Braidhaugh Holiday Lodge and Glamping Park

HOTEL OVERVIEW

Look, I’ll be honest – when I first pulled up to Braidhaugh Holiday Lodge, I wasn’t entirely sure what I was getting into. The place sits just outside Crieff proper on South Bridgend, and from the road it’s got this sort of… well, it’s hard to pin down exactly. Part traditional Scottish lodge, part modern glamping setup, all somehow working together in a way that shouldn’t make sense but absolutely does. You know what really struck me? The sound – or lack of it, actually. Once you’re past the little gravel crunch of the driveway, it’s just quiet in that particular Highland way where you can hear everything and nothing at the same time.

The thing about this place is they’ve managed to avoid that whole “trying too hard to be boutique” vibe that honestly makes me cringe at a lot of these smaller properties. The main lodge feels properly lived-in – I mean that in the best way – with those thick stone walls that keep things cool even when it’s warm outside, and windows that actually open properly (you’d be surprised how rare that is). The glamping side of things is where they get a bit creative, and I have to say, whoever designed these pods or cabins or whatever you want to call them actually thought about what people need. Proper heating that works, decent Wi-Fi that doesn’t cut out every ten minutes, and – this matters more than you’d think – enough space to properly unpack without living out of a suitcase. The whole setup overlooks some genuinely lovely countryside, and if you’re there in the morning with coffee, well… you’ll get it when you see it.

What really won me over, though, was how the staff actually seem to know the area beyond just pointing you toward the usual tourist spots. The woman at check-in mentioned this little walk that starts basically from their back garden and loops around to give you proper views toward Ben Chonzie – not something you’d find in any guidebook, but exactly the sort of thing you hope someone local might share. Crieff itself is maybe a five-minute drive if you need supplies or want to poke around the whisky distillery, though honestly, you might find yourself just staying put more than you planned. The breakfast situation is solid without being fancy – proper Scottish stuff done well, and they don’t make you feel rushed if you want to linger over another cup of tea. Only minor gripe? The shower pressure in the lodge rooms can be a bit temperamental, but nothing that ruins the experience. For what you’re paying and what you get – especially that 8.6 rating they’ve earned – it’s the kind of place that reminds you why you wanted to get out of the city in the first place.