In a nutshell: A five-star hotel in Perthshire, Scotland, set among a glorious backdrop of mountains and rolling greenery, featuring outdoor activities, a deluxe spa, decadent dining, roaring fires and the warmest welcome from attentive staff.
The location
Picturesque Perthshire is rich with stunning Scottish scenery – there’s no shortage of glens and rivers here. You’ll also find Auchterarder, which is the nearest town to Gleneagles Hotel, and roughly an hour’s drive from both Glasgow and Edinburgh. If you’re travelling by train, Gleneagles railway station lies just outside Auchterarder. However, the route by road offers an unrivalled view of woodland, babbling brooks and dramatic hillsides that signal your arrival in the Highlands of Scotland, so it is well worth the drive.
Local gems less than 20 miles away include Stirling Castle, which looms majestically over the Forth river and the city below. Meanwhile, the V&A Dundee is a 45-minute drive from Gleneagles, and the Scottish design galleries’ recent highlights include a tartan exhibition showcasing pieces from Vivienne Westwood, Alexander McQueen and more. For keen golfers, coastal spot St Andrews resides 45 miles east and can be reached by car and rail.
The vibe
Gleneagles was originally built in 1924, and the estate spans across an enormous stretch of 850 acres. Its site is situated beneath the Ochil Hills in Perthshire, and includes a world-renowned golf course, stables, a shooting and fishing school, tree-climbing centre, and much more, as well as the spa, shops, restaurants and bars found within the main hotel and outer buildings. Sounds like a veritable feast of varied activities? It’s no surprise, then, that the hotel’s tagline is ‘the glorious playground’.
The hotel and grounds are set among the stunning Ochil Hills in Perthshire
(Helen Wilson-Beevers)
From arrival to departure, we were given a warm welcome, and we overheard many other guests experiencing the same excellent service and inviting Scottish hospitality. The hotel’s grand exterior offers a ‘wow’ moment and, when we pulled up on a Sunday afternoon, there were guests checking in and out with their partners, pet pooches and families.
Autumn and winter are stunning seasons to enjoy Gleneagles, as the leaves change colour and the crisp mornings offer an opportunity to wrap…
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