Gleneagles Hotel in Perthshire is planning a roaring reopening for guests from Monday 26th April and its team have been busy putting together a season of activities to draw guests back into the fold.
Dubbed Scotland’s very own ‘Riviera in the Highlands’, glamorous get-togethers and glorious food will once again be the order of the day, including a calendar of alfresco culinary pop-ups, a month-long series of festivities for ‘Jubilant June’ and the return of the much-loved Explorers Kids Club from July. Other highlights will include alfresco food pop-ups and a Whisky Loch-Down, to family activities and the return of the Explorers Kids Club to the Glorious Playground.
May – September: Glorious Food Pop-ups
From May onwards, Gleneagles will be bringing the decadence of the hotel experience outdoors and into the Glorious Playground. Gourmands can get a taste of the seaside in the heart of the highlands, with the return of the hotel’s Seafood Bar & Grill serving food Thursday – Sunday and drinks seven days a week. Celebrating Scotland’s natural larder of fresh and sustainably sourced seafood, the Grill will evoke nostalgic days spent at the beach with highlights including hand-dived Isle of Mull scallops, flavourful langoustines roasted in their shells and Gleneagles & Co’s very own smoked salmon. Guests can take their catch out onto the garden for a stroll or sit back on a deck chair to soak up the early summer sunshine.
For younger guests, Gleneagles very own Tuck Shop and Ice Cream Parlour will be taking up residence in the outdoor Summer House featuring scrumptious soft serve ice cream and thirst-quenching alcoholic and non-alcoholic slushies.
Over on the Glendevon Terrace, Gleneagles will be partnering with Moet & Chandon to offer a variety of vintage and prestige champagnes. The specially curated menu will include a number of sought-after vintages alongside Dom Perignon which will be available by the glass. Lunch time classics including the famous ‘Scottish Lobster Roll served in a brioche bun’ and the newly introduced Wagyu Burger will also be available.
As the sun sets, guests are invited to don their glad rags and retreat to The American Bar which, from June onwards (subject to government restrictions), will play host to live jazz from Thursday to Saturday in partnership with beloved whisky brand, Macallan. Inspired by the glamour of the Roaring Twenties, the ‘Jazz After Dark’ menu, which in part plays tribute to the era of prohibition, features post-dinner whisky concoctions for all palates with some created tableside for added theatre.
In keeping with the spirit of fun and frivolity, the Estate will also be introducing a handful of further alfresco culinary surprises yet to be revealed with some set to be more unexpected than others.
‘Jubilant June’
Kicking off ‘Jubilant June’ celebrations, the Whisky Loch-Down is an exclusive nightly whisky ritual held at Laich Loch. In partnership with one of Scotland’s most iconic whisky distilleries for the month of June only, guests will have the opportunity to sample some of the finest whiskies around the roaring firepit, under a starlit sky.
Guests will also be able to bask in the late sun of the long summer days with Twilight Hour, featuring sundowners accompanied by live music – the perfect June aperitif to savour in a deck chair overlooking the Ochil Hills. Back at the hotel, those looking to toast the most glamorous of reunions can learn the art of mixology in an intimate cocktail masterclass hosted in the American Bar. Every Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday in June, groups of up to six will have the chance to step behind the bar and shake up three taster cocktails, followed by canapes served on the lawn, an indulgent five-course dinner in the Wine Cellar, and a special nightcap in the Century Bar.
June also hails the expansion of Gleneagles’ outdoor experiences offering with exclusive itineraries now available on partner estates. Off-road guiding tours in the Estate’s latest fleet of Defenders will see guests armed with Swarovski’s newest range of Field Glasses and accompanied by an expert Trail Yard guide who will grant the opportunity to explore previously inaccessible estates and the opportunity to spot some of Scotland’s finest wildlife.
Come July, the much-anticipated Explorers Kids Club in partnership with Scott Dunn makes a long-awaited comeback giving weary parents a well-deserved holiday and time to reconnect as a couple, while kids roam wild and free in the fresh air.
Based at Gleneagles’ adventure hub, The Trail Yard, a stimulating programme of outdoor activities has been designed to engage children in their surroundings. Split by age group, the Estate’s youngest guests can head out on Animal and Bug Hunts accompanied by a private nanny; whilst budding naturalists can embark on nature walks with Gleneagles’ resident Labrador, Henry by their side, and meet Hettie the Shetland Pony on Stable Tours.
For the tweenangers, tree climbing, woodland skills, falconry, archery, off-roading on ArgoCats and fishing at Laich Loch await. Dedicated to outdoor learning, The Little Glen Outdoors Programme will also launch in July tailored specifically to the under 9s featuring Junior Bee Keeping and Junior Aromatherapy experiences amongst others. For wet weather days, Little Glen is Gleneagles’ vibrant and fully supervised crèche for toddlers, while The Den makes for a relaxed hangout for teens, featuring a cinema room, pool, air hockey and giant board games.
For more information, visit www.gleneagles.com and follow on social media, including Instagram https://www.instagram.com/thegleneagleshotel and Twitter https://twitter.com/gleneagleshotel #LoveGlen