Gleneagles Hotel | |
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![]() Gleneagles Hotel and grounds | |
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General information | |
Status | Completed |
Type | Hotel |
Architectural style | Georgian |
Address | Auchterarder Perthshire PH3 1NF |
Country | Scotland |
Coordinates | 56°17′09″N3°44′51″W / 56.28583°N 3.74750°W /56.28583; -3.74750 |
Construction started | 1913 (paused 1914 – 1922) |
Completed | 1924 |
Opened | 7 June 1924; 100 years ago (1924-06-07) |
Owner | Ennismore |
Technical details | |
Floor count | 3-storey withattics |
Design and construction | |
Architect(s) | Matthew Adam |
Architecture firm | Caledonian Railway Divisional Engineer |
Developer | Caledonian Railway |
Other designers | Charles W. Swanson (interior designer) |
Other information | |
Number of rooms | 232 |
Number of restaurants | 6 (The Strathearn; Andrew Fairlie; The Birnam; The Dormy; Glendevon; Garden Cafe) |
Number of bars | 4 (Auchterader 70; The Century Bar; The American Bar; Inglenook) |
Public transit access | ![]() |
Website | |
gleneagles | |
Listed Building – Category B | |
Official name | Gleneagles Hotel |
Designated | 8 April 1980 |
Reference no. | LB4570 |
![]() The 9th hole on Kings Course at Gleneagles | |
Club information | |
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Location | Auchterarder, Scotland, UK |
Established | 1924 |
Type | Private |
Owned by | Ennismore |
Total holes | 63 |
Events hosted | Ryder Cup,Johnnie Walker Championship |
Website | www |
King's Course | |
Designed by | James Braid |
Par | 71 |
Length | 6,790 yards |
Queen's Course | |
Designed by | James Braid |
Par | 68 |
Length | 5,965 yards |
PGA Centenary Course | |
Designed by | Jack Nicklaus |
Par | 73 |
Length | 7,320 yards |
Wee Course (9 holes) | |
Designed by | George Alexander |
Par | 27 |
Length | 1481 yards |
Gleneagles Hotel is ahotel nearAuchterarder, Scotland. It was commissioned by theCaledonian Railway and opened in 1924. The bandleaderHenry Hall performed at the hotel before theSecond World War during which it served as a military hospital. There are three tournament-standard golf courses in the grounds and the hotel was redeveloped for the 40thRyder Cup in2014. Significant conferences at the hotel have included theCommonwealth Heads of Government Meeting 1977 and the31st G8 summit in July 2005. It is a Category Blisted building.[1]
Construction of the hotel was commenced by theCaledonian Railway (CR), which also built the nearbyGleneagles railway station. However, by the time it opened in 1924, the CR had been absorbed by theLondon, Midland & Scottish Railway (LMS). It was equipped with its own dedicated railway branch line.[2] An up-and-coming dance band leader namedHenry Hall was involved in buying their pianos, and organising the dance band entertainment. He decided that radio broadcasts would be an ideal way to advertise the new hotel, so was given permission to move his Trafford Band fromManchester'sMidland Hotel to the Gleneagles and form a new band in Manchester. The hotel's opening night was celebrated withScotland's first everoutside broadcast on 7 June 1924.[3]
After the season ended, the band moved to theAdelphi Hotel inLiverpool. Summer 1925 saw the band return to Gleneagles, although their commercial recordings were made inManchester, and the winter seasons were inLiverpool.[4]
DuringWorld War II, as with many large country hotels, it was converted into Gleneagles Hospital[5] under the charge ofDr Thomas Ferguson as Medical Superintendent.[6] In 1948 ownership of the hotel passed from LMS to theBritish Transport Commission and in 1963 toBritish Transport Hotels.[7]
In 1980 the hotel was designated as a Category Blisted building.[1] In 1981, British Transport Hotels sold Gleneagles to a newly established private sector operator, Gleneagles Hotels plc.[8] In 1984 it was acquired byArthur Bell & Sons,[9] which came into the ownership ofGuinness in 1985 andDiageo in 1997.[10]
Between 1982 and 1986, £11 million was spent on renovation and since 1982 the hotel has been open all year round. In 1986, and every year since, the hotel has been awardedfive red stars by theAA. The hotel remained owned by Diageo, until it was sold to a private investment company Ennismore in 2015.[11]
The hotel was redeveloped in preparation for hosting the 40thRyder Cup in2014 played on the PGA Centenary Course.[12]
Gleneagles has threegolf courses: the King's Course, Queen's Course and PGA Centenary Course, previously known as the Monarch's Course. There is also a nine-hole course called the PGA National Academy Course, informally known as the Wee Course. Gleneagles Golf Academy opened in 1994 and in 2010 was re-branded to The PGA National Academy for Scotland.[13] TheJack Nicklaus-designed PGA Centenary Course opened in 1993 and hosted the Ryder Cup in 2014. When asked about his work, Nicklaus said, "It's the finest parcel of land in the world I have ever been given to work with."[14]
Tournaments that have taken place at Gleneagles include:[15]
The British School ofFalconry has been located at Gleneagles since 1992.[16]
The village of Glenmor has holiday homes set within the grounds of the hotel.[17]
Conferences have included:
Gleneagles Hotel has won/holds various awards,[21] including: