We stayed here for one night in April and it was certainly something different. The castle is very picturesque and surrounded in grounds that we saw deer running through at one point. Our room had a balcony overlooking the grounds and was very 'old world' although the four poster bed was a bit small. There is a cafe and a restaurant but the choice was a bit limited so we had room service. Breakfast was nice in the morning but unless you travel into Edinburgh there is very little to do in the nearby area. There is a spa and my wife had her nails done there but she had to do them again as soon as we got back in the car. It seemed a bit overpriced and amateurish considering the quality of spas within Edinburgh. Overall, good as a one off one night experience

This was our one splurge on a two week trip through Scotland. The castle itself is good but the standard twin room is just average and pricey. We stayed in room #28 which did had some stains on the carpet and some torn spots on the wall paper. However, the TV was big, had a number of channels and beds very comfortable. The highlight for Dalhousie was the falconry lessons (we took the 2 1/2 hour ultimate falconry experience and didn't want it to end), the best facial I have ever had, the fantastic food at Orangery (try the squash soup), and the decor in the library (if you can handle the cigarette smell). We did not have any troubles with customer service (as others have mentioned), front staff were professional but not warm, however the falconry and spa staff were exceptional. I would only recommend staying here if you take advantage of all that the hotel offers (falconry, spa, food) or if you have a room with a bit more to offer.

The Dalhousie is quite nice to see from the outside and in. We stayed in the Lady Katherine room (which was an upgrade for us). Bed was very comfortable, room clean, and had a very nice view out two sides of the room. Breakfast was good. We didn't have dinner there, but looked in on the dining room and it seemed nice. We were given a tour of the place late in the evening by one of the staff and got to hear some of the history of Dalhousie. The next day we went down to where they do falconry and watched them bringing out some of the birds.

We have just returned from an 8-day stay at Dalhousie. I had some concerns because of other traveler reviews and so after making reservations, emailed the castle. I was assured by the manager that we could expect true Scottish hospitality, and it turns out, he was right. We found the castle to be quite beautiful with lovely grounds. Our room was the Louis XIV, which has a bedroom, sitting room and a very modern bath with television to watch while in the tub. Unlike some other travelers, our room was thoroughly and promptly cleaned and sheets changed every day. The staff of the castle overall were friendly and helpful. A good breakfast ws served in the Orangery each morning and was included in the price of the rooms. The 5-course dinner in the Dungeon was a highlight with wonderful food in a great setting. Well worth the money. The spa was nice and basically what one would expect in a good hotel.
Having stayed in many 5-star accomodations worldwide, these are areas I believe could be improved at Dalhousie. The sheets and towels are of the standard hotel variety, while most hotels in this price range offer luxurious Egyptian cotton with high thread count. The bed, while beautiful, had only a thin mattress with no box springs. It was reasonably comfortable, but certainly not luxurious. This is a small issue and did not prevent our having a wonderful stay at the castle. The greatest oversight is that there is no concierge service. The front desk staff are certainly willing to print out mapquest instructions, etc. and the local members of the staff can provide good directions. In a 5-star hotel, however, one generally finds more forethought given to potential guest requests. Many top hotels have printed cards with driving directions to nearby tourist spots on one side and return directions on the other. This would be especially helpful in Scotland, as following instructions in reverse is rather difficult with the roundabouts. They could also provide a guide to local restaurants and printed driving directions. Again, the lack of these services did not prevent our having a lovely time, but they do explain my overall "very good" rating rather than "excellent".