A new year means new beginnings, a fresh start, new ambitions and bigger and better dreams. So, this year I asked, why do we so often spend the entire first day of our ‘new chapter’ hungover on the couch? This year – partially due to working NYE and partially thanks to a blog opportunity - I did something completely new for new year. The boy and I got up at a reasonable hour, packed our bags and headed on the road towards one of Scotland’s most charming towns - St Andrew’s - for an overnight stay at a rather plush hotel.
When My Hotel Break got in touch a month earlier and asked if I’d like to try out their services to test run one of their featured hotels, I jumped at the chance! There was so much to choose from with hotels right across the UK. We decided to stay local and while searching through their easy-to-use website a stunning DoubleTree by Hilton in South Queensferry and the Lochside House Hotel in New Cumnock quickly became some of our front runners. Not before long though I stumbled across The Fairmont in St Andrew’s and stopped searching instantly. It’s a hotel I’ve always wanted to visit and knew it would have everything The Boy and I love in a hotel.
We arrived in the early afternoon on a cold but bright New Year’s Day. On first impression, the hotel is set on a stunning cliff edge with golfing fields all around. On entering the hotel, a welcoming grand fireplace instantly warmed us up. After a quick check-in, we were directed towards our Fairmont King View room. Our room was elegant and modern with hints of Scottish heritage. We had gorgeous views of the sea front and a HUGE kingsize bed that would fit a family of four. My jaw dropped to the floor when I walked into the bathroom. With floor to ceiling marble it’s every girl’s dream. It featured a grand bath – perfect for a bubble bath for two, a large walk-in shower and a beautiful basin area that made for the perfect make-up station.
When looking at pictures online, one of the biggest pulls to this hotel was their courtyard area and it was even better in real life. A breath-taking open space that truly is the beating heart of the hotel. It’s where you will find all of their restaurants, bars and lounge areas. Still decorated for Christmas, there was a gigantic real tree crowning the top of their ‘Beauty and the Beast’ stairwell as I liked to call it but even without it, the hotel has a beautiful art piece draped from the ceiling that is there year-round.
After we got our bearings, we decided to take an hour out and make the most of the spa facilities before getting ready for dinner. We spent a nice hour, swimming in the pool, chatting in the jacuzzi and detoxing in the steam and sauna rooms.
7pm came around before we knew it and we headed down for dinner. We decided to book into the hotel’s Italian restaurant as it only felt right - 2019 is the year we tie the knot in Italy in case you didn’t catch the reference J.
I could go on for at least a few paragraphs raving about the restaurant, but I’ll keep it brief. The food and wine was some of the best Italian food we’ve indulged in since visiting Tuscany last July. It tasted very authentic and the staff were incredibly attentive. We were kindly sat on one of their balcony tables which was so beautiful. My heart could’ve burst at how happy I was spending my first day of the year, indulging in delicious Italian food with my hubby-to-be in a beautiful setting. It was perfect.
Before checking out, we took full advantage of the spacious bath tub, had a peaceful sleep in our big bed and ate a very tasty breakfast in the courtyard area in the morning.
The staff at The Fairmont were some of the best I’ve experienced in a hotel and I can’t wait to return. Before jumping in the car back to Glasgow, we took twenty minutes to stroll down towards the coast line and simply take in the views. Standing on a cliff edge and hearing the waves come in was so relaxing and I was gutted that we had to head off so quickly. On our next visit I’ll definitely be scheduling more time to soak in the views and explore the local town.
A huge thank you again to My Hotel Break for giving us the most perfect start to 2019. One thing I did want to mention before signing off was that My Hotel Break are actually based in Scotland. Over the years, I’ve developed a deeper appreciation for local businesses and always strive to support them when I can which is why My Hotel Break will be my go-to for booking hotels in the UK from now on. Not only are they easy-to-use but they also offer some fantastic deals. They actually have a deal for the Fairmont currently available for just £74.50 per person for bed and breakfast. From my own experience of this stunning hotel, I can say that is an absolute bargain.
If you’ve made it to the end of this post – well done JI wanted to share every amazing detail about this experience with you and simply couldn’t stop typing.
Until next time.
XoXo
