"Where To Stay In Scotland"

[jg7236]

Good Evening To All:

As you know my father and myself are planning our golf trip to Scotland.  I was wondering if there were any specific bed and breakfast or hotels I should stay at while we are in Scotland.  We are going to try to go all over, but I figure that will mean staying at St. Andrews/Cruden Bay/Glasglow/near Muirfield/etc.

Thanks again,

John

[Phil_the_Author]

John,

What might be the finest B&B in the St.Andrews/Kingsbarns area is The Barns at Kingsbarns. The proprietor is Ian Murtaugh. Tell him I recommended him to you. I just sent another friend & his father to stay there (2 weeks ago) & they loved it. You can get information from him by:

email - ian@barnsatkingsbarns.com
phone - 01334460820 (sorry I can't remember the country code)

Whether you stay there or not, you must eat a meal there. The food is fabulous.

[Carlyle Rood]

My wife and I stayed in this little cottage in St. Monans:

http://www.uniquescotland.com/seabreeze/index.html

We were there a week.  It's an adorable little town on the coast about 15-20 minutes from St. Andrews.  It was our home base when I played St. Andrews (Old and New), Carnoustie, and North Berwick.  I think it's just down the road from Crail, which unfortunately I did not play.

They are modest accomodations; but, you can walk to the (only) pub in town and you get an absolutely different flavor of Scotland.

Carlyle

P.S. The following photos are way more romantic than in person.


View from cottage



Lighthouse



St. Monans was a fishing village.



Presbyterian Church



Looking across the Firth of Forth to North Berwick from the cottage

[Dan King]

It's been a few years since I was in Scotland, but after numerous trips I had a few places I really liked.

In Cruden Bay the Kilmarnock Arms is fun. The rooms aren't anything special. I think they are all shared baths, but all the local golfers hang out in the bar downstairs and the breakfast is good. It was supposedly were Bram Stroker wrote Dracula. My last time I stayed in the fancier hotel right by the course. While it was more comfortable it wasn't nearly as fun.

In Gullane if I get there unexpected the Mallard, right across from the Gullane Children's course always had something available for a good price and had a decent selection of single malts in the small pub. Nothing fancy, but I've never been turned away.

The other choice if you are calling ahead, try The Forth Lodge. It overlooks the Firth of Forth and run by the Jacksons. Their phone number five years ago was 011-44-1620-842058.

Both are a short walk to the Old Clubhouse where you can not only get Belhaven's Best but also Death by Chocolate Cake. Following dinner take a couple clubs and play Gullane#3 in the gloaming.

I know you didn't ask, but if you decide Machrihanish is calling you like it always called me, you have to stay at the Ardell House. It is just across from the golf course, with views of the links from a few rooms and the common room. Back when I used to go it was dirt cheap, but I don't know if it still is.  0 1586 810235  

Dan King

You have to play golf in Scotland. What else is there to do there? Wear a skirt?
  --George Low

[Kris Kerr]

Female perspective, which I realise neither you nor your dad are:
If you can get a room overlooking the finishing holes at St Andrews, Russocks Hotel is a nice change from the whole B&B thing...as is potentially Greywalls, a Sir Edward Lutyens building, at Gullane.
Not particularly for the budget-conscious, and undoubtedly not as characterful as many little local places, but since no-one else had mentioned them, no harm in being aware of all your options...

[Bill_McBride]

I stayed at the Harbour House in North Berwick in July this year and can second Sean's endorsement.  Sheila is very nice and thoughtful.  It's right off the high street with a couple of good restaurants, one Italian just around the corner.  You can walk to the West Links clubhouse right through the municipal putting green, and the sunset out on the quay in the nearby harbor is spectacular.  Just be sure to either bring earplugs or ask for a room in the rear as the church bells sound like they are inside front rooms -- all night long!

[Matthew Schulte]

John:

Have a wonderful time with your father.  Below are several modestly priced yet comfortable accomodations located extremely close to the golf courses.

North Berwick near Muirfield
http://belhavenhotel.co.uk/

Cruden Bay
www.redhousehotel.com

St. Andrews
http://www.dunvegan-hotel.com/
or
http://www.hazelbank.com/

[Philip Gawith]

The B&B I stayed at in St Andrews was the best B&B I have  been to. It is a historic old building, in the old part of town near the castle, very quiet street (North Castle st) , and only about 6-8 minute walk from the Old Course. I think it has two twin rooms.

see www.oldfishergatehouse.co.uk

[Bob_Huntley]

Bill's comments on the bells reminds me of the 1953 movie  'Genevieve'.

The plot of this thoroughly captivating British comedy, Genevieve can be summed up in a sentence: Two young couples participate in the Vintage Car Rally, a yearly race from London to Brighton. The title "character" is the 1904 Darracq auto owned by John Gregson and Dinah Sheridan. At first treating the race as a lark, the two couples become increasingly--and hilariously--competitive as they near the finishing line.

Kenneth More has the hots for Kay Kendall and has planned to have "A deep emotional experience in Brighton" at the end of the race. They put up in a less than three star lodging and just as he is about to start his courting, the church bells, about twenty feet away boom out, ruining the night.

The telling of this is as nothing compared to his look of absolute defeat in his quest for a nibble.

[jg7236]

Thank you so much!  By chance have any of you rented condo's or townhomes while in Scotland on your golf adventure?

[Tiger_Bernhardt]

I am a Greywalls man while in Gullane, for many reasons including meeting some of the most interesting people in the world. I have grown to like Russacks in St,. Andrews for I feel David Heard is by far the best golf pro/tee time helper in the area. The bar is also like but not quite as good as the Dunvegan for meeting great people. I like Dan King's choice for Macrahanish. I am not wild about any of the Cruden Bay choices and Rich Goodale makes all the arrangments in Dornoch. However if you want to pamper yourself then the Carnegie home is really good living. I want to stay at the castle up the road from Turnberry where Dwight E lived for a bit. It looks great and I have worn weary of the prices and service and for that matter the inability to add and subtract by the office at the hotel at Turnberry.

[Jim Bearden]

Already mentioned but Dunvegan is great Jack and Sheena Willoughby are great people and she is really funny.

[Tiger_Bernhardt]

They are great people who have this twisted love for Aggies.

[jg7236]

Good Evening:

I ran in to a friend of mine who I met in my bartending days.  He was an regular in the pub I used to work at. Long story short he is from Scotland and retired.  He told me to get in contact with Paudie O'Connor, he would be able to help me out with any questions in regards to my Scotland trip.  Have any of you heard of Paudie O'Connor.

Cheers,

John

[Bill_McBride]

Not sure, John, but with that name it sounds like he could be a wee bit more helpful in Dublin!