THE BEST OF SCOTLAND, Peter Irvine
Signed from the road system around Glenrothes (3km) in surprisingly sylvan setting of Balbirnie Country Park.
One of the most sociable & comfortable co-house hotel in the land, with high standards in service and décor that’s easy to be at home with. Library bar leads on to tranquil gardens. Orangery restaurant has 2 AA rosettes with Chef Ian MacDonald & good wine list. Their ‘pamper breaks’ – including tea on arrival – are a great deal à deux...good golf in the park. Wake to the thwack of balls!
An elegant hotel for lunch and dinner. 2 AA rosettes.
EXPLORING THE MAGIC KINGDOM...
Evening Express Review, by Craig Walker
During our trip we stayed at Balbirnie House Hotel, in the village of Markinch, near Glenrothes, a 30 or so minute drive from St Andrews.
The privately run country house is the centrepiece of a 416-acre estate with its very own golf course on its doorstep.
And it’s easy to know why Balbirnie is described as one of Scotland’s finest Grade A listed houses.
The décor is simply stunning and the attention to detail of the staff is fantastic.
The house’s 30 bedrooms are individually designed and a range of public rooms leaves you spoilt for choice if you’re looking for somewhere to relax for an afternoon tea or coffee or a glass of wine at night. Its two restaurants also give you the best of both worlds.
Balbirnie’s Bistro offers a more relaxed atmosphere – and fantastic food.
It’s set in the former meat store in the basement, which is clear to see with meat hooks still hanging from the roof.
Or you can opt for the Orangery restaurant and enjoy a fabulous four courses while looking out to the lit-up driveway.
As well as the golf course, the grounds also offer a number of woodland walks. And there’s a craft centre, with small specialist shops, in the old courtyard.
From the house, you’re just a short walk into the village of Markinch and a five minute drive into Glenrothes.
You’re also just around half an hour from Edinburgh, Dundee and St Andrews, with a wealth of activities to keep you occupied at any of the three.
And the immediate area surrounding Markinch is packed full of attractions meaning there’s no chance of anyone complaining of being bored on a short break to this part of the world.
INSPECTOR’S CHOICE, 2008 AA Hotel Guide
Balbirnie House, Balbirnie Park.
The perfect venue for a business trip, wedding or romantic break, this imposing Georgian Mansion lies in formal gardens and grounds amidst scenic Balbirnie Park. Delightful public rooms include a choice of inviting lounges. Accommodation features some splendid well-proportioned bedrooms with best overlooking the gardens. But even the smaller standard rooms include little touches such as sherry, shortbread, fudge and mineral water. There is a choice of eating options, the Orangery or the more informal Bistro.
TRAVEL INFO, Evening Express
Craig was a guest at privately-owned Balbirnie House, Markinch.
The owners were recently granted planning permission for a £5 million spa, which will be open in spring 2009.
With a string of outdoor pursuits on your doorstep, hotel staff will happily arrange anything from horse riding and sea-fishing, to motor racing and go-karting.
Prices, including a full Scottish breakfast, range from £130 a night for a standard single to £250 a night for a suite. There are also rates for special feature breaks available. For information call 01592 610066.
WHERE TO EAT
You need look no further than the hotel’s two restaurants. The Bistro offers a range of dishes including steaks, pasta and fresh fried haddock. The more formal Orangery restaurant had a wide selection of up-market dishes...
TOP NOTCH COOKING IN A SOPHISTICATED SETTING
Balbirnie House, Balbirnie Park.
Despite being one of Scotland’s most important Grade A listed buildings, this hotel describes itself as ‘swanky but not snooty!’ It boasts a choice of restaurants to suit your mood, serving delicious dishes in both its orangery restaurant and more informal bistro. Expect accomplished cooking rooted in classical cuisine: duck with orange sauce, dauphinoise potatoes and French beans perhaps, or grilled halibut with chive mash, spinach, Mull cheddar and parsley cream sauce. Between the starter and main you can enjoy a light intermediate course such as shellfish bisque with saffron aioli, or Granny Smith sorbet with Calvados, while desserts might include raspberry and Drambuie parfait.
The Fife Free Press, October 4, 2007 - NEW SPA FOR LUXURY HOTEL
Balbirnie House Hotel has revealed plans to open a state-of-the-art £5million spa which will create 30 new jobs.
It is scheduled to open in Spring 2009 and spa-themed bedrooms will also be created as part of the plans.
Work begins in January and is expected to take around 14 months to complete. It’s expected that the 500 members of the spa will come from the local community and that fees will be around £60 per month.
The spa will include a swimming pool located in a Georgian pool house, fitness and gym suite, yoga studio, relaxation areas, a range of massage and treatment rooms, a beauty care centre and also club lounge area for healthy refreshments, snacks and Thai tapas.
The facility will also boast a unique rooftop thermal suite with different steam and sauna heat treatments, theme showers, ice chutes and a central glass-roofed fireplace, a chill-out area and external decking with hot tubs and hydrotherapy.
Once the spa is created the new Balbirnie Hotel will be in effect double the size of the original Georgian Mansion House.
The Courier, Wednesday 26 September 2007 - HOTEL IN LINE FOR MAJOR EXTENSION
Plans for a £5 million extension of a leading Fife hotel have been given the green light, which will see the creation of over 30 jobs and give the local economy a massive boost.
Work on the new spa is scheduled to begin at the Balbirnie House Hotel in Markinch in January.
The spa which is scheduled to open in the spring of 2009, will take the hotel on to another operational level, while additional spa-themed bedrooms, which are also being created, will increase capacity for weddings and corporate events.
Nicholas Russell, general manager at Balbirnie, said, “We are all very excited at the prospect of the spa and in design terms it is truly a first for Fife and in a wider context, Scotland.
“For a hotel such as Balbirnie, there is nothing at all like it north of the border”.
“There has been a lengthy process over the last few years with a large design team, and many complexities have had to be addressed”.
“Balbirnie is already one of the most vibrant hotels of its size in the country, and the spa extensions will have capability of substantially increasing trade”.
“We have been really delighted with the level of support for this project across the spectrum from the local area”.
Balbirnie House now has 110 staff, compared to just 30 in 1992, while the addition of a ballroom in 1999 meant the hotel could compete in the booming wedding market – with an average of three large weddings now held there every week.
In recent years the hotel has received numerous awards and industry accolades, including the Scottish Hotel Wedding Hotel of the Year title.
The spa will include a swimming pool, fitness and gym suite, yoga studio, relaxation areas, massage and treatment rooms, beauty centre, and also club lounge areas for healthy refreshments.
The hotel will also boast a rooftop thermal suite with different steam and sauna heat treatments, theme showers, ice chutes, a central glass-roofed fireplace and external decking with hot tubs and hydrotherapy.
Management believe that a membership of about 500 people – mostly drawn from the local area – is envisaged, at an individual monthly fee of around £60.
The spa will be run by one of the hotel directors, Rosemary Spenke, who will lead a team of consultants and therapists.
Tricia Marwick, MSP for Central Fife, said she was delighted that the project had finally been approved.
“Balbirnie House is a jewel in the crown for tourism in Fife, and I congratulate the Balbirnie team on their continuing innovation and investment which will ensure enhanced local employment, and increased national and international visitors,” she said.
Sunday Herald, 2 September 2007 - GIMME SHELTER BALBIRNIE HOUSE
Highlights: Balbirnie has a fantastic Gosford Park feel to it without pretension and stuffiness…
Food: The main dining room’s décor has a modern feel and the seasonally driven menu doesn’t disappoint. The sommelier makes helpful suggestions for your meal.
Stuff to do nearby: The 416-acre of grounds are fantastic for exploring with miles of woodland paths. There is a craft centre and golf course on site
