Gleneagles, UK Hotel

UK

Leaning hard into the Scottish Highlands' reputation as a playground, Gleneagles is less a hotel and more a small town which caters to every guest’s whim – be it season-led produce washed down with a dram of rare whisky, outdoor adventures in the hills of Perthshire, or unwinding with a spa treatment that uses oils blended from local botanicals.

Fancy a round of golf? Choose from three championship courses (or the affectionately named nine-hole Wee Course). Want to go shopping? Well, there’s a luxury arcade – all St James’s-style wood-fronted boutiques. Need to stretch your legs? The 850-acre setting provides, with staff on hand to arrange anything from carriage driving to falconry. There’s a team of Playground Planners and even a dedicated Head of Adventure, Yuri Janssen, who specialises in tailor-made experiences, be it a picnic in the Scottish wilds or immersive walks spotting rare birds and wildlife, and everything in-between. Take to the saddle at the Equestrian School, head off road with a 4x4 adventure, and find everything from tennis to rock climbing in the newly opened Gleneagles Sporting Club. The sky really is the limit here.

Inside, the main house offers plenty of nooks to explore and get lost in. from sweeping staircases, historic corners and spacious rooms and suites designed in traditional British country style. Gastronomy is a highlight, with guests from the 232 rooms dispersing between the countless options – from the two Michelin-starred Restaurant Andrew Fairlie to all-day casual dining, there’s a total of ten restaurants and bars to enjoy.

As night falls, The American Bar beckons, oozing with 1920s glamour and home to exquisite and exclusive bottles. Indeed, as the hotel celebrates its centenary, it’s the sole stockist of a rare cask whisky from the Glenfiddich archives, made to commemorate the occasion.

In those 100 years, this ‘Riviera in the Highlands’ has, deservedly, become a world-class brand in its own right – lauded as the ‘eighth wonder of the world’ on opening in 1924, and more than maintaining that sense of awe and majesty.

Doubles from £375.

Words by Rachel Walker.

This article was taken from the December 2024 issue of Food and Travel. To subscribe today, click here.