The Long Weekend: Take someone special to Scotland’s famous Gleneagles Hotel for the ultimate bonding trip, says Justine Gosling
Where would you like to go?” I asked my beaming but bemused 65 year-old dad as we stood scanning the departures list in Gatwick’s north terminal on a grey November morning. “Somewhere warm?” Was his excited response.
As much as he tried, he couldn’t hide his disappointment when I revealed notoriously rainy Scotland as our destination. It may have seemed insensitive but I couldn’t help but smile back at him: I had in my ammunition the knowledge that we were about to have an exceptional bonding experience together, no matter what the sky had to say about it. I had organised everything, planned a dream trip for him that was a bucket list adventure for me too, and one on which we could make special memories together. The extent of dad’s travels in the last two decades have been cheap and cheerful holidays to Spain and France, and so this was set to be something else. How long could I keep it from him before he found out what was in store?
The night before we left, mum, who was in on the surprise, helped dad pack his bag. As we were staying somewhere fancy, this meant going through his wardrobe and trying on smart trousers and shirts to see if they still fit since the last time he had worn them was many moons ago. As items went in the bag, his questions had us almost crying with laughter: “do I need sun cream?” Imagining that we were going somewhere exotic, he asked if we’ll be snorkelling and whether he should bring his swim hat. I was laughing so hard I barely managed a response. Dad is very laid back and happily went along with the whole surprise, which made it so much fun for everyone around him, and I made sure to tell everyone in the neighbourhood about our trip so that they could all tease him in the build-up to our departure.
His initial disappointment was quickly forgotten when we arrived at the newly opened Edinburgh Gleneagles Townhouse, centrally located in St Andrew’s Square. Founded in 1924, the original Gleneagles is one of the most prestigious properties in Scotland. Known as the ‘glorious playground,’ the hotel hosts all manner of country sports, while being home to champion golf courses considered among the best in the world. For amateur golfers such as my dad who sees the world’s golfing megastars playing the Gleneagles course on TV, the opportunity to stay and play the course is a bucket list experience indeed.
Last autumn, the Townhouse opened, bringing the cosy countryside vibe of the historical property into the city centre for the first time. The former bank building that houses the hotel took six years to renovate and convert, and is now an exceptional 33-room boutique hotel that’s easily the most significant hotel launch in Edinburgh in recent years. After a lunch of west coast crab omelette, eaten under the glass domed roof in the hotel’s Spence restaurant, we set off for an afternoon exploring the city, walking up to the castle and wandering around the old town, appreciating the city’s famed architecture.
Later that evening, it was over a drink in the rooftop bar ‘Lamplighters’ that I casually informed dad that we were leaving the hotel and the city the next day. In the latest guessing game, dad wrongly wondered if we were swapping cities with nearby Glasgow. But I had a better idea: dad is an avid golfer who plays rather badly every Sunday with close friends he has known for decades. It’s a meeting that is often the highlight of their week, so I thought I’d better surprise him with a spot of his favourite sport. I pulled out his battered golf shoes, hidden in my bag by mum and accomplice, and informed him that we were being driven to the Gleneagles country house after breakfast, and that he would be playing on the famous King golf course in the afternoon. With the big reveal, it is no exaggeration to say that he was so happy, I genuinely thought he was going to cry tears of happiness.
Even I, as a non-golfer, know of the prestige and occasion it is to stay, and play golf at Gleneagles. This was confirmed as we pulled up at the grand entrance of the hotel and a very friendly member of staff in a tartan skirt opened the car door and greeted us with a broad smile and thick Scottish accent. Dad beamed, and soon after, I took his proud photo at the first tee, dream realised, before watching him walk off into the mist, pulling his golf trolley behind him. Between mouthfuls of the tuna sashimi starter and large gulps of Barolo wine at the Birnam restaurant that evening, dad bemoaned, “why the hell has your bloody mother packed me thermals?” Laughing mischievously, I replied “she’s worried about you getting cold”.
He shook his head at mum’s molly coddling, but his contemptuous expression flipped to delight when I revealed the final surprise for our last day, and indeed, why mum had packed his thermals. We’d be going on a guided fly fishing excursion together in the morning. As a child, I used to play in the rock pools while dad netted prawns on the beach where we lived on the east Sussex coast, and I just about remember inspecting the bucket of mackerel he produced when returning from fishing trips. But life, grandkids and golf has taken up his time, and he’s barely fished in two decades, despite it being one of his favourite past times. The fish didn’t come near our bait, but dad didn’t seem to mind. Rod in hand, stood in a lone, little wooden paddle boat in the middle of the motionless lake, surrounded by the misty hills coloured all shades of autumnal orange, dad was in his happy place, and I breathed in the calming, near whimsical tranquillity.
The always dependable anchor in our family, dad deserved this treat. The whole family loved the fun of keeping the surprise, and I delighted in sharing his hobbies with him, while enjoying the luxury surroundings of the two Gleneagles hotels, Scottish countryside and hospitality. Much more than a fun surprise and weekend away, our Gleneagles trip made us reminisce childhood memories, ticked a box on dad’s bucket list, helped us enjoy precious time together, and made dad even more excited to plan for his retirement. I’m not sure who got more from the weekend, me or him, but we’ll both cherish our time together in Scotland.
Visit Scotland yourself
Rates at Gleneagles Townhouse start from £350 BB in low season and from £620 BB in high season, based on staying in a House Room. Visit here to Book. Rates at Gleneagles start from £575 based on two sharing and including breakfast.