Movers, shakers, merrymakers, flappers and sophisticates flocked to enjoy the gilded luxury of Gleneagles when it opened in 1924: they called it the ‘Playground of the Gods’, the ‘Riviera in the Highlands’ and famous dance bands broadcast live from the ballroom.
Most places of great beauty and style that prospered in the 1920s have long ago seen their best days, but not so this glorious 850-acre Perthshire estate. It’s as exquisite as ever, albeit much updated – an enormous redecoration project has been under way for some years now – and the extravagance of its heyday reigns supreme.
The jewels in the Gleneagles crown are its five-star château-esque hotel, with 232 bedrooms, three championship golf courses – the Ryder Cup took place here in 2014 – the award-winning ESPA spa, the only restaurant in Scotland to hold two Michelin stars and an impeccable attention to detail that only the finest destinations in the world can boast.
Food and drink
The double-Michelin starred main restaurant is now named after its celebrated chef, Andrew Fairlie. It’s arguably the finest in Scotland, serving up French-inspired local cuisine; try the smoked lobster, infused for 12 hours over whisky barrels.
There are also four other haunts: the Strathearn, punctuated by Ionic pillars, silver-domed dishes and waiters flambéing at white-clothed tables; the Century Bar, with seafood, game and an extensive whisky list; Auchterarder 70, a relaxing oak-panelled pub; and the Birnam Brasserie, which serves French-American fusion in a Parisian-style bistro.
What to do
'If heaven is as good as this, I sure hope they have some tee times left.' So said the great Lee Trevino after first visiting Gleneagles. The PGA Centenary Course hosted the Ryder Cup in 2014 and is plenty of fun, but purists may well prefer the King's Course, a glorious track with many fairways hemmed in by picturesque dunes.
Golf is only part of the story: also on offer are falconry, gundog training, off-roading, riding, ferretting, fishing, cycling, shooting, archery and tennis. After a day in the glens, head for a swim and sauna to unwind before the next adventure.
Don’t miss: The American bar
The bedrooms are stylish, the landscape jaw-dropping and the spa exquisite, but it’s the opulent American Bar I won’t forget. Clandestine and glamorous, it’s a 1920s den in which the lights are dimmed, the drinks are heady and the caviar sublime.
A series of unusual cocktails fits the era and those with Champagne are mixed on a gleaming Art Deco trolley – I recommend one with sugarsnap-pea purée. The Three Musicians, served with a miniature of the Picasso painting it’s named for, is also delectable.
The Gleneagles Hotel, Auchterarder, Perthshire. From £275 per night, based on two people sharing a Classic Room and including breakfast (01764 662231; www.gleneagles.com)
-
The Hollywood garden designers who turned their hand to a magical corner of SomersetCaisson House's fifteen abandoned locks were part of the draw for Amanda and Phil Honey, who have created this astonishing garden in the grounds of the former headquarters of the Somersetshire Coal Canal Company just outside Bath. Caroline Donald discovers more; photography by Jason Ingram.
-
The majestic New Forest estate formerly owned by a billionaire adventurer — famous for driving 'the world's fastest kettle' — has come up for saleGreat estates in the unspoilt setting of the New Forest are always a welcome sight on the market, and Newton Park is a wonderful example with a sad story to tell. Anna White tells more.
-
'Champagne is not simply a place, it’s a symbol of excellence': How a quiet rural region shrugged off war, famine and pestilence to become the home of the ultimate luxury tippleTen years ago today the French region was recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, but what did it take for Champagne to be listed and what’s changed for the area since then?
-
Sophia Money-Coutts: When is the right moment to put your seat back on a plane?Sophia Money-Coutts is the new Debrett's and she's here every Wednesday to set some modern etiquette wrongs, right.
-
‘Whatever do you do up there?’ enquire certain English infidels. The answer? ‘Lady, if ya gotta ask, ya’ll never know’: David Profumo's piece of heaven in Highland PerthshireDavid Profumo on the joy and wonder of the Highlands.
-
'Meat, ale and guns — what else do you need, bar glorious scenery?': William Sitwell on the Brendon Hills, West SomersetWilliam Sitwell chooses the Brendon Hills as his piece of heaven in Britain.
-
'Fences have blocked wildlife corridors, causing the wildebeest migration to collapse from 140,000 individuals to fewer than 15,000': Is the opening of the Ritz-Carlton in Kenya’s Masai Mara National Reserve a cause for celebration or concern?In Kenya's iconic Masai Mara region tourism is an important and necessary part of the economy, but the arrival os several large hotel groups — including Ritz-Carlton — have some on edge.
-
The pristine and unspoilt English county that 'has all the ingredients of perfection'Many people simply pass straight through Northumberland heading for Scotland. Big mistake, says Matt Ridley.
-
The extraordinary Exe Estuary, by the Earl whose family have lived here for 700 yearsCharles Courtenay, the 19th Earl of Devon, shares his own personal piece of heaven: the Exe Estuary in Devon.
-
‘So old-fashioned, it’s new-fashioned’: Riding the rails on the Belmond Royal ScotsmanWhat goes around, comes around, says Steven King of a trip through Scotland to celebrate 40 years of the Royal Scotsman, A Belmond Train.
