Grant Arms Hotel

We stayed at the hotel for 5 nights. Combining a 3 day bird watching holiday with a couple of extra days walking. The bird watching with Dave Slater, Birding Ecosse was excellent. The hotel library and wildlife information are also excellent - an outstanding resource. We stayed in a standard room which was rather spartan. At least it was warm, unlike the corridors and numerous steps used to access our room towards the back of the hotel. The worst aspect of the room was the bathroom. A shower over a bath is NOT ideal for the elderly. We did not feel safe showering and would have preferred a walk in shower. The restaurant food was satisfactory, but by no means good or outstanding. Our first dining experience was ruined by a noisy group on the next table. In fairness the staff moved us to a different part on the dining room for the rest of our stay. The young and mainly local staff were excellent. The bar has an interesting array of whisky if you are so inclined. The coffee provided in the bar was dreadful.

This hotel has a lovely relaxing atmosphere. Super clean throughout. Breakfasts and dinners were high quality. Staff friendly and helpful. Loved the sound of wild birdsong in the reception! A really good hotel, especially for those who are interested in birding.

We had a very enjoyable stay over the Easter weekend. All aspects of the hotel were outstanding: Staff were wonderful -smart and friendy - nothing was too much trouble. Check-in and check-out was easy and efficient Our room was clean, spacious and had plenty of tea/coffee supplies and plentiful toiletries All meals were excellent. Great work from the chef. The added extras such as the library, free parking, free tea and coffee in the bar, doggy welcome pack, morning newsheets and day-trip sheets were an added bonus. Best of all were the guided bird walks which are such a part of this wildlife-focussed hotel We will be back and would recommend 100%

We have not been to Grantown in Spey sine the 1990s and decided a visit was overdue and stayed at the Grant Arms. We were unable to book a superior room which overlooks the square and were located in a standard room which overlooks the rear of the property. The room (twin bedded) was comfortable and met our needs. We liked the notice in the bathroom that explains that due to the ancient plumbing the hot water may take some time before it flows through the tap. We had dinner on both nights of our stay and found the meals to be of a high standard. The only drawback at dinner is the wine list. One cannot purchase wine by the glass. The options are by the bottle or by a small (187 ml?) bottle. They did not stock the wines we usually drink with our meal. Apart from that everything was fine and the staff were most attentive. This is a good base for exploring the surrounding area. Would we return at some point in the future? Yes.

Another excellent week stay at this characterful hotel. The staff are all very pleasant. Jessica at reception is always very helpful. A lovely hotel. Have booked again, been over 10 times so far. The food is really good with a varied menu. Saw two wildlife evening talks in the week.

A lovely hotel. Ideal base for wildlife watching, the hotel provides lots of information on local walks and trips. Each morning there is a local guide how can advise on the best places to visit. Excellent service. The rooms are very comfortable.

First visit to the Grant Arms after it was recommended to us. Service was excellent and a special mention has to go to our waiter, Josh. The food, especially the roast beef, was fantastic and the wine wasn’t too bad either. Definitely be back.

The 'wildlife hotel' exceeded my expectations. I was there with my wife to celebrate my 70th birthday. The staff, guided walks, evening talks and films, the restaurant and comfortable lounge and bar were all excellent. The location is perfect for wildlife and whisky distilleries. Our en suite room was delightful. We heard a hum from the heating system during the day, but it was quiet, switched off at night, and we were out on field trips during the day, so it was no problem. I did struggle to sleep and normally sleep well in a new bed, but I thoroughly enjoyed my week and was happy to catch up at home. We went by train from our home in Berkshire and did not hire a car but were happy to walk locally and had lifts from guides, guests and visiting family. A good bus service links Aviemore to Grantown. At £4.50 per person, I recommend it. The hotel recommended a taxi service which charged us £45 for a ride in a filthy mini bus - best avoided! You'll need a car though to visit the region or the coast. There are buses but they tend to take scenic routes, and there are no trains from Grantown. The town itself is quiet and charming, with an 18th century high street. The hotel too is 18th century. All in all, a great centre for a Cairngorm holiday if you love wildlife.

Comfortable Hotel with some antiquated features like the lift (straight out of the 1930`s) The place to stay if you have any interest in Wild life with plenty of advice available on where to go. Dining room excellent with daily changing dinner menu and bar has a good collection of single malts. Staff very friendly and helpful