Classic Twin Room
from $92
Macdonald Houstoun House
4.0 out of 5.0
62% based on 1448 reviews
TripAdvisor Traveler Rating
Recent guest reviews
This was an old building. Lots of different levels and stairs to go up and down. Some of us were fine with our rooms. Some were in a separate building and didn't like that. The meal was good. Giving us a chance to try the Typical Scottish food.
Stayed here for one night prior to an early flight from Edinburgh airport. Huge room, decent shower, comfortable bed. Everything very clean. Enjoyed a swim in the pool (I was the only person in at 6pm on a Friday) and a sauna before a decent meal in the flag-stoned bar. Didn't have breakfast as was leaving too early. Actually, this hotel would be a decent (and quite cheap) alternative to the city centre as it is only about 10 minutes walk from Uphall station.
Not a bad place, rooms and general décor a bit tired. Friendly and helpful staff (Alison on reception particularly). Meal in the bar was ok and not too expensive. Did not get to try the restaurant. Breakfast was average with second days service pretty "faulty towers" with the lady shouting out orders to the staff who had already taken them and having a bit of a panic with only 3 guests in the place. Calmed down when another staff member arrived to assist. Nice and quiet dark rooms with some nice grounds to walk around. Fire alarm went off in the morning but I was up already so no harm (for me!).
For a nice getaway close to the capital look no further. Real country feel to it. Parking, Plenty of free parking, Reception, staff were lovely, Bedroom, was nice, no complaints, clean and tidy with a classy Scottish touch. Free bottle of water and sweets. Restaurant, was good, if your not a fan of gourmet dining possibly better asking for the bar menus we were not offered this but when we enquired it was presented to us. Only fault here I would say was the waiter on one occasion really was little help and didn't know the menu (at all) so couldn't help us with some of the dishes that were not familiar to us. Breakfast, Well it is first class, fresh and delicious. Spa, Lovely, possibly a little overpriced and the girl that treated us was a student so I'd probably say for the price it's slightly unfair to use trainee staff. That said she was great. Overall, Lovely. We would happily recommend this hotel.
I will try and keep this short and sweet. Staff were very friendly throughout the hotel. The evening meal in the restaurant was nice however the breakfast was not so nice( 1 really small curled up bit of bacon and 4 small button mushrooms what's the point). Shower was piping hot and the control panel was not working to cool it down. Fake tan on my bathrobe from a previous guest. All the above I can deal with as just put down to poor service but £16 for a glass of wine is just daylight robbery. I have travelled to a lot of cities, stayed in a lot of hotels and I have never paid that much for a glass of wine. Because of the above I will not be going back to Houstoun House. There are plenty of hotels in the area (some actually better) offering the same/better facilities and who actually care about their customers wellbeing not just out to rip them off.
The hotel is some 15 minutes from the airport...in the opposite direction from central Edinburgh. It has charming grounds. Our room was comfortable, but best to ask for one away from the entrance/parking lot(s). The staff was nice and the food was very good. The service at the restaurant needs improvement: too few wait staff for the number of clients. (We were there at a very busy time. So perhaps it was just an off night/morning.)
I stayed at the weekend with a friend, and first impression was that it seemed to be a jumble of buildings, our room was in an outer building accessed through an open courtyard, which was fine as weather was good, but I would not enjoy it if it was in winter. We were on 4th floor and there were no lifts. However, it was the restaurant which badly let it down. No one to greet us on arrival. When we did get shown to a table, waiter did not hand us a menu or take a drinks order. We were completely ignored. I had to get up to go find a member of staff to get a menu. Even at that point we were not offered drinks, we had to call them back to take our drink order. When I asked for one particular item to be left off my plate,carrots, my dish came without the carrots, but also without the savoy cabbage. I pointed this out to the waitress, and she then tried to take my plate away, rather than bring me the missing cabbage. Our meal was pre-paid on a Dinner B and B basis, but we were asked to sign for the full amount of the meal. We asked if breakfast was to be served in same room, and were told yes. Next day we arrived for breakfast, again no staff there to greet us, take us to our table. So, we made our own way, and sat, and waited, and waited and waited. Eventually I went to find a member of staff as I had done the night before. I was told, You are in the wrong room! Was taken to a room next door. Breakfast when it came was lovely. As regulars at MacDonald Hotels we have always loved their breakfasts. A young couple from overseas arrived at 9.50am, and were told "The kitchen is closed!" Charming! I was appalled, what must they think of that as a Welcome to Scotland? I told them, " I am sure you will be allowed something from the cold buffet". So, they sat down, and waited to make sure. The next female member of staff greeted them much more warmly than her colleague had done, offered them a drink, then asked would you like some hot food? So, the kitchen was not closed at all. Do the staff not communicate? Serious staffing issues. Could be a lovely hotel, location wise, and food wise, (They have a Michelin star chef, does he know what goes on out front? ) but I certainly won't be back with such poor customer service. Also, no customer comment cards in room, that's why I am forced to comment on here instead.
My friend and i stayed here on 27th May for a birthday treat. The staff were all excellent and very helpful. Meal in the restaurant was delicious. Spafacilities and treatments were lovely, relaxation room very peaceful. The bedroom was spacious and very clean. Overall we both felt spoiled and relaxed. The only downfall was the price of wine. 30 pounds for a warm and very average bottle of wine with dinner was a bit excessive even by hotel standards. I have already recommended this hotel to friends and family.
Spent the evening there on Saturday at a wedding reception. The gardens and area around the hotel are magnificent, the hotel itself is getting tired and could do with a make over. However the day for the bride and groom went extremely well. Our room was spacious and meet the requirements. HOWEVER... at the reception in the evening at which there were 200 people in attendance, one bar was open with 3 staff !!, long wait for service but got there in the end, HOWEVER throughout the night glasses became scarcer at the bar as no one the entire evening cleared any glasses from the table. Quests were taking glasses back for refills......illegal in Scotland under the licensing act. At one stage I went behind the bar to get a glass of water using an old glass. The small bar to the left of reception was no better with only one person serving and constantly apologising for running out of glasses, ice, bottles etc. The hotel new the reception was on and was also catering for other quests including a holiday party (bus tour) surely additional staff should have been brought in. A good evening was had by all but management need to address staffing and the licensing laws of Scotland
We stayed on the 12-13 May. The room was comfortable and clean.The staff were polite and very helpful nothing was too much trouble. The wedding ceremony was held in a small event room . It was lovely, bright and well turned out. The meal was very tasty but a bit on the small side , the waiting staff were polite and attentive. The drinks were very expensive £6.85 for a g&t !!!!, needless to say I didn't have a hangover the next day. The buildings and gardens were pretty and well kept. We didn't use the leisure facilities. The room costs were paid for us but again very expensive. Altogether we would stay again .
Hotel highlights
- Free WiFi in rooms and public areas
- Free parking
- Onsite dining
- Spa
Located in West Lothian, Macdonald Houstoun House is within a 10-minute drive of Livingston Designer Outlet and Almondvale Stadium. This 71-room, 4-star hotel has conveniences like a full-service spa, an indoor pool, and free in-room WiFi. Royal Highland Centre is also within a 15-minute drive of this Broxburn hotel.
Dining
This hotel serves as home to a bar, along with a fine-dining restaurant that specializes in local cuisine. Savor a meal from the comfort of your room with room service. For your convenience, a full breakfast is served for a fee each morning from 8 AM to 10 AM.
Rooms
All 71 air-conditioned rooms feature sofa beds, coffee makers, and free newspapers. TVs come with satellite channels, and guests can stay connected with free WiFi. Bathrooms have hair dryers and free toiletries. Other amenities include free bottled water, phones, and ironing boards.
Property features
At Macdonald Houstoun House, guests enjoy a full-service spa, an indoor pool, and a health club. If you decide to drive, there's free parking. Front-desk staff can answer questions 24/7, and assist with dry cleaning/laundry, luggage storage, and securing valuables. Other amenities at this spa hotel include a sauna, free WiFi in public areas, and conference space.
Reviews from Trip Advisor
62% of guests recommend this hotel
Total of 1448 reviews
