Kinloch Rannoch is a really special place for us and we have been visiting the Macdonald Loch Rannoch Hotel for around seven years. I have fallen in love with the area, which in my opinion is truly magical. I’ve spent time there in all seasons and perhaps my favourite time of year to visit is October. Nothing beats standing at the shore of the Loch with the grey sky reflected in its rippling water and the wind lashing at your cheeks. It’s where my husband proposed to me and it will always be one of my favourite places in the world to spend some quiet time.

During our last visit the weather was surprisingly warm and sunny though; it even defied the forecast which predicted torrential downpours.

The quality of our stays at the hotel itself have varied. I feel it’s one of those establishments you visit for ‘old time’s sake’ and sentiment rather than a luxurious, hassle-free getaway. This time we paid for a room with a loch view and the rate which averaged £183 per night included dinner, bed and breakfast. The rooms in this hotel really do fluctuate wildly in quality (avoid room 14 at all costs) but I was really pleased with the sight that greeted me when I opened the door.

We even had a small plate of chocolates waiting for us, which was a lovely surprise. I felt then that perhaps something had changed at the hotel since our last visit. I’d clocked some flowers in the bar area, fairy lights embellishing jars of potpourri. The paintwork was still scuffed and tired and the radiators peeling, but somebody at the hotel was partially aware that first impressions count.

Dinner at the Macdonald Loch Rannoch hotel can be an ordeal. Never assume you’ll be able to get the reservation you’re hoping for, even if you’re paying for a dinner, bed and breakfast package. Last time we visited – in May 2014 – we were told that due to a big group booking we couldn’t eat until 9.30pm. After some persuasion, the restaurant manager agreed to seat us at a more palatable 7.45pm. This time, we were told that we could eat only at quarter-to-nine or 6.30pm. Neither really appealed, but we opted for the earlier time. We were seated in a room next to the main dining area, in front of some big doors which opened out into the carpark. It was pretty drafty, so seeing some free tables in the main dining area we asked politely if we could possibly move due to the cold. We were met with a rather haughty response from the maitre d’: there were no alternatives available. When we pointed out the empty tables we were told that we would have to wait ten minutes, which we readily agreed to. We were however moved without the threatened wait, when it became clear to the maitre d’ that his excuses had been exhausted.

The atmosphere in the main dining room has the potential to be charming.  It has a cosy hunter’s lodge feel which when the wind is howling and the rain battering the windows, there are few other places I’d rather be.  The same is true of the seating area next to reception.  I’ve had some blissful afternoons sat by the open fire reading or writing and some really memorable evenings playing chess with a glass of red. Unfortunately though, any hope of atmosphere this time was annihilated by a very loud CD of tracks such as ‘No Matter What’ and ‘Candle in the Wind’ played on the saxophone. One run through of this would have been quite enough, but it was played on repeat throughout the evening and then throughout breakfast the following morning, too.

If you’re a vegetarian there is a very limited choice for your on the dinner menu, which itself remains unchanged for a number of consecutive evenings. As a result, I had to have the same main meal for both dinners during our two night stay. The lady on the table next to us decided not to follow suit, but was instead forced to have a vegetarian starter with chips.  The desserts – although repeated night after night – were interesting. The DIY Lemon Meringue Pie was memorable for the right reasons.  But I would urge you not to order the rocket-fuel decaffeinated coffee in the restaurant; it’s too strong to be drinkable.

While the restaurant staff are unfriendly and dour, the bar staff are extremely warm and welcoming. I had some lovely chats with the two ladies who were working there during our stay. They also very kindly re-made my decaffeinated coffee and it was delicious.

The swimming and spa facilities were better than last time we visited. The water in the pool was certainly warm enough for an enjoyable swim and the sauna and steam room were working, as was the previously ‘out of order’ shower in the men’s changing room. The water in the swimming pool didn’t smell particularly clean though; a couple of whiffs put me off a second dip.

When we came to check out of the Macdonald Loch Rannoch Hotel, some drinks which were not ours had been added to our bill. I was also surprised to see that we had been charged for the bread we were offered during dinner; we were not told that there was an additional charge for this. I told the receptionist (and Hotel Manager who happened to be sitting beside her) that I thought it was a little bit naughty to offer bread to guests and then charge them for it on check-out. I also told them we had been coming to the hotel for many years and had never been charged for bread before. They both replied it was now Macdonald policy. However, we had been fortunate enough to stay at the wonderful Macdonald Bath Spa Hotel a fortnight before and had not been charged for bread. I also told them that we had visited the Rannoch Hotel just four months ago and hadn’t had to pay for it then, but I was told I must be mistaken. This left a really bitter taste as we were leaving the hotel. That afternoon we received an email from the Hotel Manager, who clearly regretted our argument on departure and offered to reimburse us the cost of the bread. This was very kind, but it was unfortunate he didn’t realise that the £6 wasn’t really the issue. More worrying was the underhand way of offering something chargeable as though it was complimentary and then compounding the issue by arguing the point.

I’ll never stop visiting Kinloch Rannoch, but every time we stay at the Macdonald Loch Rannoch Hotel we wonder if we’ll be back. This visit was no exception.

A predictable 3/5.