Undiscovered Scotland

 

The Old Course Hotel is a world class resort hotel and spa in a truly iconic location. The hotel is a familiar sight to anyone who has ever visited St Andrews, or seen a televised golf tournament from there. Its sand coloured structure runs alongside the 17th hole, "The Road Hole", on the Old Course at St Andrews: arguably the most famous hole on the world's most famous golf course. You can read our dining review for the Old Course Hotel here.

The hotel was built in the late 1960s, but has an attractive exterior which looks much more modern, rising from lower wings to the main five storey central block topped off on the golf course side by the full height windows of the Road Hole Fine Dining Restaurant and Road Hole Bar. At the southern end of the hotel is the separate white-painted Jigger Inn, built in the 1850s as the station master's house for St Andrews railway station. The station was closed in the early 1960s and the site later used for the hotel.

The hotels public areas are on a grand scale and many have a classical theme that feels much older than the exterior. The reception area is decorated with stunning pictures with a golfing theme, something that characterises much of the hotel. Other public areas are split between the ground floor and the 4th floor and include the library, an informal guest lounge which would not feel out of place in a Victorian country house; the conservatory; the 3 AA Rosette Road Hole Fine Dining Restaurant; the 1 AA Rosette Sands Grill; shops; the spa; golfing facilities and storage; and a state of the art conference wing.

There are 144 en suite guest rooms at the Old Course Hotel, including 35 suites. All the rooms are highly specified, superbly comfortable and extremely attractive. There are several factors that might influence your choice of room, including whether the room looks over the open parkland to the west of the hotel, or over the golf links towards the town of St Andrews and the west beach. You can also choose between classically themed or more contemporary and minimalist rooms; decide whether you want a room with a balcony; and decide on the size of room or suite you want.

The Old Course Hotel has a range of meeting, event and function facilities which offer wide scope and considerable flexibility for gatherings of between 16 and 600 participants. It is perhaps no surprise to find that world leaders from more than sixty countries have been welcomed to the resort. The hotel is licensed as a venue for weddings, and ceremonies and receptions for up to 150 guests can be accommodated in the ballroom. Drinks can be held in one of a number of function rooms or in the Road Hole Bar, and the full range of wedding services can be provided or arranged, including the services of the hotel's own florist.

The Old Course Hotel's location and reputation make it a place of pilgrimage for golfers from around the world. Their needs are met in many different ways, from the Golf Pro Shop to the storage area for golf bags and the dedicated Golf Stewards. Meanwhile the Kohler Waters Spa offers a wide range of facilities and treatments: from a 20m swimming pool complete with waterfall to a fitness room.

The Old Course Hotel is highly accessible for disabled guests. All floors are can be reached by lifts, there are disabled toilets, and five ground floor guest rooms have been specially adapted for use by wheelchair users.

Awarded 5 Stars by VisitScotland and 5 Red Stars by the AA, the reality of a stay at the Old Course nonetheless far exceeds any possible expectations of it. From the moment you walk through the door the service is second to none for friendliness and professionalism. The public rooms have a depth of character which belies the relative youth of the hotel and the 144 guest rooms and suites offer a range of outlooks and options, and all are highly specified, comfortable and extremely attractive. At times in the past the Old Course Hotel has had, and has perhaps sought, a reputation for exclusivity and elitism. What today's visitor finds is very different: a large team of staff who are friendly, welcoming and supremely professional. Nothing is too much trouble and you get the sense everyone is proud to be a member of the team and pleased to be able to make your stay as good as it can possibly be. You can read our dining review for the Old Course Hotel here.