Lochside House Hotel & Spa

Booked a a cottage for 12 looked nice at first glance, but when you take a closer look we found dirty marks on pillows, leaking tap had to put a towel on floor, stains on mattress of pullout bed, broken bed light, chips in furniture, a tear on bed, little bits of wallpaper coming off, was not impressed for amount they were charging.

We were given gift vouchers for a stay and decided to use them for a stay which included dinner and breakfast. We had a garden suite - the room was nice with a big comfy bed. We arrived around 2.30pm and headed straight to the spa. To use the spa facilities outwith the times of 7pm-9pm it was £10pp. We were given a towel each and shown where to change and enter the spa. We were told that robes and slippers were only offered to those that had booked a treatment. The spa itself is pretty underwhelming. A “vitality pool” which was just a large jacuzzi with broken tiles and buttons held on by tape. And a sauna and a steam room that were turned up far too hot, you couldn’t sit down without risk of burning yourself. After spending 45 minutes we decided we had enough and headed back to the room to chill before dinner. Dinner was good, the food well presented and my partner even saying it was one of the nicest rack of lamb he had tried. (See photos) Unfortunately, within half an hour of finishing our food and being back to our room after dinner, I was violently ill. Whether this was food related or not I will never know but let’s just say I’ve been put off haggis and black pudding for a long time! For the prices charged I definitely think you can stay at a lot nicer facilities with so much more to offer (check Ribby Hall Spa nr Preston - amazing!!). Unfortunately I had a terrible time due to illness but all in we were both really underwhelmed at the facilities and would not return.

Great location, great food, SPA staff are amazing but service in restaurant lacking some fine details. Some of our order was wrong/missing and seemed like training wasn’t up to scratch. While my wife was having a SPA I waited upstairs in the coffee lounge. While the staff were very polite and friendly they never came near me. I had to go to the bar several times to order what I wanted. One couple left 20 min after when no staff came near them. Maybe more staff is the answer. Would it put me off going back??? As I said staff were very polite and welcoming. Maybe they are just new. Well worth a trip!

We booked one of the lodges for my friends hen. The package we had included dinner on the first night one treatment each and two nights. Given the per person rate we paid I would say it was a great deal. lovely lodge - great that they have a treatment room in the lodge so you do not need to go to the main hotel. Treatments great, food lovely on the first night we ate in the main restaurant. I have been to Lochside a few times but this is the first lodge booking. I will be back.

I didn’t write this view at the time but it still annoys me every time I think about or go to Lochside so thought it would be worth posting as a heads up to other families that might find themselves in the same boat. Lochside is great staff are generally great food is great and it’s a real star for East Ayrshire. The word of warning would be we hired the Glen Coal Suite for my sons Christening Lunch and Party, lunch was great but the music was only allowed to be background music only as it’s directly above the spa, this wasn’t explained at the time of booking as at one stage I was looking at getting a dj and even went to test the venues music would be loud enough with a playlist on my iPad through their sound system so it was disappointing to find that out for the first time on the day, the staff were generally good about it however one in particular was awful full of her own self importance and was clearly sent out to stop me complaining about it she was aggressive cheeky and certainly shouldn’t be involved at the front of house in the service industry coming out with chat like you booked the wrong room despite chat pre event around djs and even testing the sound volume with their staff midweek, she put a damper on it for me luckily I kept the discussions between me and her so it didn’t really impact any of the other guests as unlike her I’m blessed with tact I think some of her colleagues seemed embarrassed by her behaviour, All this aside Lochside is still a great venue for any event I just wouldn’t book the Glen Coal suite for a party with music and dancing

Check in - we had called days prior to request an early check in as had a wedding in the venue had to get changed and ready. This was agreed on the phone. We turn up and told this is not the case. We did get in 30 mins early so around 12.30 (normal check in is 1pm) - reception a bit frosty about this Room - nice layout. However, a bit tatty and needing updated and things fixed. We were in room 6. Mirrors chipped, ceiling had multiple marks looked really run down considering this was near £200 a night room. Shower was good. Towels good. Extractor fan not working and noisy all night - we had a shower and couldn’t use any mirrors as the condensation was that bad and wouldn’t go away. Beds comfyish - it’s 2 divans put together one was mismatched height so small bump. Noisy at night can hear most things in the hallway (suppose expected). Window was leaking water over night woke up stepped in small puddle. Informed reception no one turned up - close to check out suppose. No face clothes in room. The biggest issue —- room keys —— they deactivate and they will gaslight you to say it’s your fault. Everytime I left the room I had to get it reactivated everyone commented on it being a nightmare Food was nice and drinks ok Overall wouldn’t stay again