Macdonald Forest Hills Resort

We came here for a girls spa and lunch date, 4 of us, included in our package deal was a 25 minute service of which Evie carried these out, 3 of us a massage and 1 of us a facial, Evie was thorough and listened to our preferences. Great experience had by all 4, we then made use of the facilities, the relaxation room was small, enough seats to sit 8 people, at one time this was full. Fresh water and some flavoured teas available. The pool was busy, their were 3 loungers only in this area, as well as the pool being busy their was a group of ladies who occupied the loungers as well as the hot tub, no room to be else where, steam room was clean and spacious for the 4 of us, the sauna wasn't very big but for us 4 it was comfortable enough, the jacuzzi, well, it really needed a good clean, the water was gray/white and not very appealing to me to relax in, changing rooms were clean enough. The grounds of the hotel and spa are stunning, the views are beautiful, even the drive too it is beautiful. Across the road theirs a little shack where you can get a drink, coffee and a snack and it is where you can do some sports, archery to paddleboarding, sailing and peddleboats (not fully sure what was all there to do) and lots more, we are going to go back one day just to participate in a few of the sports. We went for lunch, we stood to be seated, a little while went past, no sign of ANY member of staff so I looked around the wall to the bar and the bar tender was there, I asked if we could be seated and with a very abrupt, 'be with you in a minute', his full hand was stuck in a glass jug, clearly frustrated at the situation I wasnt helping however I honestly did not think I would be waiting to be seated as a BAR TENDER had his had stuck in a glass jug, anyway for such a large area their was 4 of us and 2 other families at tables, they sat us all very close, it was a stunning day however no offer to sit outside and the staff weren't easy to get hold of at times. The menu was small, I'm slightly picky so found it very difficult to pick something however that's personal and my fault for being picky, we all had lentil soup, their was no taste to it at all, no-one finished it, the best part was the butter on the bread as it was salty so at least their was some flavour, we couldn't finish the soup. I would not eat here again at all, we asked if the fish was battered, fish and chips, we were just making sure as it was a preference, we were told yes, it was not, that was fine but poor communication. I got a tuna sandwich for my main, i couldn't even eat it, the margarine was THICK, the tuna slid off it it was that thick, also could not eat that either, then to top the dininig experiance off I had lipstick on my water glass also, was quite dissappinted considering the views we were looking at and how stunning the building was. I was driving, was afternoon, we all decided fresh orange and lemonade for a nice refreshing drink, 4 of these cost £27, not the cheapest either. Stunning to look at, great service from Evie. Unfortunately its lacking in staff communication, taste within food, variety of food and clean jacuzzi.

I rarely leave reviews, but our experience at this hotel was so bad that it needs to be shared. From the outside, the hotel looks beautiful and inviting — but inside, it’s a completely different story. It is poorly managed, neglected, and in no way lives up to expectations. We were given Room 2 and Room 9. Room 2 was just about acceptable, but Room 9 was a complete nightmare. The carpets were filthy, stained, and smelled of damp and mustiness. The entire room felt outdated, unhygienic, and as though it hadn’t been maintained for decades. Both rooms had showers that didn’t work, and there was no hot water throughout our stay. The so-called kitchen was a disgrace — dirty, unhygienic utensils that no one could realistically use. To make matters worse, my husband suffered bed bug bites from sleeping on the mattress in Room 9. We stayed for three nights, and every night was uncomfortable and stressful. We emailed and spoke at the reception management hoping for at least an apology or some form of assistance, but received no response at all. The complete lack of accountability and disregard for guests is shocking. This was easily the worst hotel experience we have ever had. We feel cheated, disrespected, and let down. After travelling from London, this was the last thing we expected. Avoid this hotel — it may look nice from the outside, but inside it is unhygienic, mismanaged, and not fit for guests

Stunning location, terrible service. We stayed here expecting a wonderful experience given the beautiful grounds and premium price, but the service was shockingly bad. The staff served us rotten avocado toast and seemed completely unbothered. Despite having a dinner reservation, they refused to seat us, claiming they were “too busy” because of a wedding yet made no attempt to resolve it. Basic requests were met with blank stares; staff didn’t know the menu and wouldn’t even clear tables in the bar area, which sat dirty for hours. They abruptly closed the gym early after a short power outage, with no updates or alternatives. Worst of all, they closed the lunch restaurant early because a wedding took over the lobby and dining hall—something they never disclosed at check-in. At no point did anyone offer an apology or personal service. In fact, most of the staff acted visibly annoyed by the presence of guests. To be fair, the rooms were nicely designed and the property itself is breathtaking—but housekeeping was lazy and inconsistent. This could be a four-star hotel if the team cared about its guests. Sadly, it felt like they just wanted us gone. Extremely disappointing.