Macdonald Hotels is a British hotel group with properties in Scotland, northern England, the Midlands, the Lake District and southern England, plus self-catering resorts in the UK, Wales and Spain. It suits you if you are planning a short break built around a spa, golf or walking and would rather have a restaurant and leisure club on site than the widest choice.
What you can book
You can reserve rooms, but also spa treatments, restaurant tables, golf rounds and leisure activities. There are weekend and short breaks, Christmas breaks, family hotels, dog friendly places and hotels with pools. Gift vouchers for hotels, spa and dining are on sale too.
- Hotel rooms, room only, with breakfast or with dinner and breakfast
- Self-catering resorts in Scotland, Wales and Spain
- Spa, golf, leisure clubs and restaurants
- Meetings, weddings and vouchers
What a booking really costs
The prices shown include UK VAT. You choose between room only, bed and breakfast, or dinner, bed and breakfast. On dinner rates, meals you do not take are not refunded, and lunch cannot be swapped for dinner.
Anything outside the room rate is settled when you leave: bar, minibar and phone calls from the room. Executive rooms, four poster rooms and suites cost extra per night, as do spa treatments and some classes. Parking is free at most hotels but not all, and availability can be limited. Some hotels charge extra for dogs, and the rules differ from house to house.
For children, up to two kids aged 12 and under stay and have breakfast free when they share a suitable room with two adults. A child in a room of their own is charged the full adult rate. On arrival you leave a credit card for a pre-authorisation. The group does not take cash.
Cancellation and payment
The rate decides. Advance Purchase rates are paid up front, are not refundable and cannot be transferred. On arrival you need to show the card you booked with. On the flexible rate you can change or cancel without charge until shortly before arrival, and after that one night is normally charged. A few hotels have longer deadlines, for example Old England in summer with seven days. Promotion and partner rates carry their own conditions, shown when you book. When you cancel, ask for a cancellation number.
How to save
The group advertises a best rate guarantee on its own site. If you find the same room with the same terms and dates cheaper in public, report it within 24 hours of booking. The hotel then matches the price and takes a further 10 per cent off. There is a promotion code field in the booking form, and seasonal deals sit under Offers. You can pay with a voucher, but say so before you book.
Booking with cashback
The cashback runs through daily cashback. Here is how to do it:
- Open the daily cashback store page for Macdonald Hotels and click through to the provider from there.
- Pick your booking and pay as usual with Macdonald Hotels.
- Finish everything in the same browser tab, without visiting other sites in between.
The reward is credited once the trip is confirmed. You can see the current rate on the Macdonald Hotels provider page at TripPrice. You book directly with Macdonald Hotels.
Who Macdonald suits
The group pays off most on a short break where a spa, golf or a country house hotel is the point of the trip. If you only want a cheap bed next to the motorway, you will usually find more choice elsewhere. If you want dinner, a pool and a spa under one roof, you save yourself long drives and extra costs on site. Add up the total with meals and parking and put it next to the alternatives.
Tips
- Compare the flexible rate with the prepaid one. A few pounds saved rarely pays off if your plans might change.
- Dinner, spa and golf cannot be guaranteed online. Call the hotel before you complete the booking.
- Check the hotel page to see whether parking and dogs cost extra.
- Bring a credit card, cash is not accepted.