The Old Course Hotel, Golf Resort & Spa, St Andrews, Fife

The Old Course Hotel, Golf Resort & Spa enjoys one of the most enviable locations in Scotland, directly overlooking the world famous Old Course golf links and the historic town of St Andrews. This purpose-built hotel was designed with views of the course in mind and many of its windows open up the 17th fairway and green and on to the legendary 18th.

A World-Class Resort Hotel

The Kohler owned and run Old Course Hotel, Golf Resort & Spa is a fully-fledged five star international resort hotel with the facilities to match. Here you can easily lose a weekend wrapped in the charms of its lavish public rooms, choice of restaurants and health spa. And then there are those views. Attention to detail is key and on our visit they even had a special luxury baby package for our baby, complete with a vibrating massage cot, baby bath and a teddy to take home.

Luxurious Bedrooms and Suites

There are 108 rooms and 35 suites, with all the best offering great views of the Old Course. We stayed in 132, a suite where we could hear golfers chatting as they strolled passed if we opened the floor to ceiling windows. Rooms are luxurious without too much tartan twee, which is refreshing. Look out too for the rooms with the funky Kohler spa baths. You can vary the type of bubbles and even the colour of the underwater lights.

Impressive Dining Optiona at the Old Course Hotel

The Road Hole Grill boasts easily the most impressive view of any eatery in St Andrews. Its expansive windows open up a sweeping panorama that takes in the Old Course, the pristine North Sea beach of West Sands and on towards the church spires of St Andrews. Things are equally dramatic on the menu with locally caught lobster from the East Neuk an excellent starter laced with truffle and Aberdeen Angus fillet as a tasty main. Other options include Sands for a lighter less formal lunch and the historic Jigger Inn. The latter is the oldest part of the hotel complex and does great fish and chips with a beer garden where you can watch the golf.

Stunning Spa at the Old Course Hotel

The Kohler Waters Spa is world class. Highlights include arguably the finest stone spa massage in Scotland and the signature ‘Highland Fling’, a 50 minute revitalising treatment where the therapist hurls water at you; which is actually much nicer than it sounds. Then there is the 18m swimming pool and the funky ‘Thermal Suite’.

Seeing and Doing at The Old Course Hotel

There is plenty to see and do outside the hotel. You can just take a stroll on the golf course (there is no play on Sundays) or take a bracing walk on the famous (Chariots of Fire) West Sands beach. In town the aquarium is fun for younger visitors, while the castle ruins have a great museum attached telling its rich story and the cathedral ruins are if anything even more dramatic.

The Old Course Hotel, Golf Resort & Spa, Old Station Road, St Andrews, KY16 9SP. Tel. +44 (0)1334-474371. www.oldcoursehotel.co.uk

InsiderScotland Rating

For Families 8/10

For a Romantic Break 8/10

For Food 8/10

For Business People 8/10

InsiderScotland Rating 8/10