Some hotels simply age well. Even with a multimillion-dollar renovation in progress, the first stage of which was completed in May, the Gleneagles hotel in Scotland still feels marvellously old, bedded in, settled – even majestic. This is one of the world's original luxury hotels, built at a time when the hotel itself was the destination, and it oozes class.
Royal Lochnagar suite at Gleneagles Hotel, Scotland
Gleneagles
Location, location
Gleneagles is between Perth and Sterling, north of Glasgow and Edinburgh (about an hour from either airport), set in rolling Scottish countryside. Because the hotel was originally built by the Caledonian Railway Company, it has its own station with daily direct trains to and from Kings Cross in London (only 5 1/2 hours). It's that kind of place: a 1920s postwar getaway for aristocratic country pursuits, all tweed and wellies in the crisp Scottish air.
Private dining on a suite balcony.
Gleneagles
Eat in or eat out?
Unless you're driving or cycling, you'll find it difficult to leave the hotel for the nearby villages for meals, leaving you stuck at the Gleneagles. There is no downside to this.
The hotel has four restaurants and three bars, including Scotland's only two-Michelin-starred chef's signature (and eponymous) Andrew Fairlie. That's both the chef and the restaurant's name, to be clear. With two stars, you can guess how good it is.
Shops on site at the Gleneagles.
Gleneagles
Less predictable is the hotel's main restaurant, the glorious Strathearn. This is interactive dining: The delicious steak Diane is flambéed by a charmer with a Glaswegian accent; the astounding house-smoked salmon is carved table-side (with three levels of smokiness, including one smoked in whisky barrels); the beef Wellington rolls by on a silver tray; the crème anglaise ("Just posh custard," explains another charming waiter) for the apple tart is generously poured. It's a friendly, fun dinner with remarkable food that's simple, beautifully prepared and often covered in gravy. A three-course meal costs £62.50 ($102.89 Canadian) and is worth every pence.
Bar snacks and nibbles in the recently renovated clubhouse, named Auchterarder 70, and the likewise just-refreshed art deco Century Bar are just okay, and on the expensive side, but can be blurred into obscurity through the tasty cocktails and local beers.
Kids activities at Gleneagles, Scotland
Gleneagles
Whom you'll meet
Despite its aristocratic upbringing, Gleneagles doesn't suffer from an air of stuffiness.
It's a relaxing blend of young families and retired couples with nothing to prove. Some luxury hotels do their best to feel exclusive; the Gleneagles hotel does its best to be welcoming and entirely inclusive.
Falconry is available at Scotland’s Gleneagles Hotel.
Gleneagles
Best amenity
Falconry. Shooting. Equestrian school. Gun-dog training. Off-road driving. Tennis. Fishing. Cycling. Running. A hedge maze. Outdoor hot tub. Indoor pool. Spa. Gleneagles offers these, should you tire of eating. And while learning to overcome a fear of birds by walking around with a hawk on your arm is an incredible experience, it pales in comparison to the reason most people come to Gleneagles: to golf.
16th hole on the Queen’s Course, one of many golf courses at Gleneagles Hotel.
Gleneagles
The hotel has three 18-hole championship golf courses and a nine-hole academy course (par three) for beginners, with a handy club-rental service meaning you don't have to schlep your clubs to Scotland. The King's and Queen's Courses predate the hotel and were both built in 1919 and hosted the first ever match between American and British pros. These courses were followed by the Monarch's Course (now called the PGA Centenary Course), designed by Jack Nicklaus and home to the 2014 Ryder Cup. The courses are beautiful, challenging but conquerable and as unpretentious as the hotel.
Royal Lochnagar suite at Gleneagles Hotel.
Gleneagles
If I could change one thing
Old buildings are, well, old, and a refurbishment is meant to address some of the structural and design elements that haven't been updated in the nearly 100 years since the hotel was built. For all its refinery and impeccable decorating, the Gleneagles could use a bit of sound-proofing.The adjoining doors between suites don't stop the sound of your early-bird neighbours chatting and making coffee with a noisy Nespresso machine at 4:30 a.m. Maybe they had an early tee time.
Gleneagles, Auchterarder, Scotland, gleneagles.com; 232 rooms from $600 (£365) a night, includes breakfast.
The writer was a guest of the hotel.