The Fairmont St Andrews and The Old Course Hotel & Spa Are The Scottish Hotels Recognised By The AA Awards 2018-19

The Old Course Hotel & Spa is this year's Hotel of The Year (Scotland). Introduced in 1992, this award is the AA’s ultimate accolade for hotels in the UK. It is awarded to hotels that are recognised as being outstanding examples in their particular market. From the small family-run hotel to the most ambitious commercial ventures, hotels of every size and style are potential winners.

What the team from The AA say:

This iconic hotel is located in one of the most enviable locations in Scotland. The hotel has continued to develop under the ownership of Kohler who have made major investment into refurbishing the bedrooms and creating a new spa. Rooms are a blend of classic and contemporary with elegance throughout, a transformation which has been overseen by the French designer Jacques Garcia.

Dining at the hotel comes in many forms with the Road Hole Restaurant offering great food and stunning views of the golf course and golden beaches beyond. The new spa offers an alternative leisure activity to walking and playing the world renowned golf courses. It features a range of treatment rooms, two Kohler wet bathing rooms, a 20-metre indoor pool, hydrotherapy pool, steam room, experience showers, refreshing ice shower, cold plunge pool and a Finnish sauna. If that’s not enough, then the roof-top garden has a hot tub.

Previous winners of this category were:
2017 – Douneside House
2016 – Cromlix Hotel
2015 – Rufflets Hotel
2014 – Meldrum House Country Hotel, Aberdeen
2013 – Cringletie House, Peebles
2012 – The Torridon
2011 – Blythswood Square
2010 – Boath House
2009 – The Gleneagles Hotel
2008 – Norton House Hotel

The Fairmont Hotel St Andrews is The AA Eco Hotel of The Year 2018-19. Introduced in 2010, this award recognises a clear commitment to sustainability, demonstrated through good practice and policy to make a positive contribution to reducing impact on the environment. 

What the team from The AA say:

The Fairmont St Andrews is a large AA 5 Star hotel with 221 bedrooms set in 520 acres with stunning cliff top views of St Andrews and the North Sea.

Its approach to the environment is highly pro-active and clearly a focus for the whole business with a well-established and dedicated green team. It is this high level of engagement with its team and their efforts that really stood out for making a difference.

Initiatives such as the team’s commitment to beach cleaning four times a year and the maintenance of the Fife Coastal Path which runs through the property are great examples of how their approach extends into the local community. As one of largest employers in Fife most of the team are local with 75% from Fife and a further 20% from Dundee.

Investment in the hotel through both a new building management system and new combined heat and power, have led to significant reductions in electricity, gas and water. The hotel recycles approximately 250kg of bathroom soaps and hygiene products per month that are donated to humanitarian organisations through the “Clean the World” initiative.

The hotel’s latest initiative saw the introduction of two bee hives with dark native Scottish honey bees this summer.

Previous Winners of this category were:
2017 – The Oakley Court
2016 – Battlesteads
2015 – The Savoy
2014 – Waterton Park Hotel
2013 – Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons, Oxford
2012 – Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons, Oxford
2011 – Lancaster London
2010 – The Scarlet

We have been watching both hotels closely throughout the last 10 years and congratulate both for their achievements as they have indeed blossomed into spectacular and innovative luxury properties. 

To learn more about The AA Awards visit: www.theaa.com/hospitality-awards

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