Whats Aberdeen like for a weekend break?

[james]

Try The Ardoe House Hotel on the outskirts of town (4 miles). Think it's a McDonald Hotel. Very nice hotel with spa facilities for the mrs, swimming pool, great food etc.

That would be my choice if its a good price. Been to a weddin there and it was good.

[Gareth]

For some thai, try Chi Bar. Funky bar too with imported beers etc.

Chi Bar & Restaurant
8, The Academy, Belmont St, Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire AB10 1LB
Tel: 01224 622010

Pretty central and next to some Pubs.

[gorrie]

Whats Norwood Hall Hotel like?

http://www.norwood-hall.co.uk/accom.htm

[tuscan_thunder]

Whats Norwood Hall Hotel like?

http://www.norwood-hall.co.uk/accom.htm

it's quite good I think, been a while since I've been there

Echo comments about Royal Thai and Chi and I also like Royal China.

Ali, I was at Simpsons not long ago and it was the sheer number of X5s, Cayennes and Bentley GTs that alarmed me. I won't comment on the sports jackets and pink pringle jumpers in attendance except to say that if you have a sports jacket and pringle I'd be alarmed!

[Gareth]

Nice too.
I was at a wedding last year and that old bird Joan Rivers was there.
Must of been good enough for her.

[MacK]

Norwood Hall, last time I was there was a more old fogies type country hotel. No pool or other facilities like all the others mentioned (except Pittodrie House, that has no pool either, but the whisky bar makes up for it!)

If the pool bit is not a requirement another hotel just outside Aberdeen I've been to a few times is Maryculter House. A bit further out the Ardoe road.

[gorrie]

Thanks again.

So far, my search has shown (for 2 adults):-

Pittodrie House... no rooms for 6th/7th April
Ardoe House, £240 room only, £248 B&B. possibility.
Thainstone House, £188 B&B. A bit far out for what we're after.
Copthorne, £176 B&B.
Marcliffe... no rooms

[campbell]

I'll leave the detailed city guides to the locals...however, as a former ABZ resident of 5 years, and now tourist and occasional business visitor of the area, here are my thoughts.

Simpsons is a great wee hotel for central location yet safe easy parking. Lovely ambience, comfy rooms and great menu if you want to eat there.

Out of town provides many options, have stayed at the following:


Pittodrie House - pleasant but was a bit old n tired when I visited 3-4 years back.

Ardoe House - very grand, handy for city yet countrified and on the legendary South Deeside road for an easy blast in the car. Good leisure facilities I think.

Craigendarroch, Ballater - a fair way out of the city but again, near South Deeside road so fun to get to! Great facilities, rooms OK though some in older wing a bit smaller. Surrounding scenery, walks and drives unrivalled in the north east (IMHO). A regular fave of ours. Glen Muick and Lochnagar not to be missed.


Bottom line is, ABZ is nice for a city break as all very compact and centralised. I would probably pick Simpsons, myself, and give me the option of walking along to Union Street etc for a meal in some of the wee back streets.

If you are driving up in the Elise from Lothian, consider going X-country all or part:

Kincardine, Powmill, Glendevon, A9 briefly to Perth, then Blairgowrie, Glenshee, Braemar, then South Deeside road all the rest of the way to Aberdeen. Allow 4 hours!

OR

Above route as far as Perth then "Coupar Angus road" to rejoin A90 near Forfar. Option then to dive off again through Edzell and Fettercairn, drive over legendary Cairnomount and again, approach ABZ via South Deeside road. Maybe 3 hours.

OR

A90 all the way to turn for Edzell, and just the Cairnomount bit. 3 hrs.

OR (finally)

M90 to J8, then follow signs for Tay Bridge and enjoy nice run through northen Fife / Perth & Kinross. New dual carriageway to Arbroath then coast road up through Montrose, etc, to Stonehave. Have to rejoin A90 for last few miles. This one gives some nice non-M-way driving whilst being Wife/Pax friendly!!! Prob 3 hours also.


Enjoy. And say hello to Menzies Road for me...

Campbell

[dlogan]

You could try the new Holiday Inn at Westhill??

Being local I have not been in the rooms but the bar and food in the restaurant are good, if a little overpriced. Plenty of parking (secure enough I would think) and not too far from town, (8 miles).

Fine and handy to head out into the country. Cut along the back roads to the Deeside road and grab a late lunch at the Milton of Crathes. Rather nice and not too expensive iirc.

Other than that, erm what they all said. but I personally also like Maryculter house, quite old and characterful in a nice location on the doorstep of some great blatting roads.

[gorrie]

Thanks for the route planner cambell

[oldminiclub]

If you can do the Cairn o' Mount road thats a great drive, take a right down drumtochty glen to the village of auchenblae then onto the A90 and up to Aberdeen.

Or else just take the A92 coast road instaed of the boring old A90!

Simpsons is OK, or you could try the Patio Hotel - I've heard its nice and not too expensive.

http://www.laterooms.com/en/p1301/hotel ... rdeen.aspx

[bertieduff]

Ooh, that's a nice pic of the VX btw...the silver looks

(Sorry, off topic again )

[Clarkie]

Try the Patio Hotel on the Beach Boulevard. We normally have a family gathering there every Easter. Food is not bad, mega central for town you can walk in and out of shops. TGI's close by and a walk along the beach to blow the cobwebs away. They have a nice wee atrium bit with bar etc. which is the biz for a wee lunch and a few beers.

Had a tour of the new rooms they have adjacent to the hotel last year. Can't remember the name but they had separate restaurant etc. Rooms were 2 storey with electric curtains great views over North sea etc

If you don't fancy these rooms book an exec room at the front of the hotel and you can be entertained by Ali and his mates racing up and down the Beach Boulie

[rossybee]

ABZ night life is good too

[alicrozier]

If you don't fancy these rooms book an exec room at the front of the hotel and you can be entertained by Ali and his mates racing up and down the Beach Boulie

Heh!