Hotels with Pools Scotland

Hotels with Pools Scotland – Many of us don’t just want a great hotel, we want a great pool too. Every hotel listed I have personally stayed at and swam in. I hope you guys have as much fun as we did.  *Contains affiliate links.

Cairndale Hotel / Bay Hotel / Auchrannie Resort / Apex City Quay / Macdonald Inchyra / Crieff Hydro / Gleneagles / Dalmahoy / New Lanark Mill Hotel / Stirling Highland Hotel /  The Fairmont / Macdonald Aviemore Resort / Moness Resort / Aberdeen Altens / Golf View Hotel / Gleddoch Hotel

Cairndale Hotel and Leisure Club, Dumfries – Hotels with Pools Scotland

POOL/DOG FRIENDLY/CENTRAL LOCATION/DOG FRIENDLY The recently refurbished family run Cairndale Hotel has an attractive new reception, spacious traditional family rooms (our bath even had a TV in it) and downstairs is the leisure centre (The Barracuda) with a modest but perfectly formed pool, steam room, whirlpool and sauna.

There’s a very relaxed vibe at The Cairndale Hotel and Leisure Club. At the pool area guests were reading books as they reclined on sun loungers while children played. Noodles and floats are provided, creating extra fun for little ones. It’s also possible to upgrade your pool experience to include a glass of prosecco in the hot tub – admittedly this was one of the most relaxed family swims I’ve had in ages.

Auchrannie Resort, Arran – Hotels with Pools Scotland

TWO POOLS/SOFT PLAY/ADVENTURE CENTRE – When it comes to the Auchrannie Resort, we’re talking two swimming pools (oooh!), a spa, three restaurants, a courtesy bus to the ferry, a Playbarn (soft play), Arran Adventure (for outdoor sports) and it’s owned by the staff so expect excellent service. The Spa Hotel pool is the most child friendly, with water fountains, and waterfalls to drench the tots. Read more about the hotel and what to get up on Arran here.

Hotel rooms are available but also consider booking a fab cabin ‘retreat’ with hot tub and fire pit – it’s truly bliss. We loved this immaculate hotel and would book it again – details here. 

Apex City Quay, Dundee

GOOD VALUE/POOL A fantastic location, within walking distance of the railway station and key attractions such as the V&A, Discovery Point and the city centre make this Dundee hotel a gem. Modern, smart rooms, plus stylish dining on handy set menus (£20 for two courses, £26 for three). The Yu spa delivers excellent treatments using Elemis products (I thoroughly recommend the Signature Treatment combining a back massage, facial and scalp massage). Book here, and discover a host of things to do in Dundee here.

Macdonald Inchyra Hotel, Falkirk

POOL – We stayed at the Macdonald Inchyra hotel after a day cycling between the Falkirk Wheel and the Kelpies. A hotel with a swimming pool really spurred the kids on! The smart but relaxed and family friendly Scottish Steakhouse restaurant offers an a la carte children’s menu, and adult dishes such as prawn and crayfish cocktail to start, followed by pork belly as a main and sticky toffee pudding for dessert. For a full list of family fun activities in Falkirk click here.

Crieff Hydro, Perthshire

KIDS CLUB/POOL – Crieff Hydro is VERY family friendly. It offers loads of activities, two pools, free childcare included of roughly two hours per day, several restaurants (some buffet, others a la carte), evening entertainment and a gorgeous afternoon tea in its Victorian Winter Garden. (If you wish to avoid wee ones make a beeline to the adult only spa and elegant Victorian pool.)

Read a detailed review here. Discover things to do locally with this write up of Crieff. Crieff Hydro is always super busy, so check the latest prices and availability here.

Gleneagles, Perthshire

LUXURY in Perthshire/POOL/FREE CHILDCARE – The pool at Gleneagles  is wonderful, featuring an outdoor river section with fountains that pour on your head (not compulsory) so it’s also a mini adventure. There’s also a separate adult only pool.

We booked Gleneagles to celebrate a milestone family birthday. It’s a smart hotel but welcomes all ages. A lovely touch were the kids’ bathrobes (ideal for poolside chilling), slippers and toys waiting for the boys in our room. The hotel offers a mix of bars and restaurants, each with a different vibe, and the American bar is for adults only, so there’s room for everyone. There are also lots of activities to book too. ‘Little Glen’ offers complimentary childcare for two hours, and £10 per hour per child thereafter, for a maximum of four hours per day. Gleneagles offers five star luxury in central Scotland.

If you’re looking for things to do in Perthshire please read this. Gleneagles is a hugely popular hotel, booked up long in advance, so be sure to check availability and prices here.

Dalmahoy Country Club and Hotel

POOL/PLAYGROUND/NEAR EDINBURGH – Dalmahoy is notably child friendly, serving up children’s afternoon tea and offering indoor camping for little ones (where a tent is erected inside your hotel room -it’s v quirky and fun). It has two restaurants, two golf courses, pitch and putt, an outdoor playground, pool and a spa. Just outside Edinburgh, it’s ideally located for explorations of the city and West Lothian. The hotel swimming pool is a big draw. Check the latest prices and info here.

Bay Hotel, Burntisland, Fife – Hotels with Pools Scotland

GOOD VALUE/SWIMMING POOL/SOFT PLAY/GAMES ROOM/MEZZANINE FAMILY ROOMS/BEACH – The Bay Hotel and caravan park is a find, and it’s reasonable too. The draw is the swimming pool, it’s quite small but great fun, and also offers a jacuzzi, steam room and sauna too) – every few minutes a waterfall, water fountain and bubble section delight the wee ones. The kids also made a beeline for the soft play and games room.

I’d also recommend a Family Executive Suite – spacious mezzanine rooms with sea views, plus a balcony and outdoor seating area. The views of Burntisland Beach are beautiful. In terms of food, the restaurant, Horizon, serves crowd pleasers such as steak pie, half a roast chicken, scampi and battered haddock. Tempt yourself with their prices and availabiity here.

New Lanark Mill Hotel, New Lanark

GOOD VALUE/POOL/HISTORY – Really welcoming staff set the tone at this family friendly hotel in the very heart of the UNESCO heritage site of New Lanark. This mill town that was revolutionary in its approach to staff wellbeing, providing the first onsite nursery for its workers, and sending workers’ children to school, which was utterly unheard of at the time. So much to see and do, from a ghost ride (narrated by a wee girl) to a school room, rooftop garden, waterfall and lots of houses and shops to explore.

The hotel has a pool, gym and spa, plus a relaxed restaurant with a good kids menu. Read a detailed review here. Check prices and availability and book here. You’ll learn so much and have fun at the same time.

Stirling Highland Hotel

GOOD VALUE/POOL/ANTE ROOM FOR KIDS – This hotel, set in a former school, has a lot of character. The kids loved the pool, and I was rather keen on the jacuzzi, steam room and sauna. The Stirling Highland Hotel is set in central Stirling, ideal for exploring Stirling Castle, the old jail, or heading to the Wallace Monument and Bannockburn Experience.

The rooms worked exceptionally well. The decor is quite simple, but the layout is fantastic – the adults have a master bedroom, with the kids tucked away in bunk beds in their own wee room just off our bedroom. This hotel was at a reasonable price point too, with ample free parking (but be sure to validate your parking ticket at the hotel reception.) Book it here. 

The Fairmont, St Andrews – Hotels with Pools Scotland

LUXURY IN FIFE/POOL/GAMES ROOM – This St Andrew’s hotel has an American resort vibe, where the staff are plentiful and there’s a lot to do on site. For children the key attractions at the Fairmont are the pool and the modern games room. There are also several restaurants to choose between, with the Italian restaurant La Cucina offering the most obvious family appeal, but we dined at the Fairmont’s renowned Bar & Grill (with its wonderful sea views) and the children were greatly entertained by the lobster. Read an indepth review here.  Check the hotel’s availability and prices here.

Macdonald Aviemore Resort, Aviemore

MID RANGE IN AVIEMORE/POOL/SOFT PLAY/ACTIVITY ROOMS/GAMING ROOM/SENSORY ROOM/CINEMA – In the heart of Aviemore this resort is a popular base for Highland adventures with 3 hotels and 18 woodland lodges. Onsite, the pool, with its flume and wave machine, is always a hit (although I find the water usually quite cold, I wish they’d heat it  more). Also look out for a vast indoor play area, soft play, sensory room, gaming room and outdoor playground, plus a cinema to catch the latest movies.

There are seven bars and restaurants on site:- Giovanni’s Italian is always a winner. The hotel rooms are relatively basic but the location is excellent. Aviemore is Scotland’s outdoor playground, there is SO much to do. Read the full list of activities here, and read a detailed review of the hotel here. It’s always busy so check availability here.

Moness Resort, nr Aberfeldy

MID RANGE NEAR ABERFELDY, PERTHSHIRE/POOL/HOT TUB LODGES/BALL PIT – The Moness Resort combines a hotel, self-catering and hot tub cottages. There’s a pool onsite, a spa, and two restaurants to choose between, creating a chilled out option for families wishing to meet up or escape from it all. Lots to do within a short drive. Read a full review of the Moness Resort, check prices here, and discover more to do nearby here such as hand feeding red deer at Highland Safari.

Aberdeen Altens, Aberdeen

MID RANGE IN ABERDEEN WITH POOL – Most Aberdeen hotels do not offer a pool. Aberdeen Altens does and it often runs very good deals too. The rooms are quite straightforward but you can book some with kitchenettes, which is super handy for families. The hotel offers a pool, baby pool, jacuzzi, sauna, steam room, family friendly dining and welcoming staff. Discover more detail here, and see if the price is right for you.

Golf View Hotel, Nairn – Hotels with Pools Scotland

POOL/DOG FRIENDLY/BEACH LOCATION – The Golf View Hotel is set on the beach, with staggering sea views, and a path running directly to the shoreline. There’s also a pool with jacuzzi, steam room and sauna, plus an outdoor hot tub with views out to sea. Guests can book tennis courts (with free racket and ball hire). Pool access will change in 2022 for those under 12 – children are welcome in the pool 0800-0900 in the morning, then 1800-1900 in the evening. The remainder of the time is for those aged 12 and over, so ideal for couples or girls weekends.

The Golf View welcomes dogs across the hotel. The Hickory restaurant has floor-to-ceiling windows showcasing the shoreline panorama. This hotel makes a great base for exploring Inverness, Loch Ness, the Highlands and Morayshire. Check out their rates and availability here.

Gleddoch Hotel Spa & Golf

Hotels with Pools Scotland – The Gleddoch views from the pool lounge are absolutely fantabulous. Sitting on a heated lounger, with twinkling crystal light-fittings overhead, it was really beautiful. The sauna, jacuzzi, steam room are a treat, and the outdoor hot tub boasts  views over the Renfrewshire hills and the Clyde.The decor here is sumptuously bright, bling and fun with its own signature style. Dine in The Vista Restaurant, play golf, or nip twenty minutes into Glasgow for a spot of shopping or culture. Read a full review, and check out availability here.

Other Options

Other hotels with pools include Scotland’s Spa Hotel in Pitlochry. I’ve heard good things about Peebles Hydro in Peebles, and Kingsmill in Inverness, but I’ve haven’t actually visited so can’t personally vouch for them.

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