Inside the perfect Scots family resort after £5m makeover, from animal experiences and playpark to incredible dining

Scottish Sun

4 days ago

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MANY of us will remember our gym teachers saying: 'Pack away the basketballs and hockey sticks, it's time for social dancing.'
Those school sessions, where we'd enter an unknown land of Dashing White Sergeants and Gay Gordons, set us up for being whirled about at weddings and parties in later life.
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The hotel has had a major revamp
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You get up close with red deer
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Cocktails in the bar were a real treat
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The adventure park is perfect for kids
And I got to relive that dance floor adventure with my wee boy on a mini-break at Crieff Hydro.
The stunning Perthshire resort is a haven for families, full of activities to entertain kids, both big and small.
And, for me, our highlight was the Saturday night ceilidh, where I spun five-year-old Jimmy around the ballroom for jigs and reels, leaving us grinning like loons.
We arrived on a rainy Friday and checked into our spacious family room with gorgeous views.
Gin and tonics had been left for the adults while the wee one was delighted with a bag of pick and mix — welcome, thoughtful touches.
Each day, guests are provided with a daily activity rota with fun to be had every hour. We ditched our cases and immediately headed for an Animal Man session, where youngsters were introduced to amazing creatures while the adults relaxed — at one point I spotted a chicken wandering across the ballroom, and I'd only had a half pint!
After a quick jaunt round the expansive grounds, we got dressed for the evening activities, starting with cocktails in the Ballroom Bar.
You couldn't ask for a better vista to enjoy a cool drink, looking out over the rolling Perthshire Hills.
My Penicillin was bitter and punchy, just how I like it, while husband Ryan loved his decadent Kir Royale and Jimmy was delighted with his bubblegum spritz mocktail.
Dinner was at one of the Hydro's new restaurants, East, established after a multi-million pound revamp. Serving Asian fusion small plates, the menu has so many tempting dishes. A couple of highlights were black pepper beef fillet and sticky corn ribs, while Jimmy hoovered up sticky pork belly.
Ronan Keating enjoys family holiday
It was early to bed as we were up at the crack of dawn for a delicious buffet breakfast before a Highland Safari, an amazing must-do experience just 40 minutes from the hotel.
We packed into a Land Rover with an expert guide who drove us high into the mountains passing through Dull on the way — and the trip was anything but.
We learned about the flora, fauna and history of the area while we gasped at the stunning scenery.
Jimmy loved hearing some of the wackier facts, like how a woodpecker wraps its tongue around its brain to soften the impact of drilling into trees with its beak.
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The views on the safari were stunning
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East has amazing fusion flavours
Next on the agenda was a red deer experience back at Highland Safari base. We found out all about the beautiful creatures before getting up close to feed them. And before we headed back to the hotel we got to pan for gold, sifting through stones to find hidden gems — I was hooked on delving deep for gemstones like jasper and pyrite.
We arrived back at the Hydro around 3pm, just in time for a treasure hunt, looking for hidden clues in a bid to win a medal.
Glory secured, we had time for a relaxing dip in the pool before more cocktails and dinner, this time at the family-friendly Italian Piccolo.
And, after fuelling up on pizza and pasta, it was time for my main event, the ceilidh.
GO: CRIEFF
STANDARD double rooms from £120 per night for midweek bookings.
Grab 15 per cent discount plus a free experience, such as afternoon tea or Action Glen Adventure passes, this summer.
Find out more at crieffhydro.com/offers.
We danced into the night with expert musicians taking us through the steps and throwing in kids' classics, like the Hokey Cokey, to keep everyone on their feet.
We were checking out on Sunday, but not before we headed for the on-site Action Glen where you can try everything from mini Land Rovers and disc-golf to axe throwing and archery.
We had a fantastic time sampling almost everything before home-time.
Crieff Hydro really is an exceptional escape for families — and we'll be St Bernard's Waltzing back as soon as possible.