Description

The early railway owned hotels were little better than enlarged coaching inns, but establishments like the Midland Grand Hotel at St. Pancras set a fashion for more luxurious establishments, non ore so than the “Resort” hotels built by the Scottish railway companies before the Great War. Serving some beautiful countryside, there was little to do except look at the scenery, so to encourage longer stays luxury accommodation with fine catering were the order of the day.  orchestras and a range of outdoor activities were provided, including golf, fishing, shooting and tennis.

The building of Geneagles was begun by the Caledonian Railway before the Great War, but this delayed completion until 1924, by which time the CR had become part of the LMS, At the time, the largest hotel owning company in Europe. The hotel, designed by Mathew Adam had 114 bedrooms and two outstanding golf courses. In common with all the other railway hotels and other valuable and profitable assets like Southampton Docks, Gleneagles was taken away from the railways at nationalisation. It was run by British Transport Hotels until 1981.

Now it offers an even greater range of activities including croquet and falconry. The G8 summit of world leaders was held here in 2008, and the Ryder Cup golfing event took place in 2014. There is a noticeable omission in the brochure.. there is no mention of tariffs or prices. One assumes on the basis that if you have to ask the price, you cannot afford to stay here!

A similar type of luxury “Golf Resort” hotel was opened by the Glasgow and South Western Railway at Turnberry in 1906. Sadly, it now belongs to the egregious Donald A, Trump.