Fairmont hotel review - St Andrews, UK

Situated on a 520-acre estate on the east coast of Scotland, Fairmont St Andrews has long attracted the golfing set, who come to play the two championship courses – The Torrance and The Kittocks – that are surrounded by panoramic clifftop vistas of St Andrews and the haunting North Sea seascape.

A recent £17m redevelopment transforms the site, and references the energetic wilds of Scotland’s natural environment, adding more than a touch of modern glamour and a sense of heritage in the process. The redesign, implemented by RPW Design, references the history and landscapes of Scotland, encompassing richly textured upholstery and fabrics from Andrew Muirhead and Bute Fabrics, sourced on the Isle of Bute, off the west coast of Scotland.

In the hotel’s Atrium, a bespoke 60m-long ceiling sculpture entitled Zephyr, by award-winning artist George Singer, plays on the movement of the water in the North Sea; an organic, swirling piece that encapsulates the wild energy of its maritime location.

Also part of the redesign is a new restaurant, where a calming pine and sage green colour scheme are offset by a timber floor, gold accents, and sumptuous wall drapes and a carpet design based on the markings found in the nearby River Tay estuaries.