There’s something about hotels in the Scottish Highlands that can make you feel like you’ve stepped into a time warp especially the further north you go. Between the sky-high prices and the “that’ll do” attitude toward decor, it’s easy to feel like you’re paying for the postcode, not the experience. On a recent trip around the Speyside area during whisky festival season, we landed at the Mansion House Hotel in Elgin. From the outside? Pure Scottish fairytale. Inside? More like a Bridgerton-meets-Bargain-Hunt fever dream. Here’s the full lowdown on a stay that was equal parts charming, chaotic, and oddly unforgettable.

I’ve got a bit of a bugbear when it comes to hotels in Scotland especially the further north you go, and particularly around the NC500. Now don’t get me wrong, I’ve stayed in some absolute gems over the years… but I’ve also stayed in places that made me want to sleep in the car.

Why Highland Hotels Get Away With It

Here’s the thing: a lot of these hotels and B&Bs seem to cater almost exclusively to tourists. And fair play, tourism is booming. But the downside? Most of these visitors are one-time-only types they’re ticking off the Highlands, snapping a few misty loch pics, and heading home. So the accommodation providers know they don’t need to impress. They can charge sky-high prices for rooms that haven’t seen a lick of paint since the '90s, and folk will still book them. Because what choice do you have when everything’s full?

The NC500 Effect on Hotel Standards

It used to be that the Highlands and Islands were seasonal places would shut up shop in October and reopen in spring. But now? It’s a year-round operation. And even if the service is patchy and the rooms are a bit grim, they’re still fully booked months in advance. Add in a big event like the Speyside Whisky Festival and it’s absolute carnage. You’re lucky to find a bed, never mind a decent one.

This year, we needed somewhere to stay around Grantown-on-Spey, Inverness, Elgin, Nairn area. We ended up at the Mansion House Hotel in Elgin.

First Impressions: Castle Outside, Charity Shop Inside

Now, to be fair, the building itself is lovely from the outside proper Scottish castle vibes with turrets and carved stone and a sweeping driveway. All the makings of a charming country house hotel. But once you step inside… it’s like time stopped somewhere around 1987 and nobody told the decorators. Think floral carpets, heavy curtains, and a general air of “we’ve not updated this since the Queen’s Silver Jubilee.”

I get what they were going for with the theme, it sort of leans into the whole “grand old mansion” vibe. Lots of dark, antique-looking furniture that probably looked quite posh back in the day. There are rooms leading off rooms like some kind of Victorian maze, and the reception? It’s giving serious “office under the stairs” energy. There’s even a weird wee mirror on the wall opposite the desk, presumably so the receptionist can clock you coming in before you’ve even made it through the door. Bit spooky, if I’m honest.

The foyer/lounge areas are large but instead of grandeur, you’re met with a giant snooker table that looks like it hasn’t seen a game since the early 2000s. It practically screams, “Don’t even ask me where the cues are, pal.”

The wallpaper’s doing its best to hang on, bless it, and the burnt orange furniture? That should’ve been left behind in the '70s along with fondue sets and shag carpets. It’s all a bit mismatched and muddled, like someone tried to do a stately home on a charity shop budget.

The layout of the place is pure higgledy-piggledy. Our room was tucked halfway along a corridor to the left hand side of the building, right across from what looked like it used to be a grand function hall but now it’s boarded up and out of use. Adds a bit of haunted house mystery to your stay, if that’s your thing.

The Room: Four-Poster Beds and 2003 Glass TV Stands

Now I’ll be honest, the room kind of takes your breath away when you walk in. And not in a “wow, this is sleek and modern” kind of way, but more of a “what in the Bridgerton is going on here?” moment. It sticks to the mansion theme beautifully, and the reason you’ll gasp is the sight of not one, but two twin four-poster beds, complete with canopies, all decked out in pastel yellow, ochre, and wait for it, burnt red frills. It’s bold. It’s dramatic. It’s giving Highland Versailles.

The furniture is all dark wood and very much doing its best - there’s a desk, a vanity station, a tea and coffee setup, and a big, heavy standalone wardrobe that looks like it might hold secrets (or at least a few spare blankets). There’s even a proper comfy lounge chair for flinging yourself into after a long day of dramming.

And then, nostalgia alert, a glass TV stand! A big flat-screen telly perched proudly on one of those chunky glass units we all thought were the height of sophistication in 2003. No USB ports by the bed, but there are plug sockets, so bring your adapters if you’re a gadget fiend.

Bathroom, Breakfast, and the Bits That Actually Worked

The room has floor-to-ceiling windows with double doors that open out onto a wee sidewalk and grassy bank. Not quite a private terrace, but it does let in loads of natural light and a bit of fresh Elgin air.

Now, the bed? Absolutely spot on. Crisp white sheets, proper pillows, and a duvet that felt like a warm hug. I got a great nights sleep!

The bathroom was a pleasant surprise too. It’s modern, spotless, and with a hot shower that could blast the sleep off you in seconds. Great water pressure, fluffy white towels, plenty of loo roll (always worth noting), and a decent stash of complimentary body wash and shampoo.

Service-wise, the staff were friendly enough, but it all felt a bit understaffed and undertrained. Breakfast was… fine. Not memorable, not offensive. Just fine. No local produce, no flair, just your standard fry-up that tasted like it had been sitting under a heat lamp for a wee while too long.

And here’s the kicker: it wasn’t cheap. Not by a long shot. But that’s the story across the board up north these days. You’re paying premium prices for very average stays, and because demand is so high, especially during events like the Speyside Whisky Festival, these places don’t need to try. They’ll fill the rooms regardless.

Would I Stay Again? A Realistic Verdict

Would I stay again? Probably! It did the job for a night while we soaked up the whisky magic of Speyside.

All I will say is, lower your expectations but open your wallet wide, and you’ll be fine!

THINGS TO NOTE ABOUT THE MANSION HOUSE HOTEL

Has its own large carpark, and parking is free
Free Wifi
Our twin room cost £185 per night with breakfast included
Check in from 3pm and check out from 11am
Tea, coffee and kettle provided in all rooms
Some stairs leading up into the property and some down into the rooms

Mansion House Hotel, Haugh Road, Elgin, IV30 1AW www.mansionhousehotel.co.uk

This hotel was paid for by me and the views are very much my own.

TartanSpoon is an Award-winning blog that brings you reviews and recommendations on the very best places to eat, drink and stay in Edinburgh, Scotland and beyond.

Adele is a writer, reviewer and judge living in Edinburgh. She sits on the Committee for the Guild of Food Writers (Scottish Events), is a Great Taste Judge for the Guild of Fine Food, Scottish Bakers, Scotland Food & Drink Excellence Awards and a Judge for the Gin Co-operative awards. Should you wish to work with, invite or collaborate with TartanSpoon, please email tartanspoon@yahoo.co.uk

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Mansion House Hotel Elgin Review Shabby Chic Stay on the Speyside Whisky Trail