by You don’t have to be a tennis fan to know who Andy Murray is. He is famous for his “emotionless” style of giving interviews, his determination to win, and for his 2013 and 2016 Wimbledon championships, of course. But what you may not know about this tennis legend is that he also owns a hotel near his hometown in Scotland.
A short drive from the town of Dunblane, where Murray grew up, is the Cromlix Hotel. Just past the town of Kinbuck, in picturesque countryside, the hotel is a hidden gem with everything you need for a quiet retreat or to enjoy some outdoor activities. The hotel is even more special because we almost lost it forever when it fell into disrepair and the business went into administration. Murray just couldn’t let this impressive old manor house fall apart. So, in 2013, he bought it, saved it from ruin, and restored it to a glory the place had never seen before.
History of the Cromlix Hotel
The grand Cromlix Hotel was once a private residence. The farm has been owned by the same family since 15the century and still own part of the property, but the house was not built until 1874.
It was originally called “Cromlix Cottage”, although it is certainly not a simple cottage. This is a large and beautiful stately home, complete with its own little chapel. But in fairness to Captain Arthur Drummond, who had Cromlix Cottage built as his own private home, it was originally smaller than the house we see today. So he may well have seemed like a country house to Arthur at the time. It was enlarged by the captain’s nephew in 1903 and also employed 12 gardeners to landscape the grounds. It was converted into a luxury country house in 1981.
If you are considering a Scottish wedding, this is a perfect place to get married. The hotel’s on-site chapel and home-away-from-home feel make it an ideal wedding venue. The Murray family has already put him to good use in this way.
Andy’s brother, Jamie, married here in 2010. It’s not known if this inspired Andy to buy the hotel when it closed, following financial problems a couple of years later, but he certainly knew the hotel well by this point. In 2015, Andy Murray held his own wedding reception at Cromlix after a wedding ceremony at Dunblane Cathedral. A year later, his father also got married here. The perfectly landscaped lawn and patio seating area make it ideal for an estate wedding, and the photo opportunities are endless.
Things to see and do at the Cromlix Hotel
Outdoor activities
If you’re a tennis fan, there’s nothing more exciting than playing a match or two on the small court at Andy Murray’s hotel. If you’re just practicing your beginner game, there’s also a practice wall. Or, if you prefer, you can play croquet on the lawn or why not try a giant game of chess?
At first glance you might think this hotel is a bit in the middle of nowhere, and it is, but there’s so much going on here that you really don’t need to go much further. The hotel organizes various activities, such as archery, fishing in the lake and falconry displays. These activities must be reserved in advance, since the hotel works with external partners to organize them, and they have an additional cost to your stay. There is also a large pool table in the hotel and many board games.
The Cromlix Hotel Roosters
Next to the tennis court is the chicken coop where the chickens lay the eggs that will be served for breakfast. These birds are such characters in the hotel. Colin the Rooster even has his own Instagram page @colintherooster.
Mod cons
If you’re just looking to relax, you can book an in-room spa treatment and have a bucket of champagne delivered to your door. The restaurant, Chez Roux, was originally run by iconic French chef Albert Roux, and is now overseen by his son, Michel Roux Jr. Unsurprisingly, this guarantees an amazing dining experience (included with breakfast). The bar area is cozy and a lovely spot for a pre-dinner cocktail or post-dinner shot of whiskey. The chapel is open to the public and is entered through a small chapel door into the sitting room, which is a cozy place to enjoy a drink or afternoon tea by a roaring fire.
Tips for visiting the Cromlix Hotel
suite options
This is a beautiful luxury hotel no matter which room you stay in, but I can highly recommend The Hoy Spa Suite. Each room in the hotel is named after a famous Scot, including Robert the Bruce, Robbie Burns, William Wallace, Sir Alex Fergusen and Olympic cyclist Sir Chris Hoy. Some have a separate living room, others have luxurious bathrooms with freestanding tubs, and some have all of the above. The Hoy suite has an amazing bathroom, with a walk-in shower that doubles as a steam bath.
menu options
If you’re wondering where the tea and coffee facilities are when you get to your room, all you have to do is pick up the phone and ask for them. You won’t find them in your room anymore, but when they arrive, you’ll receive a delicious luxury tray of tea, coffee and biscuits. The restaurant’s menus are seasonal and are modified based on the ingredients that can be sourced locally at that time. There is a lounge menu, which is a lunch menu with some light snacks, and two main menus: menu one and menu two. These two main menus alternate from day to day so that guests staying more than one night have more options and may see a different menu on their second night. I don’t think I’ve ever stayed anywhere else that does this. It’s a really interesting idea that gives guests the feeling of dining differently on the following nights. If it’s on the menu when you stay, I recommend the venison. It is locally sourced in Perthshire and served with a peanut crumble.
Transport
Cromlix will arrange a rental car for you if you want to explore the area and don’t have your own car with you. They work with 4×4 Hire, who have a wide range of Land Rovers and other off-road vehicles, ideal for driving around the Perthshire countryside. If you really want to push the luxury, Cromlix can also arrange a helicopter transfer for you with Heli Air. They also organize custom chartered tours of the area by air, a unique way to see the scenery.
Edinburgh is only 1 hour 15 minutes away, making it an easy day trip to do while staying at Cromlix. For more information on things to do in Edinburgh, take a look at The best things to experience in Edinburgh after seeing the castle. Even better, Glasgow is only 45 minutes away, so you can stay in the beautiful rolling countryside of Cromlix and take a day trip into the big, busy city.
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