MAGICAL MANSION - THE DAILY RECORD, Saturday 8 December 2007
Travel: Magical Mansion ; Balbirnie House is the Last Word in Luxury .. And It Caters for All the Family, By Sarah Harvey
My luxury weekend got off to a good start as I settled down to eat strawberries and handmade chocolates from the comfort of a four- poster bed watching a flat-screen TV while my partner lounged on a sofa reading the paper.
Then I headed off for a soak in the jacuzzi bath in the en-suite and a chance to try out the Molton Brown toiletries.
It was all going swimmingly until my three-year-old and five- year-old wandered through from their adjoining suite to shatter my peace, wanting to watch my TV and nick some of my chocolates - even though they had their own.
Then of course they wanted a go in the jacuzzi.
I could certainly get used to a life of luxury - and my youngsters were frighteningly quick to feel right at home too in the comfort of Balbirnie House Hotel in Markinch, near Glenrothes, Fife.
But I now worry the kids will think it's normal to spend a weekend in their own comfortable suite in a Georgian mansion, rather than the special treat it was.
They were suitably in awe when we travelled down the tree-lined drive and caught site of the imposing mansion with its Grecian- style pillars.
Balbirnie House Hotel is set in a country estate of more than 400 acres with woodland walks and a golf course, while the stables have been converted into a craft centre.
The main building dates back to 1777 and is now owned and run by the Russell family.
There are plans to build a pounds 5million spa, opening in 2009, with a Georgian pool house, fitness rooms, rooftop thermal suite, glass-roofed fireplace and external decking with hot tubs and hydrotherapy.
There are currently 30 rooms from singles to doubles and suites and the hotel has won numerous awards, including four red AA stars, since 1995 and the RAC guide Gold Ribbon.
The friendly staff didn't raise an eyebrow when we arrived with our two excitable daughters. Before dinner we took the girls down to the library bar for a soft drink, nibbles and canapes, then ate in The Orangery, a two-AA rosette restaurant.
It's an elegant, pretty room decorated in silver, copper and chocolate shades with a pitched glass roof.
The girls picked from the children's menu and their food was excellent, but the grown-up meals were even more inviting.
I opted for Thai-style fishcakes with a sweet chilli and peanut dressing for a starter and my partner had the terrine of duck foie gras.
Second course was a choice of sorbets or soups, and for the main I picked a succulent roast garlic and rosemary studded loin of lamb, served with ratatouille and mash, while my other half raved about the quality of his Scotch fillet of beef, servedsimply but effectively with chips and a Bearnaise sauce.
For desert I opted for a rich warm chocolate tart with coffee ice- cream, while my partner went for a summer pudding with clotted cream.
The hotel even has its own ice-cream factory in Markinch. If you prefer eating somewhere less formal than The Orangery, the hotel also has a popular bistro.
There are three attractive drawing-room areas to relax in, and open fires throughout the hotel, but we chose to have our coffee, tablet and more of those to-die-for handmade chocolates in our room so we could tuck the girls up in bed.
Alternatively we could have opted for the babysitting service.
The following morning we feasted on an excellent full Scottish breakfast.
Balbirnie House is handy for exploring the East Neuk of Fife with its pretty fishing villages, but to occupy the kids we headed out for the day to Cairnie Fruit Farm and Mega Maze, near Cupar.
Back at Balbirnie, we relaxed in the autumn sun at a table in the grounds before taking a stroll around the pretty walled garden.
It struck me that Balbirnie would be a great wedding venue, but with two girls and another on the way to marry off, I had better start saving.
Factfile
Balbirnie House Hotel, Markinch, near Glenrothes, Fife. Standard double rooms including breakfast are pounds 195, with suites at pounds 250. Dinner of four courses with coffee in the Orangery costs pounds 36.50. There are various special offers, such as an autumn midweek deal of pounds 99 per person for dinner, bed and breakfast. For information go to www.balbirnie.co.uk or ring 01592 610066.
Original viewable here
The Best Scottish Weddings, 18 December 2007
AWARD-WINNING VENUE WITH A FINE REPUTATION
Situated in Markinch Village in Fife, this Grade A listed Georgian mansion has twice won ‘Wedding Hotel of the Year’ as voted by Hotel Review Scotland. For large weddings choose from the sophisticated Long Gallery, the gorgeous Orangery, or the Millennium Ballroom which overlooks new gardens. Smaller parties can enjoy several smaller more intimate rooms with real character. For the wedding party, Balbirnie has sumptuous four poster suites and 30 individually designed bedrooms.
