March 2024 by Cara Tsang
Dry food, scattered and disorganized service, avoid the chicken club sandwich. We went for lunch, and while the room was nice, I can?t recommend this spot. My drink took 20 mins to arrive and then it was the wrong one. Food took 40 mins to arrive; 2 tables that were sat after us received their orders before we did and were half way through their meals before our food came. Not a word of apology after we were finally served and no attempt to make it up to us.Steak was tasty (if a bit overcooked) but served room temp, and the chicken club sandwich was quite dry and came with a fried egg that was cooked totally through (vs having a nice runny yolk which might have helped with the dryness). Another server wandered by as we were putting our coats on to leave and asked if we wanted gravy with our sausage and mash (which we did not order, and we were also clearly done our meals at that point.)This was supposed to be a nice lunch for family visiting from abroad but ended up being a disappointment.Kid-friendliness: Has a kids menu though a bit pricey at £12.
February 2024 by indira pintak
Ambiance at The Cave Bar is lovely, and we had high hopes for a memorable dining experience. We started the evening with a few drams from their whisky selection, which is decent, but not as extensive as the whisky bar at the Fife Arms in Braemar or the Dowans Hotel in Aberlour, for example. We had a cheese plate (three types of cheeses), haggis bon bon (slightly greasy), and fishcakes (noticeably salty). Followed by our mains ? pan fried halibut with a cream sauce, and a roast of sirloin with Yorkshire puddings and vegetables. Unfortunately, the halibut was seriously overcooked resulting in a fish that was so dry it might as well have been a piece of dried fish slapped on the plate. The accompanying poached egg arrived at our table about halfway through our meal because the kitchen had forgot about it and it was just as disappointing (not runny) as the rest of the fish dish. The roast beef was dry and its doneness not evenly pink as suggested, along with vegetables that were limp and Yorkshire puddings that were flat and unappetising. We couldn?t finish our mains because it was simply cooked to death. Clearly supervision is lacking in the kitchen. We voiced our disappointment to the person in charge, who promptly apologised and took off the mains from our bill. We also appreciated the apology and acknowledgement from the kitchen about the dishes that didn?t pass muster, but, unfortunately, we can?t undo the negative dining experience we just had. Would we return to The Cave Bar? ? probably not.
December 2023 by Charl0tta
we had an issue with parking at the front of the building as the car park had reached capacity, we had no other option but to park in a disabled bay - the Christmas decorations were stunning as is the overall warm and traditional feel of the interior and exterior, the food was beautiful (the Turkey dinner to be precise) however the portion sizes were far too small for the price range, we enjoyed the Malteser cheesecake and a few lovely cocktails. It was very busy on a Saturday night, the staff were pleasant and approachable but they were rushed and overstretched so it was less of the relaxed environment I had hoped for but nonetheless it was still an enjoyable evening. Candles were not lit in the corners of the Cave Bar which would have been a nice extra touch. Sky Bar is unique and fun.
December 2023 by e tradecom (e-tradecom)
Really like the cave bar. Definitely recommended to book beforehand as it?s quite small and limited spaces for the guest. The pig cheek pie we had was nice but a bit too salty for our liking. Very good table service and staff check several times if we were ok with more drinks and food. Has a nice evening there.Meldrum House Country Hotel & Golf Course is a lovely hotel located in Oldmeldrum, Aberdeenshire. The hotel is set in beautiful grounds and has a variety of amenities, including a golf course, a Cave bar, and an outdoor glass pod/bar.We stayed at the hotel for a wedding, and we were very impressed with the service. The staff were friendly and helpful, and they went out of their way to make sure we had a great stay. The wedding itself was also very well-organised, and the food was delicious.hotel rooms are spacious and comfortable. However, it would have been good if there had been a bath in the room. The shower was powerful and worked well, but it would have been nice to have the option of a bath.The hotel has free parking, which is a bonus. There is also a golf course on-site, which is perfect for golfers. However, there is no swimming pool or gym, which may be a disadvantage for some guests.Overall, we had a great stay at Meldrum House Country Hotel & Golf Course. The hotel is lovely, the staff are friendly and helpful, and the wedding was well-organized. I would definitely recommend the hotel to anyone looking for a great place to stay in Aberdeenshire.**Here are some of the things I loved about Meldrum House Country Hotel & Golf Course:*** The friendly and helpful staff* The Cave bar* The outdoor glass pod/bar* The free parking* The golf course**Overall, I had a wonderful experience at Meldrum House Country Hotel & Golf Course. I would definitely recommend it to anyone looking for a great place to stay in Aberdeenshire.**Kid-friendliness: High chairWheelchair accessibility: Easy wheelchair access and all on the same level.
November 2023 by Craiglisaboyd
Wow what an amazing birthday meal the service was 2nd to none both Tara & Ernest looked after us so well the food was very moorish & my after dinner cocktail was ? we will definitely come here again as a big plus for us was that it was 100% dog friendly many many thanx from Mrs 21x2+a few ?
September 2023 by Mitch Kew
Cosy bar with good food and very decent list of fine wines and whisky?s
August 2023 by Albert Ratcliffe
Amazing drinks menu and tasty food in an incredible setting.
August 2023 by John Stoddard
A group of us dined within the outdoor bubbles at Meldrum house for a birthday.Thankfully the birthday person didn't seem as disappointed as others.My food, a venison dish was ok, if a little strange with pink medallions of venison along side slow cooked venison in sauce with mashed potato, pick one. My wife's food was probably the worst, she can't eat red meat and is lactose intolerant. The resultant option was a veggie burger that was obviously a frozen shaped disc, little sauce and a freezer burned gluten free bun was served. She pointed out the bun was brittle like a biscuit, they explained the normal bun had butter in, she said that's ok but then they took 20 mins to replace the bun, then the burger was cold. It would seem little thought or effort was made for vegetarians or dietary requirements.Service across the table seemed lacking with poorly trained teenagers. One girl was quite attentive but others less so.For the price paid, approximately £40 per person for food plus £100 across the group to rent the bubble made the whole experience quite disappointing.
August 2023 by Dina Fruchtman
Really cool cave space but the food is terrible. Since we stayed at hotel we decided to give it a shot given the good reviews and since the main restaurant and bar have the same food on weeknights. Definitely will avoid the main restaurant as well.Worst burger ever, meat was such a weird consistency that almost lead me to believe that it was artificial (vegan) one haha
July 2023 by Linda K
This casual bar was far superior to the Pineapple Restaurant of the hotel. Excellent service and delicious food. Very busy yet the staff never let us sit unattended. Love the stone walls. Delicious chicken/parm/spagetti. Husband enjoyed the burger. And Who would order a hot dog in Scotland???? No regrets, it was fabulous!
June 2023 by Emily Silva-Knox
Lovely service and food
May 2023 by First
Amazing place, enjoyed my Cortado ?
May 2023 by 262calumc
Pretty disappointing on a number of fronts to be honest, and talking to other people, it seems I'm not alone. Do not trust the photos on their website, the room was mediocre, and nothing at all like their photos. The hotel was also slightly dodgy by not being upfront about a couple of charges, until checkout. There was also a surprising amount of industrial noise right outside our window. That said, the staff were friendly and always tried their best, but I did feel sorry for them as management seemed to continuously throw them in at the deep-end without enough training. I did contact the hotel to raise these issues, because I felt they deserved a chance to make things right before I reviewed, but their response just felt like a lot of words to simply blow me off. Meldrum House lost my trust, and I don't think I'd go back there, especially since there are similar ? and much better ? hotels nearby like Pittodrie House or Thainstone.
May 2023 by Momar13
I took my friend to afternoon tea. It was the best one I have ever had. We had savouries first including a little French onion soup and a duck bonbon - just delicious. Then sweets! The lavender and lemon scones were amazing. The staff were so chatty, particularly Natalie and Charlie. We felt they were really pleased we were enjoying ourselves. The room we were in was beautiful and the reception staff let us have a look around the bar and lounge too before we left, also gorgeous. It was so unusual to have a 2 course afternoon tea, felt like a meal! We will be back and are also looking at staying over night. Delightful, many thanks.
May 2023 by ailsab2020
We had a superb ?Sunday Lunch in a Dome? last week. Exclusive to us, we had lovely views of the hotel?s mature grounds from the all glass dome which was heated. Each dome has its own waiting staff who tend to your needs and make sure all is well with the dining experience. Our waitress was lovely, friendly and attentive. The food was good, very well cooked and piping hot on serving, an area often neglected by hotels and restaurants. On leaving our dome, we visited the hotel?s Cave Bar, an ancient whisky bar worth a visit then had a walk around the extensive grounds. A good day out - would definitely return.
