we decided to give it a chance. We found everything about the Lodge very regimented from check in, ordering evening meals in advance to using the jacuzzi (There were ALOT of rules for the jacuzzi, not to mention the amount of times we were reminded to shower before entering!). The owners were not keen to be flexible with anything, they may have forgotten they are in the hospitality industry?! We felt we were back at school and not able to enjoy our relaxing night away. One of our bedrooms was decorated nicely but the other room was (or had been) the gymnasium?! We had a treadmill, air con unit and no storage in the room so it was a bit strange. The place was very quiet, i think only one other room was occupied, so there was no atmosphere in the restaurant at night which was a shame. The food was ok. The ‘waitresses’ humour left a lot to be desired. I won’t be returning or recommending here unfortunately which is a shame as it is in a beautiful location with a lovely view.

The rooms (or at least mine) are on the small side. They couldn’t even fit a shower in the bathroom, so it was actually in the bedroom!Dinner is a huge let down. You have to pre book your dinner and set a time. When I came down at my allotted time, they forgot that I had ordered a soup for a starter, so they just took my main meal back to keep warm! You even have to pre book your dessert or you’re just left with sticky toffee pudding or lemon tart. I’ll be going elsewhere for my next couple of evening meals. Shame.

We stayed for one night and booked a room with an adjoining Hammam suite , which allowed us to use the sauna, Japanese tub and monsoon/ steam shower as our spa break treat.The room was excellent with a wonderful view of the loch .We had dinner and breakfast which were great and received a friendly welcome from the owners.Loved our stay and was glad we booked the Hammam suite which made our visit. The only negative was that there weren’t many residents when we stayed but then it was a Monday

Lovely hosts and a super set up. Wonderful food and a very well stocked whisky selection. Lovely walks and easy access to deeside. The Deeside Way is very close. Along with a golf course for those golfers among you. Highly recommend a visit.

On the NE250 stayed here for the first night. Stunning location, lovely room overlooking the loch and great food. Thank you

We had a warm friendly welcome. Our room and toilet was spacious and clean, the bed was comfortable, I had to be careful getting in and out of my bed as the room has a dormer roof, this was not a problem. Our evening meal was fine nothing special but breakfast was superb. Fresh fruit and yogurt was the breakfast appetiser while our scrambled eggs and salmon on toast was beautiful.The owners were very helpful and friendly and we will go back when we are back in the area.

Rude unwelcoming Owners and so much to complain about my review would go on and on. Including my daughter overhearing the owner in the kitchen swearing because she asked for more apple juice. Be aware hot tub will be chained closed at 8pm till 12pm next day. View is stunning but that was our only pleasure. Run down mediocre room grubby shower and murky hot tub. Carpet tiles in a room charging £260 per night. I shall stop before I go on a huge rant. Each to their own but we were very disappointed.

When you drive up to lodge on the loch, it's well presented and looks lovely from the outside! We were staying in aboyne for a wedding, which fell on the weekend of the Braemar games, so accommodation was tough to come by. That said we paid £209 for a "suite". When we arrived, we were greeted very pleasantly, no real information was given except that if we were returning late to the lodge after our night out, we would have to be shown how to gain access to the lodge, as the reception would not be manned! This lodge has a spa and fitness suite apparently, but we were not offered to view any of these facilities! We checked in and we're shown to our room, which to our surprise, was a door from the bar area!! The door itself was a fire door, so did not close immediately, meaning that you had to stand there to wait for it to close, while onlookers from the bar were watching. The room was pretty basic for a suite, but seemed ok on first inspection. We were shown how to access the lodge using a code on a door at the car park. Upon settling into the room, much to our disappointment we could clearly hear all the goings on from the bar/reception/restaurant outside. The terrace outside our patio door was basically a communal deck walkway that guests could use to access the communal hot tub, which was also outside our room! The ensuite shower room was new and modern, but the tap on sink was too big and soaked is and the floor when we tried to use it. The view from the windows is lovely, the loch is beautiful, but gets full sun, which it did that day! There is no air con in the room, so it was 30 degrees with no way of cooling it! The door was shielded by a folding screen and a curtain, which you can only assume was to prevent people seeing into the room! There was cobwebs on one part of the ceiling, an open vent poorly hidden by a table and a dressing table, equipped with a tiny pole for hanging clothes, which didn't hold much more than 4-5 hangers. This unit had the dressing mirror for hair drying etc, but the plug socket was approximately a meter and a half away from the vanity unit. Badly set up and made hair drying/styling difficult! After we returned from our night out, the bar area was empty which was good as that meant no noise, but we were kept awake slightly by the green glow of the emergency exit light right above the patio doors! Early morning we could hear the noise from guests having breakfast and glasses, cups crockery being cleared! The room had absolutely no privacy!! Check out is also 10am!! Not the standard for hotels that charge this amount!

Had a lovely 3 nights stay here in the Lochnagar Suite over a weekend.

My wife and i spent 2 nights as part of an anniversary break and enjoyed every minute

Second time visiting here. And staff very friendly. Room spotless and gorgeous view. Food is brilliant also. Will defiantly recommend and visit again. Thank you for great visit again.

Fuimos allí para comer porque todo lo demás en Aboyne estaba completamente lleno. Teníamos una gran vista sobre el lago y la puesta de sol. Realmente parecía prometedor. Pero la comida era horrible. Mi esposa se hizo el risotto que la afluencia de un tazón de ser arroz con algunos aderezos y mi hamburguesa de carne congelada. Evitar este lugar.

Tuvimos una estancia genial de principio a fin, un lugar absolutamente impresionante, con un maravilloso paisaje, la vida silvestre y el lago es precioso. El personal era muy acogedor y claramente fuimos allí para hacerte sentir bienvenido. Todo estaba limpio y los tratamientos de spa eran excepcionales. La comida era de primera clase 1, recomiendo la calle Cullen gomera! ! ! No hay realmente una mala palabra que puedo decir, una mención especial debe ir a Jean, ella era increíble, siempre en cómo estábamos, parecía sólo tiene sentido cuando necesitas algo sin tener que pedir! Le 100% estar de nuevo en el futuro y no puedo esperar!

Mi esposa y yo pasamos una noche romántica aquí antes de mí siendo cirugía mayor para el cáncer más adelante en la semana. La habitación era espaciosa, acogedora y muy limpia y ordenada. Habíamos reservado etc. champán en el balcón, bañera de hidromasaje y pasamos una agradable tarde y noche en el Lodge. Hay muchas posibilidades para las actividades con el hotel siendo rodeado por un hermoso campo de golf y Aboyne Loch para deportes acuáticos. La comida era buena y el desayuno fue agradable y contundente.

As soon as we went in we were met by a very polite gentleman who made us feel very welcome, we were there for hot stone massages with jean & Denise, my girlfriend and I have been to a lot of the very well known hotels & Spa's that do this but none of them compare to this treatment they certainly know what they are doing make you feel so relaxed and are so friendly, I would highly recommend

a haggis starter for the meat eaters and the arabiatta with goats cheese were lovely. very attentive staff and a great quiet location to unwind.

La comida era mediocre y un servicio horrible. No vamos a ser insultado. Nunca más volveré a este lugar de nuevo.

Beautiful setting,Great food and great selection of drinksHelpful staff and very chattyBeautiful rooms and very clean and modernGood facilities too.. Overall GREAT

We had an excellent 3 days at Lodge on the Loch, Aboyne. Derek & Jean made us most welcome and are superb hosts. We had a lovely room overlooking the loch, it is so scenic with swans and ducks swimming around. The hotel has a 9 hole golf course which we played and enjoyed, The area is well supplied with golf courses and for walkers with, so much of interest in and around the area. The food was superb from a hearty breakfast through to dinner in the evening, the dining room has a nice atmosphere and a nice bar area to sit and look through the menus over a pre dinner drink. This was our second visit in a year and would highly recommend The Lodge on the Loch.

We popped in here today as a last minute decision - bad move! Our first instincts as we pulled up were not good - only 2 other cars parked at the door on a Sunday lunchtime? Not good, but my sister, being a local stated, well, it doesn't have a good reputation, but let's give it a try anyway...... Mmmmm..... Should've never entered!Myself and my sister ordered the cheeseburger each - her young son, a kiddies meal of the same thing - and my mother a 'croque monsieur'.....Upon arrival, I instantly didn't like the look of the burger - it was grey in colour, with a thin layer of already melted pale cheese dripping off, which was swimming in the grease lying on top! I took one bite and decide it clearly was NOT the Aberdeen Angus steak meat is said on the menu, and could eat no more! My sister tried, and couldn't even swallow one mouthful - it was full of grease and gristle.....! Of course, her son had the same burger, so she insisted he wasn't to eat it either - if she wasn't prepared to put her burger in her mouth, then no way was she inflicting it on her 6year old either! The croque Monsieur arrived - come on people!?! In NO WAY was this a croque Monsieur!!! After living in France for 15 years, THIS was a far cry from the luscious, gooey delicious cheesy treat it should have been - it was a dried up, nearly burnt ham and cheese toastie! Granted, it did say in brackets on the menu, insultingly to those of us who DID know what a croque Monsieur was, "ham and cheese toastie" and thus, should've been all the explanation it needed! Soooo not worth the price!We all have had bad meals in the past, but this was the first one I actually decided I wasn't going to pay for, as it was SOOOO bad...... But my mother was sooo hungry after travelling all the way from Inverness, and she decided to eat her 'toastie' anyway.....It wasn't until that had gone did the waitress think to check in on us to ask if everything was OK..... Only to be met by 3 full meals still sitting in front of us, and the request for the bill please.....?!?? We were willing to pay for what we had eaten - 4 drinks, the toastie, and a small bowl of chips (ordered because the awful burger didn't even COME with fries, at £8.50 if my memory serves me well!?!) shocking!Eventually, while paying the bill with the deductions, the owner dared show her face and asked us about the burgers which were sent back.... No apology, no suggestion of offering us anything else, just stated we were the first to complain about the burger, and that they use a reputable butcher....! When we said well, sadly, we heard the restaurant didn't have a good reputation locally anyway, but we were willing to give it a try, to see for ourselves, she literally smiled and smirked 'oh, the LOCALS....? Of COURSE they're going to give us a bad reputation...!!" Clearly we were not the first to complain!!! ERH? What????? So that's ok then???? Surely if you're running a business, of any kind, it's your LOCALS who are your bread and butter off season, and its they you SHOULD be trying to provide a service for, no????? I rarely complain in restaurants, but we came away feeling shocked that the owner actually said that! I hope the only other couple in the restaurant weren't indeed locals and who would've heard our discussion!My recommendation - stay well away from this place - especially if you ARE a local! Your beautiful area doesn't need this disrespectful, condescending and downright rude attitude to give it a bad name!

Stopped off here on a Sunday for lunch following a walk up the Mortlich hill. We were the only 4 people in the restaurant which we thought strange for this time on a Sunday. The lunch was fine but the portions of Cullen Skink could have been larger considering the cost. Service was efficient, as you would expect when only 4 people to serve. As others have said the location is beautiful and appears to have great potential. No one on the golf course today either. Yes get Alex Polizzi in, something not quite right.

My family and I stayed in hotel for one week. Derek and Jean could not do enough for us. The hotel is beautiful the location is amazing. The spa treatments are superb. The staff are friendly and helpful. Would highly recommend.

Had a nice relaxing stay for 2 nights. Lovely location and well run by the owners. Our room had a great view over the loch to Aboyne golf course and the hills beyond.Room was a decent standard and the bed was so comfortable I had a better sleep than I do at home.Loved the outdoor hot tub. As it was quiet we stayed in for longer than the 30 minutes we intended. In fact 2 hours and 3 drinks later we finally emerged from the hot water.Totally relaxing break and well worth a visit.

Had the Fish Special. Awesome. Great quality, good portions, excellent service. Pre-ordered starter and main at check-in, helped the kitchen and the food arrived promptly. Ideal if you know what you want.

had chapatti with balsamic dipping oil was lovely, followed by fish & chips was also cooked to perfection and then the most amazing lemon tart with ice cream food & service was fab

Nice location on the Castle Trail and close to Braemar. My room overlooked the lake which was beautiful. The hot tub was used and enjoyable. The room was basic, no frills. The mattress could have been a bit more comfortable, but the up side is that the room was quiet.The staff was friendly and helpful. Dessert was tasty and worth the calories.

Great stay, beautiful views, friendly staff, comfortable and modern rooms, good food with mixed variety.

It's not 'fine dining' but it is good food in s superb location, looking over the loch. The staff were all great and friendly too.

I just gave the hotel a very good rating but I feel I must give the restaurant something different. The serving staff was friendly and fun to be around. The food was marginal.

My wife and I have just spent 4 days at this lodge.It was a wonderful experience with excellent food, lovely accommodation and great food. We were given a warm welcome with the service being of the highest quality. Thanks to Derek, Jean and Denise for making our stay really pleasant. We wholeheartedly recommend this for a visit.

During a recent stay myself and my wife used the restaurant on the two nights of our stay. We found the food to be excellent with complements going to the chef on both evenings. The staff were also very friendly too. I would recommend a visit to this restaurant.

Food was first class along with the service. Derek and Jean were very helpful and friendly along with the staff who were highly attentive and cheerful in what they were doing.

We popped in for lunch - 3 adults with 2 children on a Saturday. We were practically the only people in there. We have eaten here before and the staff are very friendly and very welcoming. The food was fine - but it was in our view overpriced. It was just over £80 for us (not including service) - that included a very small bowl of olives, 2 kids meals and a scoop of ice cream each for pudding, 2 fantas, 1 latte, 1 J20, and a black coffee - 3 main courses and 2 adult puddings. We had eaten the previous evening in the Hilton in Ballater - and that included 3 desserts and two cocktails and the food there was exquisite and more reasonably priced. For the adult meals we had a Belly of Pork which was £15.50, a butternut squash risotto at £13 I think and a fish and chips. Again the food was nice but just overpriced considering. Also Im not really sure what this place is - there is a golf range, a loch, little lodges outside for guests I presume, a restaurant and gym equipment on the decking - its a little confusing.

Rude, condesending, cheeky and overpriced by a lot. Had heard from locals to avoid but prefer to create own opinion. Wont waste any more time on this. Make your own decission but be warned.

One of the best places I have ever stayed in. The staff great and very helpful. There was a Hen Party in the lodgeon the nights we stayed and even with the hot tub directly under our patio doors we had an undisturbed night.The room was just the right size for two people. Temperture in the room was good and furnishings all like new.Breakfast was excellent and service good. I wish I had time to play on the golf course as it looked magic.

Even though it was raining, this is a lovely venue. The staff are very nice & attentive. The food is excellent and cooked to perfection.

We popped in for lunch on Saturday. What a joy! Great service, lovely menu, super food, beautiful location and wonderful views. We ate outside as it was a warm, sunny day. Really tip top experience and we will be back.

I went to this restaurant today for lunch with my wife and a friend, we ordered soup and sandwich deal, we were only offered one selection of soup, but other tables were offered three, my wife is allergic to animal fats and noticed that they did a goats cheese salad so asked if it was possible to have a goats cheese sandwich with her soup as she was not able to have the ham or the normal cheese and tomatoe sandwich which were offered with the deal! The terse reply was we only do two types of sandwich, you can have the goats cheese salad instead of the soup! No my wife said I would like the soup but I cannot eat the sandwiches which you have offered, the reply was we only do two type of sandwich, this place is very inflexible and the manner of the lady that served us was rude and unpleasant! We will not go again and would not recommend it to our friends.

wonderful to be back looking over a lovely setting, glass of wine and a lovely three course meal, also great service, can't wait for our next trip

The food was nice, venison cooked to perfection. Also enjoyed the raspberry creme brulee. The restaurant offers views over the lake, wich is beautiful. Owners were helpful with picking a accompanying wine.

Not much to say for their food, as we visited for a hot chocolate break on a rainy day walking along the beach. Having received 'cold' chocolates instead (£4 each!), we were quite disappointed, but even getting a hold of the waitress to complain about it took enough time for us to give at the end. After all, maybe it wasn't £8 badly spent, as we initially thought to come back for dinner (and we went elsewhere as expected). Spectacular views from the restaurant though, in case you want to chill out for a while.

As a local i have tried on 3 occasions to eat here, despite various local opinions. Each and every time it has been unsuitable for the owners to let us dine. Indeed it is their choice as when the open and to whom, but with their location and the lack of decent places locally, i cant see why they dont seem to maximise on their business? So, as much as i would love to be bigging it up, and complementing them on their food and hosting skills, un fortunately all i can commment on is the owners initial welcome, which is frankly awfull, un welcoming and unprofessional. "The boat inn" is consistantly great, welcoming and freindly. So as much as a variation would be nice, I shan't be trying to eat here again.

just superb food and wine served with a smile best sticky toffee pud in the landbreakfast also great

The food and choice was very good. Nicely presented and piping hot. The young lady serving needs some training as she brought the soup first and then the spoons. Breakfast was very good.

We stayed in Aboyne for two days with four people, and both days we dined at this restaurant. Each dish was prepared with fresh products and it tasted amasing. Highly recommended!

liked everything about this hotel,wish I could think of something negative to say about our weekend here, but sadly only positive thoughts come to mind and was disappointed we had to go home

Pleasant but bit pricey. Only one vegetarian option on the menu.Cooked to order so you wouldn't want to be ravenously hungry or want t quick meal !

Lady hotelier furiously outraged that I wanted a second key for my pregnant wife... Male hotelier not happy about being asked to provide some hot water for showers... No drinks served after midnight for wedding party who'd travelled hundreds of miles... Lady hotelier again furious that she should be asked to make some children hot chocolate drinks, and again when asked by a guest if a taxi might be available. Lovely loch, lovely stay not ruined by hilariously poor behaviour of Basilia Fawlty, who is working in the wrong industry.

Trio of salmon starter excellent, tasty chicken and mango dish, good variety to suit all tastes and cater for all dietary requirements.

Good Food Good Room Pleasant host just what we were looking for after being to a Clan Gathering nearby

Arriving in the car park a small board at the door informed our party Sorry no lunches. No sign to tell you at the entrance of the drive. Other couples and a car of potential customers arrived at the same time. When entering the door the proprietor informed us that lunches (or a welcome of any kind) was not on offer. When we asked to go and have a look from the terrace for any future visit we were told in no uncertain terms "you can look from the outside". Needless to say we will not be back . Obviously any new or future business was of no interest to the gentleman present. Two other people arriving said they had been the previous year and missed lunch by five minutes and decided to bring friends to try again. Last chance they won't be back either. Very disappointing attitude when you are showing off your area to visitors.

Check the Specials board for the very best of local and seasonal. Friendly, welcoming, accommodating personnel and a gifted chef. House wine choices very good and very fairly priced.

the views from this place are just amazing. we had lunch there which was very nice but just a tiny bit expensive. service was good & staff friendly but I think they should have maybe set lunch menu for better value. we only had a main course & one drink & got no change from £50.00

We had a very enjoyable meal in the retaurant on thursday night 26th june.couldn't fault it at all.The owners and staff were very friendly and attentive.What made it even better was the view from our table,sitting looking over the loch and golf course it was stunning.Won't be to long before we go back again.

The food was good but maybe not "five star gourmet". Service was good and view from restaurant was very nice.

We had a private room for our party of twenty. The menu contained all of my favourite foods and was delicious. Service was great, prompt and unobtrusive. A great experience and will return again when we have another group dinner.

Great menu, which my wife and I both found something to eat of it, great service. Food was cooked really well and was well presented and cooked fresh

Was visiting friends in Lumphanan and ended up at Lodge on the Loch - very easy to find and great setting out on the loch. We had a 2 course meal, the food was quite good and piping hot. The service was good, you were left alone to enjoy yourself yet the staff were still attentive. I think a few glasses of wine looking out to the loch on a summer evening would be the best way to enjoy this place.

Had lunch here 12 months ago whilst up visiting friends and it was so good, we agreed to go back again yesterday. We noted the sign outside with its lunch and dinner times, lunch finishing at 230, and its only 130, plenty time. Pulled into the car park, quite empty.....last time it was difficult to get a space. Got a warm enough welcome, only 2 others in the dining area, which seemed odd. Got a nice table by the window to watch the waterskiers, so far so good. Drinks order went fine then we got the menu, which was the start of the negativity. Very limited menu, not cheap, not a great selection. We had lovely Panini's last time and awesome Risotto, but neither available this time. The girls didn't really want to stay due to the poor menu, but the lads were hungry so agreed to have a starter and a pud, whilst we ordered the "Rib eye" sandwich, which looked to be ok. Soup arrived (cauliflower), think they used a big saucer as the quantity wasn't good. Then, the Rib Eye steak sandwiches arrived, which incidentally were the dearest on the menu, oh dear. Presentation was OK, but, it wasn't rib-eye, it was a tough Sirloin, finished half of it as got a bit sore chewing. Mentioned it to the waitress type lady, who didn't really respond. The girls were still hungry so ordered Sticky Toffee pud, again, average. Ok, to the point, very very disappointing. On receipt of the bill we were advised that the puddings were "on the house" due to the steaks, but surely it should have been the £15 steaks on the house not the 4.99 puds????. Anyway, sadly, we wont be back. Beautiful location, spoiled by 2nd rate food. Sorry, but thats it. I see your other listings, perhaps the lunches are different??????? Maybe the Chef was off?

the quality of food and menu selection combined with efficient friendly service ensured an enjoyable dinning experience , all of this whilst gazing across a picturesque loch .....kind of special treat

Glorious views, specious and quiet area for enjoyable chat, friendly staff and very tasty food.(some prompting was needed to receive a full menu).Excellent experience – we will definitely go back!

Great setting , pity about everything else, to regimental, ie check in & check out no atmosphere when dining .the owners seem to do everything a glorified B&B

Sometimes it's the way that question is delivered that gives you an immediate clue to the service you are about to experience... So, Good Friday, clear blue skies, we seated ourselves on the perfectly positioned decking. There were four of us, looking forward to a cold drink or a cup of tea having driven through from Aberdeen. A lady appeared from within to ask if she could help, though there was no doubt, she had no intention of helping us at all. She advised us quite curtly that there was no service until 5.00pm unless were were residents. There were no staff available to provide a bar service. I tried to negotiate and said what a beautiful spot it was and that it would have been lovely to have had a drink, overlooking the loch. She briefly appeared to thaw and asked what exactly we would like and said she couldn't serve us outside but walked off behind the bar. Great - so, I started to ask for the teas and coffees, but she cut me short and and told me that there were 'Plenty of other coffee shops in town' - well, hey ho! Guess they actually have people in them? Spending money? Perhaps the sign at the gate that says 'open', or the notice on the door that says the same, should be altered to read; Open, depending on our own specific circumstances that will be shared upon arrival....In summary; Service was extremely unfriendly and RUDE.

The hotel is located next to a lake and is indeed very beautiful. I enjoyed my stay and would like to go there again. The rooms are very modern. Also, the food was good.

Although they don't do lunches, they very kindly offered to make lunch.The evening meals were great, and the owners were very helpful.The scenery and peace and quiet was wonderful.We will definitely stay again.

I am not surprised to see that so many of the reviews below have a similar theme of rude or unwelcoming staff. We stopped by mid morning hoping for a cup of coffee, only to be met with disdain. It is of course the restaurant's prerogative to choose not to serve coffees and to only serve full meals (although this seems like madness in an empty bar with a functioning coffee machine at 11.00a.m. - you'd have thought they'd be glad of the custom) but it was the way in which we were spoken to in such an abrupt and rude manner that left us feeling upset and disappointed. The view from the restaurant puts a smile on your face, if only the staff could learn the value of doing the same.

Absolutely beautiful food, wonderful presentation, great service and very reasonably priced. By far one of the most delicious places we have ever eaten at. The atmosphere was warm and welcoming. Nothing we could fault

I recently took my team for an Awayday at Lodge of the Loch. The venue was perfect – the main meeting room with a view over Aboyne Loch and the mountains behind is uplifting and inspirational, and the hospitality provided by Derek and Jean is first class. Easy access to the outdoors is perfect for team building. Overall, I would highly recommend this venue for this type of event.

Me and my friends decided to take a weekend break away to recharge our batteries after a long month and came to find this lovely hotel. The staff have been very welcome from day one and accommodated us very well. The room was clean, tidy and was facing the golf course. The view all around the hotel is beautiful and there is area to walk around the Aboyne loch and sit on the veranda. The hotel boasts a great selection of whisky and the manager is very knowledgeable of those. Breakfast served is a choice of different varieties on the menu. To end our last night there we decided to have our dinner at the lodge which was splendid and overlooking the lake. A perfect treat to end the week!

I have been there many times with friends and always enjoyed splendid food and varied menus, Last week was no exception and service from Derek and Jean always top quality.Saw the "resident" Osprey catch two fish from the lake...wild life at its best!

There was nothing not to like - fabulous place if you like great views and peace and tranquility.Decent small gym and a great plunge pool - every gym/sauna should have them!Derek and Jean are very attentive and nothing is too much trouble.Great area for golf players and tourists alike - also find time o go in Aboyne itself as also lovely little place.

Ankom slitne etter å ha syklet fra Aberdeen. Da var det deilig med privat spa i tilknytning til rommet. Egen sauna, steambad og kuldekulp! Nydelig beliggenhet ved Loch Aboyne.

11 of us went to the Lodge on the Loch for a 60th Birthday meal for my Mum, It was a lovely sunny night and the views from the lodge were amazing, As we had booked they had set up a table outside so we could have drinks there in the Sun until our Dinner was ready, the food was really lovely and enjoyed by all. Service was very friendly and helpful too. When it came to get the bill I was surprised on the good value for money. All round great night and certainly did not let us down. Well worth a visit.

My wife and I stopped by today for a bite of lunch. The Herring grilled with oats, new potatoes and samphire was really delicious!Would recomend anyone to go to the Lodge, as it is a hidden gem! The views are extrordinary.

Great food with a bar and a sensational vista sitting on the deck. The seafood menu is another reason to visit yet more.

The other night I went here on the spur of the moment,had a very good bar supper accompanied by a glass of red wine.A very nice under rated venue,enjoyed it.

We held our annual corporate cycle event on Friday from the Lodge on the Loch of Aboyne and we just wanted to say that it was fantastic! The staff were friendly and helpful, the Lodge is beautifully located and very charming and the food was home cooked and delicious. It was a great day and Derek and Jean certainly went a long way towards helping us achieve that. Thank you very much.Sarah,Business Growth Fund.

I am a regular visitor to the Lodge on the Loch whilst traveling for business. I have found it to be a welcomed retreat after a busy day. The owners are extremely accommodating, friendly and welcoming and go above and beyond to ensure I am comfortable and have everything I need. The rooms are well presented and have exceptional bathroom/shower facilities with complimentary toiletries as well as tea and coffee making facilities in the rooms. There have been several occasions where I have had to ask for specific dietary requirements from the restaurant, due to being diabetic and Jean has completely went out of her way to ensure that I have been able to have something more appropriate. The food is delicious and to an extremely high standard and after trying several dishes, I would definitely recommend the steak. The facilities are brilliant and the gym, sauna and hot tub provides a more relaxing environment when you do not have the comforts of home available to you. The loch is scenic and the view is breath taking at times. There have also been times where we have had to work after check out time and we have been made to feel very welcome to use the wifi in the lounge during these times, despite having passed check out time. I would highly recommend staying here for business but have plans to visit with my family in the future. I would also mention that they offer spa treatments which are always handy to have on offer. I will continue to use this hotel as it is far superior and less expensive than those I have stayed before in town. Amazing little place to stay.

Having stayed at Lodge on the Loch on a number of occassions now I always feel most welcome, the owners are more than accomodating when it comes to dinner, arranging an early breakfast and working in the bar area.The loch area is beautiful and the use of the hotel facilities including hot tub and sauna make our business trips all the more enjoyable! Would definitely recommend staying here, much better than a city centre hotel franchise and less expensive! Thanks again and see you soon! Emma

Terrible, will never go back, the way we were treated was disgusting. We didn't want a big lunch and asked if we could have sandwiches, with a big sigh, it was I will ask, when so called sandwiches arrived, they were dry and you could tell they had been thrown together,The so called owner then proceeded to talk about us behind our backs, if this is 4 star trip advisor well Im sorry I cant imagine what 2 stars would be like.

popped in for a coffee. sat outside as it was a beautiful day. you can imagine the view we had. spectacular. decided to have lunch. food lovely. service excellent. would certainly go back again.

Popped in past the Lodge on the way home from a weekend up in Ballater at 5pm on Sunday 26th May hoping to grab a bite to eat and possibly have a drink out on the lovely decking area. Previously visited the Lodge and received a very warm welcome. This visit unfortunately we were made to feel we were trespassing on royal property !!Pulled up in our 2 cars and parked in the car park and before the other half of our party had stepped out their vehicle or we had even closed our car doors, a very stern woman came out the entrance to the Lodge and abruptly and gruffly demanded "Can I help you?". I replied "yes we were looking to have a drink and something to eat", to which she quickly barked "We are not open". I then asked "Oh, why aren't you open?", to which she pointed at the door (we presume at the opening hours) and again very abruptly stated "We don't open until 5.30". No apology, no real sense of trying to explain or giving us a chance to ask any further questions. She simply decided the conversation was over and went back inside. So rude and so uncalled for. You cannot see the opening hours from the other side of the car park... you can't even see the sign !!!There are also NO opening times on the large signs at the entrance to the establishment, yet they do state meals etc available. Hardly an enticing welcome.We have no idea if this woman was an employee of the Lodge or the actual Proprietor, but one thing we do know ... we won't be back again. Very disappointed as our previous visit was brilliant.We carried on to Potarch where we had a lovely and very welcoming visit to the Potarch Hotel.

Just to balance some of the reviews of the restaurant.... we had breakfast there after staying for one night in the hotel. Great service and very nice food.

I ate at the restaurant everytime I stayed there - the food is good and the service perfect! The staff are very friendly.

The best breakfast I've ever had. Lovely room and well equipped hotel gym with a view worth the visit on its own. Definitely recommend if you like a quiet hotel with good facilities and good service.

I recently spent the weekend with friends at the Lodge on the Loch. Lovely setting, good facilities including a nice golf course and spa. Food was good and the service was very attentive and staff very welcoming. We all enjoyed a great stay.

Enjoyed a fine extended family Sunday lunch with a child on a low carb gluten free diet. We went for the sticky toffee pudding which was as good as we'd heard. The fish pie was exceptionally good ( the bechamel sauce did not overwhelm, but complemented the fish) and the roast vegetables the accompanied most of our meals were sweet but not soggy. The staff were wonderfully accommodating to our dietary constraints. A very easy venue with a menu that has something delicious for everyone.

Everything about this place is terrible, from the owners, to the OVER PRICED food, could do with new managment to pick this place up off the ground!!! only good things is the view. thanks but no thanks.

this is a very average establishment with tired rooms which were not clean. There were cobwebs everywhere and the floor had not been vacuumed before our arrival. There was even an item of clothing from a previous guest hanging in the wardrobe. There appears to be a problem with the drainage as the shower tray filled up very quickly and the hand basin also did not drain well. The lighting in the bedrooms is extremely poor and reading was difficult. Overall it was a poor experience and not what one would expect in an establishment which charged very high rates. The owners were a pleasant couple who were keen to please but if they want to charge high rates they must do better. The bedrooms could do with a few pictures and homely touches. They were very sterile and reminded me of a cheap nasty midwest American motel rather than a modern Highland Hotel. The setting of the Lodge is superb with wonderful views and a nice feel. It was so disappointing to be let down by the poor interior finish and housekeeping.

A restuarant with a delightful setting and attentive service but expensive for quality and quantity.

From the minute we entered we were met with a friendly atmosphere, we were early which was not a problem, we waited 15mins for the housekeeping staff to finish our room, as we were early by 2hrs, the staff went out of their way to get our room ready, the owners were very friendly and courteous, We had breakfast and each day we had something different, and again every thing was 1st class, we never waited long for service and we were not hurried to finish, We had dinner one evening and again the service was 1st class, lots of choice and a specials, our dinner was lovely,high standards of service through out, The hotel was very clean again very high standards, the view over the loch was wonderful, with a glass enclosed veranda which was lovely to sit out on after dinner, We are so very pleased we found the hotel and would certainly go back and recommended it to other travelers,

This location cannot be beaten. It is stunning. Very relaxing and a very good meal. Staff excellent.

My sister is home from Thailand on holiday so we decided to go for a spot of sightseeing stopped at The Lodge on the Loch Aboyne for a snack. The location is stunning would love to have been able to sit on patio but I'm afraid weather was awful. We weren't that hungry so we decided to just have a Prawn cocktail each but my sister noticed the soup of the day was cullen skink which she hadn't had in years so ordered a bowl. When it arrived she was very disappointed it was liquidised no lovely chunks of fish or potatoes. The prawn cocktail was also a let down it was a small bowl with some shredded lettuce marie rose sauce on top with 4 large prawns hanging off each corner!! The prawns had obviously just been defrosted as they were just soaking my sister actually squeezed the water out before eating them, they were priced at over £6 which was outrageous for what we got. It was a pity as the welcome was lovely and the setting stunning.