Stay and play review: Glenapp Castle, Ayrshire

Glenapp Castle is now home to a five-star hotel and 3 AA Rosette restaurant.

So good that it featured on the BBC series: Amazing Hotels: Life Beyond The Lobby, Glenapp Castle sets the standard for old-world luxury, service and extravagant experiences.

One of the best things about working in the industry is the amount of incredible places you get to experience. I’ve stayed at some of the best hotels in the world, which means I’ve come to expect a certain level of standard. It takes a lot to blow me away nowadays, but Glenapp Castle managed to achieve that in the two days I spent there in the South West of Scotland prior to the 2024 Open Championship.

The estate sits hidden away, like some kind of best-kept secret, in the small fishing village of Ballantrae, a mere 13 miles from Girvan railway station and a 90-minute drive from Glasgow Airport. Choosing the latter, the journey takes you past a roll call of some of the best – and most iconic – courses in the world (more on those, later) and through an unmarked country lane that conceals the entrance to the baronial castle.

Upon arrival, you must first announce yourself at the cast-iron gates, before beginning the winding drive through an avenue of dense, almost mythical, forest. Staff will be ready and waiting to greet you in the Castle’s courtyard.

Look and feel

Everything about Glenapp Castle hits the sweetspot between laid back and elegant. Beautifully illustrated maps of the estate wait by the front door, along with wellies, rain jackets, and free-to-hire electric bikes so you can explore the grounds or the nearby beach. The staff are attentive, rather than intrusive, and tremendously knowledgeable about the Castle’s history.

Among the many stories told include Winston Churchill’s stay in 1944, where he met with President Eisenhower to discuss the D-Day landings. His visit is marked today with a striking portrait in the oak-paneled library.

The rooms

The serenity of the hotel’s estate spills into the palatial suites, which combine old-world charm with modern luxury. There is no bar, nor coffee-making facilities, so complimentary hot drinks and homemade biscuits are delivered to your door whenever you wish.

There are 17 rooms split across three levels, including two master suites that overlook the sea and Italian garden. Ours was bigger than my old apartment and even had a separate living area that was dominated by antique furnishings and enough armchairs and sofas to seat a small party.

The walk-in wardrobe and freshly picked flower arrangements were a welcome addition for my gleeful fiancée, perhaps more so than the four-poster canopy bed!

Every suite is individually styled and priced according to its views and location, though the pièce de resistance is the top-floor penthouse apartment, the only one of its kind in Scotland. A private tour revealed that guests are given access to a private lift, chef and butler, as well as four bedrooms, five bathrooms, a lounge and dining room, plus a sauna, cinema room, and tech-free games room and library.

The best bit – besides a gilded mirror which turns into a 65-inch TV – might just be the spiral stone staircase which lets you soak in panoramic views of Ailsa Craig, the Isle of Arran, and the Mull of Kintyre from the Castle’s turret.

The golf

As amazing as Glenapp Castle is, the absence of its own golf course means it is never going to appear in our list of the Top 100 Golf Resorts in Britain. I’ll admit that I had never even heard of it until I saw it featured on Amazing Hotels: Life Beyond the Lobby and recognized its potential as a gateway to visit some of the best – and most remote – courses in the world.

Glenapp plays the part of a halfway house in that sense, serving up a romantic bucket-list trip for golfing couples. Dundonald, Prestwick, Royal Troon, Trump Turnberry and Western Gailes can all be found within an hour’s drive, though your money is perhaps better spent on boarding the castle’s private boat, which opens up the possibility of playing golf in its most rugged and natural form at Machrihanish on the Mull of Kintyre.

Wherever you go, staff will happily design a bespoke adventure, arrange transfers, and provide you with a shoe and club cleaning service upon your return.

Food and drink

The 3 AA Rosette dinner is a major event, often split between two intimate dining areas, with a pianist playing every other night in the gold-laden drawing room.

A three- (£85pp) or seven- (£120pp) course tasting menu changes daily and is hand-delivered to your room several hours earlier. The dishes are subtle rather than showy and often highlight seasonal and local produce from the Castle’s chemical-free walled garden.

For £45, you can also treat yourself to afternoon tea in front of the grand fireplace, or feast on a luxurious ‘castle grill’ Scottish breakfast, complete with haggis, black pudding and a tattie scone. Finish with a glass of champagne, followed by a walk around the stunning Azalea Pond and Victorian Glasshouse, and you’ll be living your best life.

Things to see and do

Take your pick from over 70 activities, which can be booked on the Castle’s app. My fiancée and I tried archery for the first time, but a partial list of pursuits includes axe throwing, curling, falconry, game shooting and even horse riding on Turnberry beach.

The standout is the Hebridean Sea Safari, which takes guests on a multi-day glamping adventure to Jura, where you are likely to be joined by seals, gannets, and puffins as you tour the neighboring islands.

“Anything is possible,” says owner Paul Szkiler, which is precisely what elevates Glenapp above every other hotel I’ve stayed at in Britain. ‘Haste ye back’ is what they say in Ayrshire, which roughly translates as: hurry up and come back. We will be.

Stay and play deal

A ‘Summer Special’ stay includes accommodation in a Castle bedroom suite with champagne on arrival, an archery lesson, and a table-served breakfast each morning, from £505.75 per night.

Offer is based on two adults sharing a double room and availability on selected dates. Two nights minimum. To book, click here.