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Horse Riding in Scotland

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When it comes to horse riding in Scotland, the Gleneagles Equestrian School stands head and shoulders above the rest. Here, on our 50-acre Scottish equestrian centre, we offer indoor and outdoor coaching, horse riding lessons and experiences for guests at all levels, from age four up.

Our lessons and scenery make Gleneagles one of the best and most stunning places to experience horse riding in Perthshire, so visit us for an unforgettable experience, whether you are a seasoned rider or just want to give it a go for the first time. Everyone is welcome at our equestrian centre in Scotland.

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Horse Riding video

Horse Riding Lessons in Scotland

Our lessons are undoubtably some of the best horse riding lessons Perthshire has to offer. As every rider knows, you never stop learning. Which is why we’ve created an extensive programme of riding lessons in the stunning surroundings of Scotland to take you from your very first ride to fine tuning advanced techniques for showjumping, cross-country, dressage and more.

A man leading a grey horse towards the camera before a horse riding lesson
45 mins / £125

Beginner Horse Riding Lesson

Whether you are 8 or 58 years old, first-class tuition at Gleneagles will provide you with the important foundation skills that allow you to enjoy a new spor...
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A rider on the back of a grey horse riding away from camera during a horse riding lesson
45 mins / £125

Show jumping Lesson

Our coaches will take you from your first cross pole to 1.20m fences.
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A close up of a riding boot in the stirrups on the back of a horse
45 mins / £125

Dressage Lesson

Learn the art of classical dressage on our schoolmaster horses.
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A young rider in a blue jumper is led on a pony by a riding instructor
30 mins / £80

Lead Rein Lesson

A lesson for the wee ones on one of our adorable Shetland or small ponies.
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Great for Beginners
Two children help a riding instructor groom a pony in the stables
120 mins / £130 (min 4 children)

Own a Pony

Ever wanted to have your own pony; to groom it, ride it and look after it? Well, for groups of four (minimum) aged 6 upwards you can spend two hours learning to do this under expert supervision and make a new lifelong friend.
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45 mins / £45

The Glen Stable Experience

As well as being home to some of the best horse riding Scotland has to offer, we also host stable tours at Gleneagles. A guided tour of the stables with one of our knowledgeable grooms gives you the chance to meet our horses and ponies. Finish your tour learning how to groom one of the Shetland ponies, Hettie and Chelsea. There is no riding involved in this experience so it’s a great way to introduce family members to horses and ponies.
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Great for Beginners
Two children help a riding instructor groom a pony in the stables
120 mins / £130 (min 4 children)

Own a Pony

Ever wanted to have your own pony; to groom it, ride it and look after it? Well, for groups of four (minimum) aged 6 upwards you can spend two hours learning to do this under expert supervision and make a new lifelong friend.
Learn More
45 mins / £45

The Glen Stable Experience

As well as being home to some of the best horse riding Scotland has to offer, we also host stable tours at Gleneagles. A guided tour of the stables with one of our knowledgeable grooms gives you the chance to meet our horses and ponies. Finish your tour learning how to groom one of the Shetland ponies, Hettie and Chelsea. There is no riding involved in this experience so it’s a great way to introduce family members to horses and ponies.
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Horse Riding video

Estate Riding

The scenery on display at Gleneagles is one of the main reasons why we are one of the best places to go horse riding in Scotland. We have several estate riding experiences for all level of abilities that will allow you to explore some of the most beautiful countryside around Gleneagles.

A woman on a horse rides into the sunset at Gleneagles Scottish Equestrian centre
45mins / £125

Countryside Walk

An experience for first time or novice riders allowing you to take a leisurely walk on your noble steed around our beautiful estate with an experienced equestrian coach on foot guiding you.
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A rider on a grey horse walking through a field next to a line of trees
90 mins / £150

Hacking

At Gleneagles, the surrounding heather-clad mountains form a perfect backdrop for a relaxing ride in the beautiful Perthshire countryside.
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A rider pats her horse as the sun shines directly into the camera at sunset
90 mins / £165

Cross Country Lesson

Once you are jumping show jumps competently you may want to experience the thrill of riding cross country: speed, power and fixed fences!
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A woman on a horse rides into the sunset at Gleneagles Scottish Equestrian centre
45mins / £125

Countryside Walk

An experience for first time or novice riders allowing you to take a leisurely walk on your noble steed around our beautiful estate with an experienced equestrian coach on foot guiding you.
Learn More
A rider on a grey horse walking through a field next to a line of trees
90 mins / £150

Hacking

At Gleneagles, the surrounding heather-clad mountains form a perfect backdrop for a relaxing ride in the beautiful Perthshire countryside.
Learn More
A rider pats her horse as the sun shines directly into the camera at sunset
90 mins / £165

Cross Country Lesson

Once you are jumping show jumps competently you may want to experience the thrill of riding cross country: speed, power and fixed fences!
Learn More

BHS Assessment Training

We offer training for BHS assessments 1-4 as well as stage 2, 3 and 4 teaching exams.

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Equestrian School Membership

The Gleneagles Equestrian School Membership includes private riding lessons and discounts across the estate.

Both our Equestrian and Pony Club memberships are fully subscribed for the moment but we would be delighted to add you to our waitlist for either membership.

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Hunter Trials

The dates for our next Hunter Trials will be released soon.

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Bespoke Adventures

As well as offering unforgettable experiences of horse riding in Perthshire, our playground planners create personalised itineraries for families, individuals and groups in search of fun countryside pursuits and leisure activities.

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The Glorious Playground

Enjoy more of what Gleneagles has to offer around the resort.

Growth & Development

And not just across Hotel Operations or golf. We have 49 departments within Gleneagles, so whether it’s gardening to guest experience; linkperson to lifeguard, retail to risk; marketing to mixology we’re here to support you – in the last year alone, from a population of around 1,450, we confirmed 100 cross-departmental moves and 90 promotions.

To support you we have a wide range of learning and development programmes, early careers programmes, management training sessions, career development workshops and internal secondment opportunities. These programmes are designed to help you grow and learn and are available to sign up for when the time is right for you. Through regular development discussions with your line manager, you’re encouraged to create a training and development plan aligned to your needs and aspirations.

We share all of these programmes and session through line managers, we publish them on employee engagement platform and we have an internal job board that actively promotes new roles.

Moments That Matter

We want to support the whole person, and to do that we understand that we need to support not just the professional but the personal. As part of this we’ve introduced Moments that Matter.

Moments that Matter identifies the significant events which can occur in people’s lives and looked at what meaningful support we can provide to our people during these events. Of course, what that support looks like depends upon the event – whether it’s a cause for celebration like securing a new home, acknowledging a birthday; adjusting to a change, like the arrival of a new addition through maternity, paternity or adoption; or dealing with bad news, like coping with the loss of a loved one or facing up to serious illness.

Moments that Matter is designed to make a difference to our employees when it really matters – to feel part of a compassionate and inclusive community, one which recognises that, as individuals, we all go through different moments at different points in our lives, and for our people to know that they’re part of an organisation that cares and looks out for them.

We also have a comprehensive range of resources available to support whatever our people are facing and are accessible at any time, including

  • trained mental health first aiders across both Gleneagles and the Gleneagles Townhouse,
  • a 24-hour employee assistance programme offering information, counselling and advice
  • onsite occupational health adviser, physiotherapy and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
  • 1:1 counselling
  • Wellness Hub run through our Employee Benefits Platform.

So, whether it’s a conversation with one of our mental health first aiders, taking a moment to meditate at the end of a busy shift, or finding an exercise class to raise those endorphins we’re here to help.

Administration & General

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“No thoughtful act, however small, is ever wasted.”

Within Administration & General we have our Managing Director and General Manager roles along with the team of personal assistants who provide vital support to our Executive function and provide event management support.

Information Technology

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“There’s a way to do it better; let’s find it together.”

Our Information Technology (IT) team is made up of IT Support, Technology Projects, AV, Security & Data Protection and Innovation.

Our IT Support team keep the infrastructure working, responding to requests for support from colleagues and teams and maintain all our management systems and hardware. Taking this a step further our Tech Projects focus on delivering new projects to support our various business areas, new openings and strategic goals.

We also provide AV support for Events and provide advice and guidance on how to create better events experiences for external and internal customers. Our IT team is also responsible for data protection – monitoring our data and systems to ensure they are secure – and we also have a key role to play in identifying new technologies in IT and Hospitality to support business leaders and develop the business.

Marketing & Brand

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“I feel part of something much bigger here, caretak­ing the 100 years that went before me and making my own mark today.”

While we’re proud of a history stretching back one hundred years, we don’t rest on our laurels and our Brand & Marketing team work hard to communicate not just our brand personality but also our brand values, right across all channels. In practice this includes the creation of support materials such as brand guidelines, photography, copywriting, brand experiences, on-estate signage and guest journey materials.

Our Marketing team make sure the right people see the right message at the right time, through a variety of carefully chosen channels and partnerships, including social media, brand partners, digital search marketing, digital products, customer relationship management and advertising. Brand & Marketing also includes our Public Relations team who manage press relations, journalist visits and react to any journalist enquires across lifestyle, national, regional, specialist, trade and industry press.

Finance & Procurement

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“The magic doesn’t hap­pen by accident; it hap­pens because we’re all pulling together.”

Critical to the running of our properties our Finance & Procurement team are an important support function. Our Accounts payable and receivable make sure we’re paying our suppliers quickly and accurately while also ensuring that we are paid any outstanding monies due to us.

Through our team of Business Analysts we help the business hit financial targets and provide support about financial decision making. We also provide F&B Control, assisting the team to ensure that all menus are costed, and profit margins are achieved while our Procurement team do a great job of making sure we are procuring goods and services at the right price, the right quality and at the right time.

People Team

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“There’s an energy here that I’ve not experienced before; a spirit and drive to be the very best we can be.”

Driving everything we do at Gleneagles are the people who share our energy for excellence and, within our People team, our Talent Attraction team are ever searching for the next generation of Gleneagles people to carry us forward and to make their own mark.

But the People team are also always looking for ways to make Gleneagles a better place to work for colleagues who already work here – a place where everyone, no matter what their background, feels they can be themselves; where every employee is treated with kindness, respect and fairness.

Our Organisational Development team help people across the business grow and develop; our People Partners support the business and colleagues alike to meet objectives and create opportunities for greater flexibility and choice in work balance; while Occupational Health provide wellbeing support for when the skies darken and life is proving to be more challenging. And we have a small but perfectly formed Communications & Engagement team who keep everyone informed and engaged.

Meetings, Sales, Reservations & Events

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Our Commercial team, which includes Sales, Reservations (or Playground Planning, as we call it here) and Events, work tirelessly to assist and make plans for our guests ahead of their stay, whether it’s dining, highlighting our ever increasing range of activities or arranging bespoke room requirements.

The team books everything for our guests, from golf days to complex itineraries, as well as reservations for both the Glorious Playground or the Edinburgh Townhouse so that our guests arrive happy and fully informed. For those guests who want to change their plans, add to them, or create them once they’ve arrived our team are available at ‘The Snug’ to attend to our guest’s requests so that we can make the most of their time here.

Technical Services

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“Full on! Adrenalin, am­bition and fun makes it exhilarating and exhaust­ing all at the same time.”

Our team of specialist professionals, including joiners, plumbers, electricians and painter & decorators, are experts in maintaining, conserving and enhancing our beautiful hotel. With 233 bedrooms, nine bars and restaurants, 10 event spaces, and kilometres of corridor space, it takes a huge amount of talent and dedication to look after every nook and cranny of the property.

Gleneagles presents a unique environment for any technical specialist, where no two days are the same. Our team approach each task – every nail that’s hammered, every light fitting that is repaired and each brush stroke of gloss paint – with the utmost care and attention to detail.

Security

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“We don’t get better through chance; we get better through change.”

Our dedicated Security team maintain the safety and integrity of our beautiful properties, ensuring both Gleneagles and the Townhouse are safe at all times for our team and guests.

Glenmor

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“Gleneagles beats with a very big heart and that comes from the warmth and sincerity of the team.”

Glenmor is a collection of luxurious homes set around its own village green and lochans within our beautiful Gleneagles estate. These exceptional Scottish lodges blend the luxury and adventure of our Glorious Playground while providing independence and space for the whole family.

We have a range of dedicated roles who look after our homes. Still very much part of Gleneagles, Glenmor enjoys the same level of outstanding service as the rest of the estate, with dedicated concierge, culinary, housekeeping and maintenance teams to make sure our guests enjoy the full Gleneagles experience at Glenmor.

Retail

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“Our signature dish is the pride we have in everything we do. It’s contagious.”

Our on-site retail arcade hosts a number of shops and boutiques which are packed full of luxury brands and beautiful gifts, ideal for any of our guests and visitors who’d like to indulge in some retail therapy.

Whether our guests are looking to choose the perfect single malt in The Still Room, pick up cute keepsakes in Hop & Scotch, or treat themselves to some beauty products in The Cabinet our dedicated retail team is here to guide guests and visitors through each of the product ranges available.

Golf Courses & Estates

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“There’s a role for every­one here, whatever it is you enjoy. So many de­partments, one big fami­ly.”

Caring for every inch of our 850-acre estate – from the trees that line our driveway and the turf on our three golf courses, to our beautiful gardens and the iconic Gleneagles Christmas tree – this team is responsible for ensuring the natural flora of Gleneagles is maintained, protected and enhanced, not just for our current guests to enjoy, but for future generations too.

With expertise that spans botany, agronomy, course architecture, landscaping, soil composition and even the weather, you’ll find them sowing seeds, pruning shrubs, blowing leaves, mowing lawns and raking bunkers come rain or shine!

Golf Academy, Golf Operations & Golf Retail

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“This brand, its size and scale and the drive to create experiences that stand out is what attract­ed me to Gleneagles.”

Since James Braid forged The King’s and The Queen’s golf courses from the rugged local landscape, and the first tee shots were struck on 1 May 1919, Gleneagles has been one of the world’s most iconic sporting estates.

A golfer’s paradise for over a century, our hallowed fairways have been graced by the good, the great and legends of the game. Our golf team, covering tuition, operations, retail and membership, continue to build on that heritage and strengthen that reputation, to ensure everyone who visits our golf facilities has a world-class experience.

Spa and Wellness

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“The strength of the team is each individual member. The strength of each member is the team.”

Our team look after our guests’ health and fitness needs within our state-of-the-art Swim & Gym facility. Incorporating some of the finest technology in the world, the gym is one of the first in the UK to feature the full interactive range of Strength and Cardio Equipment from the Technogym Artis and Skill ranges.

The beautiful new Spa at Gleneagles is a soothing haven from everyday stresses, where the welcome is warm, the spirits are lifted, and the pursuit of balance is the only option on the menu. With our own range of Gleneagles oil blends and scrubs, our therapists offer a range of treatments designed in collaboration with some of the world’s leading wellness brands. Our beauty lodge, Bob & Cloche, celebrates the glamour and excitement of the 1920s.

Whatever the occasion, whether it’s a manicure, a haircut, or a makeover with friends before a celebration, our beauty team are pros in pampering and polishing our guests to perfection.

Country Pursuits

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“We pull together to deliver some of the most breathtaking experiences I’ve ever seen.”

With over 50 outdoor activities and country pursuits at Gleneagles, our talented instructors offer some of the finest and most diverse leisure tuition experiences and facilities in the world.

This includes one of the finest Shooting & Fishing schools in the country, including a 13-stand clay target range set on a spectacular grouse moor; access to private fishing lochs; a fantastic Equestrian School complete with its own cross-country course; a school of falconry, the first of its kind in the world;

The Trail Yard outdoor adventure hub with cycling, tree climbing and zip wiring; as well as gun dog training, off-road driving, tennis, archery, air rifles and much more. Whether our guests are complete beginners or seasoned professionals, our instructors are experts in sparking the spirit of adventure!

Front of House

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“It’s the people who create the charm, character and the experiences that brings Gleneagles to life.”

Our Front of House team look after all aspects of guest relations – our guest facing teams offering a warm welcome on arrival, a fond farewell on departure, and oversee the happiness and comfort of our guests at every stage in between. We apply the highest attention to detail to ensure the guest experience is one perfect, seamless journey from start to finish.

Included within our Front of House are our drivers who collect guests at the airport and our receptionists who check them in, to our housekeepers who keep the hotel beautifully clean and our florists who add flower power to every occasion – this mighty team strives to ensure each guest who joins us leaves with happy memories that last a lifetime.

Food & Beverage

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“They may forget the words you say but never how you made them feel.”

Working across our entire operation – including four restaurants, three bars, two cafés, an afternoon tea lounge, room service, private dining and events, and an exciting range of outdoor seasonal pop-ups – our Food & Beverage team are a dynamic, talented and innovative crew, united in their passion for hospitality, their pursuit of excellence, and their ambition to exceed the expectations of our guests at every opportunity.

Whether it’s a quick pizza in The Dormy, a cocktail party in The Pantry, a four-course anniversary dinner in The Strathearn, a family lunch in The Birnam, Room Service or a bespoke dining event for 500 people in our gardens, the team make sure every single dining and drinking experience at Gleneagles is truly special.

Working at Gleneagles

Join Us

We offer work experience, apprenticeships, internships, gap year experiences and graduate programmes. We have a wide range of disciplines available across our job families, including culinary, food and beverage, guest experience, housekeeping, wellness, country pursuits, greenkeeping and estate management, and golf. We offer contracts of all shapes and sizes with flexible working patterns to suit individual needs.

And last year we had the pleasure of announcing over 100 internal job moves and 90 promotions. Our people are continuously growing and developing their skills. Our investment in personal and leadership development continues to grow as does our holistic and supportive approach to wellbeing.

And, irrespective of age or job family, we pay a minimum of £25,301 for a full time role.

Group Offers at The Glorious Playground.

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The Broadcasting ROom at Gleneagles set up for a meeting

INDULGE & CELEBRATE

‘Indulge & Celebrate’ is for groups seeking an unforgettable time at Gleneagles and provides the perfect opportunity to celebrate together. Gather your team for a day and enjoy the great outdoors, indulge in competitive clay pigeon shooting or exhilarating off-road driving as a team before settling down for the evening to experience a world of culinary delights; including impressive tableside theatre as you dine and truly unique moments such as an exclusive tour of Gleneagles’ underground cellar, home to our 17,000 bottles of wine. With such a glorious backdrop and convivial setting, you can be rest assured that your team will have plenty to talk about on their journey home…

 

RELAX & RETREAT

For teams seeking rejuvenation and balance embark on an energising journey of well-being and self-care, ahead of those all-important planning meetings and strategy sessions. At the heart of Gleneagles lies a dedicated focus on health & wellness through a variety of enriching experiences. Think: bespoke fresh juice & smoothie stations, power foods to feed mind & soul during your meeting breaks. Celebrate the end of a productive day and wind down for an evening of culinary delights in one of our many private dining spaces. Why not continue the wellness journey by starting your evening with an nutritional interactive cooking classes led by our very own Gleneagles culinary team.

B&B rates from £225 per person.

Enhance your group experience with bespoke selection experiences from £30 per person, enquire with our events team to find out more.

Itinerary for your stay

From hosting those all-important meetings and collaborative team sessions to gun dog training, falconry with our magnificent harris hawks to a glamourous dinner in our private dining space with bespoke experiences, our events team is on hand to ensure that your stay at Gleneagles is like no other.

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T&C’s

Subject to availability, valid Sunday-Thursday only.

Minimum group size of 10 rooms per night.

Offer is valid between January – February 2024 bookings only.

Available on new bookings only.

Cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer.

Rate is based on single occupancy.

Brown Trout Fishing

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DESCRIPTION

At Gleneagles we offer a fully guided Brown Trout fishing experience. Under the expert instruction of our professional guides, you will learn the gentle art of Fly fishing with a Hardy’s trout rod. Throughout your day on the river, you will learn how to read the water, fly selection based on river conditions and finally how to hook, play and successfully land a wild brown trout. Price includes professional guide, transport to and from the river, the very best Hardy fishing tackle and accessories.

PRICE

Per person per half day / £395

Prices exclude 12.5% discretionary service charge.

EXTRA DETAILS

For age 12 and over

CANCELLATION POLICY

If we decide to cancel your day’s fishing due to extreme weather conditions beyond our control, for example; gale force winds making casting dangerous, unfishable spate conditions, or for any other reason, then you will receive a full refund less any costs incurred, or an alternate date will be offered, whichever is preferable.

Terms, conditions and cancellation fees apply. Payment must be received in full to secure the booking. Cancellation within 30 days of the booking will result in a 100% cancellation fee.

 

The Little Garden

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DESCRIPTION

Our young guests will be able to get hands on with nature with activities like bug hunting, pond dipping for tadpoles and water skaters, Leaf ID, Nature Art, Clay Creation, Junior Aromatherapy and nature science to name a few! With a ‘Hide’ to spy on the local wildlife, kids will have plenty of opportunity to catch a glimpse of squirrels, rabbits and maybe deer!

 

EXTRA INfo

The Little Garden can only be used during holiday periods as part of our Kid’s Programmes.

 

Padel

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DESCRIPTION

Gleneagles is delighted to bring Padel to the property for the first time. If you’ve not heard about it yet – Padel is the fastest growing racquet sport in the world – a really sociable game that has elements of both tennis and squash. The game should always be played as a four to get the greatest enjoyment out of the sport. If you don’t know the rules don’t worry, we’ll have someone on hand to explain them!

We can even offer Padel coaching to get you from complete beginner to Padel Pro!

 

PRICEs

We have a singles court and two doubles courts available to hire:

Doubles Court hire is £60 per hour and includes racquets and balls for up to four players.

Singles Court hire is £40 per hour and includes racquets and balls for up to two players.

Each of our courts can be booked in one-hour blocks.

Padel Coaching is also available in one hour sessions:

1 player – £85

2 players – £110

3 players – £135

4 players – £160

Axe Throwing

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An axe in a bullseye at the Trailyard at Gleneagles

DESCRIPTION

Visit the Trailyard where our instructors will teach you how to wield the mighty tomahawk axe.   You will learn how to throw single handed, double handed and a couple of trick shots just to keep things interesting.  Once you are ready then the competition begins, and we will track scores to see who will reign supreme.

DETAILS

We offer two styles of axe throwing session:

Lessons last 1hr 30mins and cost £75 for the 1st person with an additional £50 for each person after that up to a maximum of 4 people.

Free throw sessions last approximately 55mins and cost £55 per person.

Prices exclude 12.5% discretionary service charge.

Low Ropes

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A young girl makes her way along a low ropes course at Gleneagles

DESCRIPTION

With 19 distinct obstacles including a junior zip wire, swinging chains and seesaw bridge young ones be challenged all the way round.  We recommend children are a minimum of 5 years old and must be a minimum height of 100cm with a maximum height of 140cm to fully enjoy the experience.

DETAILS

Price: £40 per person

Prices exclude 12.5% discretionary service charge.

EXTRA DETAILS

These experiences are weather permitting.
Suggested age 5 years old
Minimum height 100cm
Maximum height 140cm

The Glen Stable Experience

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DESCRIPTION

A guided tour of the stables with one of our knowledgeable grooms, meet all of our horses and ponies, learn what they like to eat, how they sleep and who their friends are.  Get a look inside our beautiful tack room and finish off your tour learning how to groom one of the Shetland ponies, Hettie and Chelsea. There is no riding involved in this experience so it’s a great way to introduce family members to horses and ponies.

Duration & pricing

£45 per person for 45 minutes

Children under the age of 14 must be accompanied by a paying adult.

Prices exclude 12.5% discretionary service charge.

Countryside Walk

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A lone horse rider riding away from camera on a trail at sunset

DESCRIPTION

At Gleneagles, the surrounding heather-clad mountains form a perfect backdrop for beginner or novice riders to explore the countryside on horseback with an experienced equestrian coach guiding you on foot.

This 45 minute experience is £125 per person and is suitable for 4 years and over.

This can be booked as a private experience, or shared with up to 4 riders in total.

Availability

Available April – October weather permitting

EXTRA DETAILS

Aged 4 and over and suitable for novice or beginners.

Prices exclude 12.5% discretionary service charge.

The Andrew Fairlie Scholarship

Portrait of Chef Andrew Fairlie

The Andrew Fairlie Scholarship was set up after the death of the late great chef in 2019. Sponsored jointly by HIT Scotland, the Scottish Government and Gleneagles, it is awarded annually to one male and one female chef in light of Andrew’s commitment to diversity in the kitchen.

The winners gain industry-wide recognition and experience once-in-a-lifetime opportunities, such as a practical sage in an international kitchen, placements at the Culinary Institute of America and the chance to cook at Bute House, the official residence of the First Minister.

As the first and youngest recipient of a Roux Scholarship in 1984, Andrew recognised the life-changing opportunity such an award provides. Through our sponsorship of this scholarship, we’re proud to ensure the culture of excellence that Andrew established here at the hotel is nurtured in the next generation of world class chefs in Scotland.

Career Ready

Two chefs at Gleneagles

Career Ready is a social mobility charity that aims to give every young person, regardless of socio-economic background, the opportunity to progress to prosper in work and life.

Working in partnership with Career Ready and local schools, we’re providing local S5/6 pupils with a structured, impactful, two-year programme which aims to develop skills and break down the barriers that exist for many young people to enter the world of work

With a dedicated mentor from Gleneagles, a four-week paid internship at the hotel, and a series of skills masterclasses combined with workplace visits, we hope to support these young people to leave school feeling more confident, knowledgeable, and ready to follow their chosen career path.

Young Person’s Guarantee

Young receptionist in the Gleneagles lobby

We’re delighted to have signed the Young Person’s Guarantee, a national scheme that aims to increase career opportunities and future prospects for all 16 to 24-year-olds in Scotland.

Developed by the Scottish Government in the wake of the pandemic, the Young Person’s Guarantee, was launched to help young people in Scotland succeed despite the economic impact of COVID-19, while also ensuring employers continue to benefit from the fresh talent and new perspectives that young people bring to workplaces.

We’re demonstrating our commitment to the scheme through a range of career, training and work-based learning opportunities that will provide jobs, prepare young people for the world of work, and support them to realise their professional potential.

These include strengthening our links with education providers across Scotland, to offer more young people access to internships, work placements, employment taster sessions, and masterclasses; launching 20 new apprenticeship places, where on-the-job learning is coupled with a formal recognised qualification; and providing up to 50 six-month placements for young people through Kickstart, a UK Government scheme which aims to create new jobs for young people who are at risk of long-term unemployment.

Anchor House

A painter paints the door of a bedroom at Gleneagles

Our local community charity partner is Perth-based Anchor House, which works to overcome the causes and consequences of social exclusion, homelessness, poverty and unemployment.

We support Anchor House in a variety of ways, including fundraising schemes; developing a community outreach programme to bring our culinary, digital and finance teams to the shelter to coach disadvantaged individuals in key life skills like cooking, bookkeeping and web skills; establishing a volunteering programme which has seen our people renovate the shelter’s four-bed cottage and gardens; creating employment opportunities here at the hotel for residents at the shelter; and donating regular furniture, toiletries and gifts.

Looking after our neighbours

Executive Chef Simon Attridge

During the pandemic, we emptied our kitchen shelves and donated all our non-perishable supplies to Auchterarder’s Blue Door Foodbank for distribution in the local community, and we sent care packages to local residential homes, NHS staff and other key workers.  We also provided nearly 500 Christmas lunches for some of the most vulnerable and impoverished families in the local area and across Scotland.

Local Schools

Kids playing golf on The Wee Course

We provide a range of career development opportunities to local school children, including kitchen tours, interview practice, and cooking workshops, to help inspire the next generation of culinary and hospitality talent in the area.

We have a special partnership with our nearest school, the Community School of Auchterarder, which we support in a range of ways. We have donated funds, resources, food, flowers, event space and prizes for the school’s annual music concert, the Malawi Summit, its annual Burns Supper and its annual prize giving.

We also support Aberuthven Primary, Blackford Primary, Dunblane Primary and Dunning Primary through prizes and donations for a range of fundraising activities.

Additionally, our golf pros work with local primary and secondary schools to encourage sports participation by offering complimentary taster sessions in golf to young boys and girls.

Our turn to care

Wartime Gleneagles (Voluntary Aid Detachment nurses) VADs with French Officers, 1940s

When the pandemic led us to temporarily closing our doors in 2020, we launched ‘Our Turn To Care’, to thank the heroes of the crisis with a long term gesture of gratitude by donating 365 free room nights to healthcare workers each year for the next five years.

Gleneagles has a connection to healthcare workers stretching back over 80 years. The only other time in its history when global events led us to close our doors was World War II when the hotel transformed into a military hospital.

This scheme will give many individuals something to look forward to – a little bit of pampering and the chance to be the one on the receiving end of excellent care for a change.

Our partner, Hospitality Industry Trust (who are administering the scheme) are working directly with all 14 NHS health boards and partners across Scotland to distribute the complimentary bed and breakfast stays as fairly as possible.

It’s okay to talk

Andys man club

We’re proud to support Andys Man Club, a charity group that offers a safe and friendly space for men to come together to talk about their mental health.

Andys Man Club – named in honour of Andrew Roberts, a man who died by suicide aged 23 – was launched to encourage men to open up to other men about their feelings and experiences, challenge the stigma surrounding men’s mental health, and promote suicide prevention.

In 2021, Gleneagles became host to the 61st branch of the national charity, which first launched in Yorkshire in 2016.

The Gleneagles group runs every Monday night at 7pm in our Arena, a venue which offers privacy, parking and complimentary refreshments. It’s facilitated by two members of our own team, Billy Ramsay and Mark Nichols, who are passionate advocates for the charity having faced their own mental health challenges and after benefitting from the club themselves for many years.

We encourage any men in the region who may be going through a difficult time, who feel lost, lonely, distressed, hopeless or suicidal, or who simply need to talk to someone, to come along.

Social Bite

Conor O'Leary and Josh Litteljohn outside Social Bite

As providing bedrooms and food is what we’ve done for nearly a century, we want to support our community’s most vulnerable members to help keep them safe and dry.

As providing bedrooms and food is what we’ve done for nearly a century, we want to support our community’s most vulnerable members to help keep them safe and dry. Our designated national charity partner is Edinburgh-born Social Bite, which aims to empower people who have been affected by homelessness to get back on their feet, by using housing solutions, supportive employment and food distribution to re-integrate individuals into society.

We’re working with the charity in a number of ways, including supporting the Festival of Kindness campaign, which aims to provide 250,000 food and essentials packs to homeless people each winter; providing job opportunities at Gleneagles Townhouse for individuals affected by homelessness; donating a portion of every Gleneagles Townhouse guest’s room rate and a portion of every membership fee to Social Bite; and participating in Social Bite’s Break the Cycle initiative, to help raise £1M to build new Social Bite villages in the UK.

All aboard!

Gleneagles Pashley bike

We offer complimentary transfers from Gleneagles Railway station, to encourage our guests to travel by train rather than car.

We’re also helping our people reduce their carbon footprint through a number of travel initiatives. These include a Cycle to Work scheme; the creation of a car sharing portal to help our people find colleagues who can share their journey to work; and the launch of our new Gleneagles Team Bus, which reduces the numbers driving to work and ensures our people can get to and from the hotel come rain wind or shine!

Bye bye plastic

Horses with rugs

We’re playing our part in combatting the damage caused by single-use plastics in a number of ways.

We’ve replaced all our single-use bathroom amenity bottles with our own range of refillable bottles, and all the bottles of water in our bedrooms and chauffeur cars are eco bottles made from 100% rPET.  Our takeaway containers, coffee cups, sandwich boxes, straws and in-room teabags are made from plant-based, renewable or reclaimed material and are designed to be compostable, while our guest essentials pack – including sewing kit and toothbrush – is made from 100% recyclable materials.

We’re also continually exploring products that find innovative uses for plastic that would otherwise be dumped in the environment. We were the first hotel in the UK to resurface our main drive using recycled plastic, stopping 60,000 plastic bottles going to landfill.  Meanwhile, over in our Stables, even our horses are championing sustainability with their cosy new winter rugs, each of which is made from 340 plastic bottles.

Green Tourism

In 2021, we were thrilled to receive gold status by Green Tourism, an accreditation organisation that seeks to make the travel and tourism industry more sustainable.

The gold award – which we were the first hotel in the UK to win back in 2008 – is the highest possible status in the scheme and reflects our ongoing commitment to improving our working practices, protecting the natural environment, reducing our carbon footprint and ensuring our operation is managed and delivered as sustainably as possible.

Head Tandoor & Curry Chef - Mandeep Saini

Tandoor Chef Mandeep Saini

I grew up in North India and my whole family were passionate about cooking, so I was immersed in the tradition of Tandoor cuisine from a very young age.

After I left school, I studied economics and accounting which led me to work in a bank in Bombay, but after a few years of dealing with spreadsheets, I decided to change direction and embark on a career as a chef.

As an apprentice chef in Bombay, the city’s diverse culinary culture provided me with great experience of learning how to cook cuisines from all four corners of India.  I then moved to London where I was inspired to develop as a chef and learn about the different types of classic international cuisine.

My wife and I have a young daughter and the pandemic made us think about our future, and whether we wanted to move somewhere we could have a better work-life balance.  The opportunity to move to Gleneagles was one we couldn’t miss.  The quality of life is so much higher, the air you breathe is pure, the schools are fantastic and the scenery is just beautiful. Plus, you are only 20 minutes from the cities of Perth and Stirling, and around 50 minutes from Glasgow, Dundee, Edinburgh and St Andrews, so it’s very well located and, if you’re missing the noise of the city, you can get there in under an hour.

For any ambitious chef with a thirst for career progression and hunger for culinary knowledge, Gleneagles offers more than anywhere else.  There are so many styles of cooking to learn across our restaurants and kitchens, that the mentoring opportunities and the scope for improving as a chef are unparalleled.  Gleneagles builds confidence in chefs and offers training opportunities better than anywhere else I know.

Rosemary Ferguson Retreat

Enquire Now
Sheep in a field with trees and Glendevon in the background near Gleneagles
treatment room

Your experience begins at home with a welcome pack from Gleneagles and Rosemary featuring our locally sourced botanical oils, recipes, a three day food plan and some travel day ‘how to’s’

Day 1

A late afternoon arrival with Yin Yoga followed by a private dinner, curated and hosted by Rosemary, in the Winter Garden.

Day 2

Begin the day with a HIIT class followed by breakfast with Rosemary.

You’ll be whisked off and taken on a gentle walk to the hidden glen waterfall. A peaceful place for meditation and an invigorating spot for a wild swim!

A light lunch back at Gleneagles followed by yoga and a 50-minute personalised Gleneagles massage.

Dinner in the Winter Garden with Rosemary.

Day 3

Yoga starts the day followed by breakfast in the Winter Garden with Rosemary.

We’ll be taking you on another wilderness adventure to a nearby estate and immersed in the local landscape with a moderate level guided walk to reach the stone cairn at the summit and revel in the views.

Back at the hotel lunch will be served in The Spa Café. After lunch will be a Q&A session with Rosemary followed by an optional treatment in The Spa* or you can spend the rest of afternoon at leisure making the most of our heat and wellness experiences.

Dinner in the Winter Garden with Rosemary will be followed by a Sound Bath.

Day 4

There’s nothing quite like a power hike across the grounds to prepare you for the day ahead with breakfast in the Winter Garden.

You’re welcome to make the most of the Health Club facilities before departing at leisure.

DETAILS, PRICING & BOOKING

The final Rosemary Ferguson Retreat at Gleneagles will run later this year in 2022.

Rates for the package start from £3,245 including VAT, based on two people sharing an Estate Room for three nights with all elements detailed included. *A second treatment in The Spa can be booked at an additional cost.

Single occupancy rates start from £2,275 including VAT, staying in an Estate Room for three nights.

To book, please email enquire using the form below or call 0800 704 705, Option 1

Enquire Now

Falconry Instructor - Keenan Scott

Falconry instructor Keenan Scott holding a golden eagle

I’m only 18 years old and I’ve already found my dream job.  Coming to work is my happy time so I basically get paid to have fun and help other people have fun – how lucky am I?

At school, all my friends enjoyed staying indoors and playing the PlayStation and the Xbox, whereas I was always desperate to spend all day outside and have adventures.  I knew I wanted a career that would allow me to work outdoors because I would have hated sitting at a desk looking at a screen.

I stared working as a joiner as a Saturday job, and after school I got a job as a ‘fencer’, fixing deer fences around the countryside. But I really missed the interaction with people because it involved spending the whole day in the hills on my own.  It got to the point where I couldn’t build one more fence – it just wasn’t for me.

That was when the opportunity came up to join the Gleneagles team as a trainee all-terrain instructor, providing our junior guests with fantastic experiences in the mini Land Rovers and Argo Cats, and I grasped it with both hands!

After building up my skills and completing lots of training, I was offered the chance to expand my responsibilities and begin working with the animals.  Now I’m qualified to teach ferret lessons, gundog lessons, and fly a hawk by myself.  I love animals but, as one of nine siblings, my parents always refused to get me a pet because they said the house was already too busy with all of us children, so I can’t believe my luck that I’m now surrounded by animals all day!

It’s been a big learning curve, but I love the diversity in my role.  Every morning, we weigh the birds because they need to be hungry enough to fly.  If they’re too fat they won’t fly, but if they’re too hungry they won’t fly either, so we have to monitor them continually to keep them on target.  After that, I might head over to the clean out the kennels and give our dogs some exercise.

It’s hard work – you’re always on your feet, walking, talking, cleaning, preparing, planning and getting things ready for the next lesson – but I’m a real people person, so I love helping guests to enjoy themselves and I spend my day in awe of all these animals, learning about how they respond to commands and watching how they experience the world. They’re amazing! People always say never work with children and animals, but that’s the best bit about my job.

The range of roles and positions at Gleneagles is amazing.  You can start in any part of the business, but if you work hard and have an enthusiastic attitude, there are so many internal career opportunities to move in a different direction, whether that’s leisure, pursuits, guest relations, food and beverage, or culinary.  You meet people from all over the business, from all kinds of backgrounds and from all over the world. Everybody looks out for each other – we’re like one big family.  It genuinely is the Glorious Playground – for the people, for the guests and for our animals.

If someone had told me when I was at school that one day you’re going to get to work outside all day, with children, off-road vehicles and animals, I would have told them that that job doesn’t exist, but here I am living my dream and getting to do it!

Linkperson - Ian Crawford

Linkperson Ian Crawford on the front steps of Gleneagles

I joined the team nine years ago to work in the staff canteen. After a couple of months, the Managing Director said to me, “working behind the scenes isn’t where you belong, Ian; you’re a people-person and I’ve got just the job for you”.

That was when I became a Linkperson and I fell in love with the job immediately.  We’re the very first people our guests see, so we’re setting the tone of the whole visit.  We’re called Linkpeople because, as well as greeting our guests and offering valet parking, we provide the ‘link’ that joins their arrival to the rest of their hotel experience, whether that’s introducing them to the reception team or walking them to The Glendevon for afternoon tea.  There’s a lot of planning involved to ensure the whole experience is absolutely seamless and that every single guest feels special.

I have the most beautiful ‘office’ in the world on our iconic front steps.  Being outside all day, I get to see the changing seasons, from the rhododendrons in spring, and the colours of the trees in the autumn, to the Ochil hills which are as beautiful on a misty summer morning as they are in winter covered in snow.  I’ve become rather obsessed with the weather, because I like to give accurate forecasts when I’m asked by guests!

Assistant Greenkeeper - Laura Campbell

Greenkeeper Laura Campbell mowing the fairways at Gleneagles

I’ve always been a keen golfer.  I started playing aged 10, and eventually became the club champion at my local club, Pitlochry, where I also hold the course record.  I left school at 16 and did a couple of months’ work experience in greenkeeping, then took a full-time position and completed my greenkeeping qualifications at college at the same time.

I’m an outdoors person, so working outside each day is my favourite part of the job. No two days are the same and you get to see so many things, from the wildlife and the weather to the scenery and sunsets. You can stand at any tee on our three golf courses and just be in awe of the beautiful setting.  I’ll never take that for granted.

People have the perception that greenkeeping is just cutting grass, but it’s actually a complex science, from soil biology and GPS technology to weather forecasting.  We’re working together as a team each day to showcase the estate looking its best to our guests, so there’s a huge amount of satisfaction and pride. It’s hard work – you can walk up to 10 miles on a shift, but I could never do a 9-5 desk job, and if you love keeping fit and healthy that physical aspect of the job is a big part of the appeal.

I’ve enjoyed so many opportunities at Gleneagles.  A highlight for me was working at the 2019 Solheim Cup, and being given the chance of a lifetime to travel to Bellerive Country Club, St Louis, on an educational experience to work within the golf course maintenance team for The PGA Championship in 2018.

Sous Chef - Peter Meechan

Sous Chef Peter Meechan making pasta at Gleneagles

I feel so lucky to get paid to do what I love. I’ve always enjoyed cooking but I never contemplated becoming a chef until I was about 16; before that, like most boys my age, my dream was to become a premiership footballer.

I wasn’t academic at school and hated sitting at a desk, but I had a great home economics teacher who encouraged me to think about a professional culinary career.  My dad was also a chef so he taught me basic kitchen skills and sparked my appreciation of flavours and quality ingredients. I grew up in a huge family – I’ve got six brothers and sisters – so we all had to get stuck in to help cook dinner every night. It was a great training ground – you might say I’ve been a chef my whole life!

I love the pressure of the job; it’s the best part. When it’s Saturday night and the restaurant’s filled with 250 guests, you can look around the kitchen and know you’re part of a team that’s working together to carry off a mammoth and seamless operation – there’s a buzz that comes with it that’s just incredible.

Perks & Benefits

An estate room at Gleneagles

As a member of the Gleneagles team, you will also enjoy a fantastic range of perks, benefits and rewards including:

 

TIME TO LET YOUR HAIR DOWN

  • 30 days holiday (including bank holidays) that increases with service
  • Seasonal parties and local social events
  • 50% discount on Food & Beverage, Country Pursuits, Spa and Hair Salon (Mon-Thurs) and the Golf Driving Range
  • Golf Membership (with access to all 3 championship courses) for £50.00 per annum

 

TREATS IN YOUR POCKET

  • Flexi points into your Perkbox wallet to spend as you choose. The points can be spent immediately, or you can save them up over a number of months, for perks that cost that little bit more. All this gives you greater choice, so you can pick the things that mean the most to you!
  • Free ‘pay day’ lunch and monthly drinks offers
  • A generous ‘refer a friend’ scheme

 

BE OUR GUEST

  • Stay with us as a guest at Gleneagles for 2 nights per year at £65.00 per room B&B per night
  • Friends & Family rate of £95.00 B&B per night
  • Enjoy discounted rooms and restaurants rates with up to 50% off across the wider Ennismore brands and hotels, located across some spectacular locations, including London, Paris, Rome, Dubai, Doha, Rio, NY, Chicago and LA…to name just a few
  • Subsidised, single occupancy, en-suite accommodation available on our estate

 

INVESTMENT IN YOUR DEVELOPMENT AND WELLBEING

  • Life Insurance
  • Employee Assistance Programme, offering support and confidential advice for you and your family when you need it most
  • Ongoing investment in your personal development with access to internal and external training qualifications and programmes
  • Internal career opportunities across a wider range of specialisms and departments
  • Monthly recognition programme
  • Volunteering day every year with a charitable partner of your choice
  • Complimentary access to our staff gym

Sous Chef, Pastry - Grete Butkute

Pastry Chef, Grete in the pastry kitchen at Gleneagles

I grew up in Lithuania and at school I found it really difficult to decide what career I wanted to pursue – I certainly never thought I’d become a chef.  At weekends, I used to work in a floristy shop, and I enjoyed making beautiful arrangements, so I knew I wanted to do something creative.

When I finished high school in 2008, I relocated to Scotland to improve my English.  I sent my CV everywhere and took several jobs, working in a bar, a clothes shop, in sales and marketing, and in a kitchen at an Italian restaurant.

I enjoyed the culinary environment immediately and I realised that a career in pastry would allow me to combine my interest in culinary with my passion for making things look pretty.  So I spent the next decade developing my pastry skills in many of London and Spain’s best restaurants, alongside mentors who really encouraged and inspired me.  These included the legendary Albert Adrià i Acosta who taught me that pastry isn’t just about working in a kitchen; it’s an artform and a sensory experience.

I was appointed as Gleneagles’ Pastry Sous Chef in November 2020.  It’s a management position whereby I rotate around the different stations and help out the more junior chefs.   Our kitchen is a really happy place and a truly caring environment – every single person in our team is valued for who they are and encouraged to grow and progress.  Our Executive Pastry Chef, Phil, really cares about both our professional development and our personal happiness which brings out best in all of us.

There’s so much passion.  As a team, we’re continually looking to push the boundaries – how do we make it better?  How do we delight our guests?  How to we make this creation even more impressive?  That positive attitude and success mindset is so important in culinary.  The best chefs never take short cuts; they’re willing to take that extra step to produce something absolutely extraordinary.

As all chefs know, the pressure and pace of culinary is addictive.  The constant challenge of juggling jobs, making decisions on the spot and executing dishes with precision and excellence, and doing that shift after shift, day after day, is grueling, but it’s what keeps you going.  No matter what the challenge, you know you can achieve success, and so you push yourself to work at full capacity and do your very best on every shift, and you’re surrounded by other chefs who’re doing exactly the same.  It’s a thrilling feeling!

When I first arrived at Gleneagles and saw the scenery around the hotel, I thought I’d come to paradise.  The wildlife is flourishing, the countryside is so green, the air is so fresh and that beauty inspires me in my work every day.  It’s also a much higher quality of living here than in London or any of the world’s big cities. You’ve got the best of both worlds, because you’re working within a huge culinary operation at this world-famous hotel, but in your spare time, you really get to switch off and recharge.  It’s also not far from the big cities like Glasgow or Edinburgh if you need a city fix now and again.  I love that balance.

The Scots are also the friendliest people.  When I relocated, the Gleneagles team gave me so much support.  They helped me to settle in, they provided me with on-site accommodation, and everyone made sure I had everything I needed.  It was like being welcomed home by family.

PA to the Hotel Manager - Cornelia Dicoi

Cornelia Dicoi

I grew up in Romania and studied law at university with plans to become a barrister.  In the summer holidays, I used to earn extra cash working in restaurants and cafes, and I immediately fell in love with hospitality – nothing could beat the interaction with people and the satisfaction of making someone’s day with great service.

Eventually I realised that law wasn’t for me and began forging my career in hospitality.  I worked in London for four years before moving to Scotland.  Romania and Scotland are actually very similar, in terms of their fascinating history and beautiful scenery, so it felt like I was moving back home.

I joined Gleneagles in 2016 to work in the Century Bar and I was inspired by the team as soon as I arrived.  There’s a breadth of talent at Gleneagles across so many different disciplines, and it’s incredible to be surrounded by colleagues who are the best in their field. Working here is like being part of a big caring family – everybody goes out of their way to help you.

Gleneagles offers so many job opportunities at all career levels and the scope to move around, try different positions and grow professionally.  I loved working in operations, but I wanted to progress. I was promoted to Food & Beverage Coordinator, supporting the Director with the planning and delivery of service across all our bars and restaurants.  I have recently been promoted to PA to the Hotel Manager, which gives me an even broader involvement across the whole estate, from creating VIP guest experiences to supporting the day to day operations in the hotel.

Members' News - Golf Membership & Events

The European Team with The Solheim Cup after winning at Gleneagles in 2019

Find out more from Gwen and Alison about all the latest Events and member information

Golf has seen an incredible surge in demand this year, particularly for golf membership. Don’t forget if you have any friends or family interested in joining at Gleneagles please contact the Membership Office and we’d be delighted to apply the referral incentive for any new members you introduce!

The Members BBQ took place on Sunday 1 August and we were delighted to welcome so many familiar faces and guests. The weather worked out wonderfully and if you joined us we hope you enjoyed the afternoon!

We wanted to remind our full Individual Golf members to collect your bag tag and water bottle from the Golf Office if you haven’t already done so, just speak to any of the team and we will happily arrange this for you.

Also, if you have credit on your members account and would prefer this to be offset against 2022 membership then do pop in and see us or send an email to the Membership Office at memberships@gleneagles.com

Finally, our online booking portal gives you 24 hour access to reserve a tee time, up to 30 days in advance. If you need assistance setting up your account then please don’t hesitate to contact the Membership Office

Best wishes

Gwen and Alison

Our Awards

The Gleneagles Hotel exterior through trees

Success at Gleneagles is not down to a handful of individuals; each and every role is crucial to our success, so everyone is truly valued. Whether we’re serving whisky or serving tennis balls; preparing bedrooms or preparing afternoon tea; manicuring turf or manicuring nails – we’re united by a desire to create incredible experiences for both our guests and each other.

That dedication leads to many awards.  Here are just some of the accolades – awarded to both the hotel and our individual people – that we’ve been proud to celebrate over the past couple of years:

 

Hotel and estate-wide

Virtuoso Best of the Best Awards

Best Hotel in the World (2022)

 

Conde Nast Traveller 2021 Readers’ Choice Awards

No. 1 UK Resort in the Conde Nast Traveller (2021)

Best UK Hotel (2020)

 

The Times and The Sunday Times Travel Awards

Best Hotel in the World (2020)

 

AA Hospitality Awards

Hotel of the Year Scotland (2020)

 

The Daily Telegraph and Ultratravel Magazine’s ULTRAs awards

Best Golf Resort in the World (nine consecutive wins; 2011 – 2020)

 

The Golf World Top 100 courses and resorts rankings

#1 Golf Resort in the UK & Ireland (2019 – 2021)

#2 Golf Resort in the world (2021)

 

Tatler Travel Guide

101 best hotels and destinations around the world (2020)

 

World Golf Awards

Scotland’s Best Golf Hotel (2020)

 

Restaurants

The Royal Academy of Culinary Arts Annual Awards of Excellence

Young Waiter of the Year – Daniela Mayer, Assistant Manager, The Strathearn (2022)

 

The Tatler Travel Awards

Best Restaurant Scene (2020)

 

Institute of Hospitality and the Academy of Food & Wine Service

Restaurant Manager of the Year – Daniel Greenock, Strathearn Restaurant Manager (2020)

 

Gold Service Scholarship

Elizabeth Forkuoh – Strathearn Restaurant Assistant Manager (2020)

 

Culinary

Young Waiter / Young Chef Awards

Young Chef UK and overall culinary prize for Young Chef, Peter Meechan, Junior Sous Chef (2021)

 

The Caterer’s Acorn Awards: 30 of the most talented stars aged under 30

Callum Roberts, Estate Sous Chef (2021)

Andrew Mackay, Head Pastry Chef (2020)

 

The Hotel Cateys

Hotel Chef of the Year, Simon Attridge, Executive Chef (2020)

 

Golf & Greenkeeping

59club Service Excellence Awards

Golf Operations Team of the Year Award (2021)

Greenkeeper of the Year Award – Scott Fenwick, Director of Agronomy, and Craig Haldane, Golf Courses Manager (2020)

 

Leadership

The Walpole Power List

The 50 most influential people in British Luxury Brands – Conor O’Leary, Managing Director (2020)

 

Housekeeping

Hotel Housekeeping Honours Awards

Highly Commended Award – Michal Vilcinsky, Housekeeping Supervisor (2020)

 

Reception

AICR

UK Receptionist of the Year – Katharina Strasser, Guest Experience Co-ordinator (2020)

Members' News - Golf Operations

Illustration of a Gleneagles golf buggy

An update from David Blackadder, Golf Operations Manager

Summertime and golf are in full swing! It’s been a welcoming sight to witness the increased volume of returning guests to the estate from members, hotel residents, visitors and Glenmor alike. All three courses have been well played this summer and with the great weather, browning of the surfaces, everyone has thoroughly enjoyed their experience.

As we look to the year ahead, as at the time of writing, we will have just experienced Gleneagles’ hosting the 2022 Rolex British Senior Open where the greats of yester year have taken on the might of The King’s Course. Another point in history for Gleneagles in hosting the worlds best professional events and one we can’t wait for!

Best wishes

David

Members' News - Golf Academy

An update from Matthew Reid, PGA National Golf Academy Manager

It was fantastic to see The Open back on our screens after a long 2 year wait and what a truly incredible ball striking display from Collin Morikawa on what was a firm and fast Royal St. Georges. It certainly showed the importance of approach play, the likes we have not seen since a certain Mr. Woods back in in his prime.

The team and I at the PGA National Golf Academy were watching him closely and analysing why he is so successful. We might not have you winning the next major but would love to help you emulate his iron accuracy by hitting the perfect numbers on Trackman!

The team are all working hard in these challenging times with our newest assistant, Athol, fitting into the team effortlessly. He is moving into his second year of the PGA training and learning every step of the way. On a more sombre note, we are saying goodbye to Cairn after nearly 2 and half years as an Academy team member, as he is moving on to pursue a career in P.E. teaching. His calming and endearing personality will be missed by the team and membership, but we wish him all the best in his future endeavors! If you get a chance then do come in to see him before his last day on Thursday 13th August.

As Cairn moves on it opens an opportunity for another PGA trainee to join and I will keep you updated on any progress as we grow the team.

In July we had our first of six love.golf sessions, with fourteen lady golfers attending. It’s the exact energy and enthusiasm we love at The Academy with great progress being shown!

We have a number of fitting days coming up, with the Taylormade and Scotty Cameron so please speak to any of the team for more information on how to book.

Our main challenge at the moment remains the extended lead times for custom clubs. Be sure to check with the team to get the most up-to-date detail as we are now receiving daily updates from the manufacturers.

Remember that we are always here to help with your game – should you need – just let any of the team know and we can schedule a session accordingly.

Hopefully this fantastic weather continues and I hope to see you working on your game.

Best wishes

Matthew

Members' News - Food & Drink

Members' News - Retail

Find out more from Alyson Lilley, Golf Retail Manager

Although we still have a few months of summer ahead our retail lines start to look ahead to the autumn and winter months – start planning your wardrobe now!

Glenmuir

Be prepared, no matter the conditions:

Our men’s and ladies golf outerwear and midlayers are packed with fabric technology to keep you dry, warm and ready to play. The well-prepared golfer will have a good range of golf waterproofs and windproofs to hand. From thick padded golf jackets to thermal gilets, lightweight, quiet showerproof and windproof windshirts to lined sweaters for men and ladies, we cover all golfers – and all eventualities – on the golf course.

Clever, inside and out
Glenmuir’s golf jackets, lined sweaters and midlayers are constructed from a range of performance fabrics and natural materials with special treatments to help the golfer ignore sudden showers, winds and cold climates. With Storm Bloc protection, Teflon DWR, Scotchgard and nano-technology treatments, heat recirculating fleeces and thermally efficient down padding, these stretchable, non-restricting pieces of golfing outerwear and midlayers keep you game-ready.

J Lindeberg

Mens Tour Tech Print Polo Shirt – The Tour Tech polo is a bestselling polo, and for good reason. Now in a new seasonal print for autumn and winter 21, sewn from a premium technical stretch TX Jersey™ fabric, it provides moisture management and an extra soft feel that will make it your favourite round after round. Features an embroidered logo on the left collar, sleeve and upper back and our Gleneagles crest on the left chest.

Mens Logo Hoodie – A versatile mens mid-layer, that offers subtle style on the course or at home. The hoodie can be worn as an effective part of the layering system for golf and skiing, or away from the course or slopes. Experience the comfort of the revolutionary Tech Sweat™, a spacer fabric that provides warmth and softness. Finished with zipped pockets, J.Lindeberg branding and our Gleneagles crest on the left chest.

Members' News - Gardens

Find out more from Duncan Clephane, Head Gardener, about all that’s happening around the grounds

I’m delighted that the entire Gardens team have now joined forces with our Golf Maintenance creating a one team environment. We’ve now relocated to The Bothy to be part of a much bigger team, allowing us to work more closely together and to share ideas.

As with the golf courses, looking after our vast estate is a year round job and we really see the fruits of our labour as we move from spring into summer and the whole estate comes to life with colour.

No where is that more true than in our Kitchen Garden which opened during the spring of 2018. We’re currently working hard on the planting scheme in the raised beds and you can now see the improvements as we start to incorporate botanical plants which are being used to create the essential oils used in our new Spa treatments.

You’ll also see we’re developing a Little Garden for our wee guests to enjoy during the season, from planting vegetables to learning more about the bugs and wildlife that appear in and around the garden!

If you get the chance do pop in to the Kitchen Garden and take a look around.

Happy gardening!

Duncan

Members' News - Agronomy

A view of the Gleneagles golf courses on an autumnal day with the Ochil Hills in the background

Hear from Craig Haldane, Golf Courses Manager

As turf managers you will seldom hear any of us be absolutely delighted with the weather or current conditions, it’s just one of those things where it could always be better! That said, we also need to remind ourselves potentially of where we have come from and very importantly, what the journey is we are on as this provides some clarity and understanding not only for us and our teams, but to the wider membership when communicated the right way.

Moving forward this season, expect to see a lot more video content from the team as we share with you some of the daily practices we do, to get the courses set up and ready ahead of play. Our aim always, is to create great playing surfaces with minimal disruption to you and without being around you during your round. At times, we do need to get on with certain activities and the team work hard to ensure we are not interrupting your round.

Rough management has been a key pillar for us. I speak of the journey we are all on and when I say we, I mean you as a membership as well. No one likes to be in the thick stuff searching for balls when you are only just off the maintained semi rough and to this extent, we do a lot of work to thin out these areas.

A key practice happens in the late Autumn when we mow and collect the rough using a tractor drawn unit called the Super 500. It cuts and collects in one operation, and we do this to collect the seed that would usually just be spread again through the rough, and also to remove any surplus nutrition that is in the plant. If we cut and left the rough, it would create a lot of issues. By minimising the nutritional input, it discourages the wrong grasses from wanting to survive and encourages our finer grasses to prosper, ones that need a lot less input and are therefor thinner overall. It also encourages our natural wildflowers to blossom creating a beautiful contrast to the manicured fairways. It takes time and consistency in our practices to get the results we desire.

We are three years into the process on The Queen’s and are just starting the practices on The King’s in an aggressive manner to get ahead of the curve and ensure we are consistent across all our courses.

Amanda Dorans joined the team recently. Amanda is our Sustainability Coordinator and has a wealth of knowledge and experience in her field. She has a passion for our environment and for nature, with a key focus on ensuring we are doing everything we can on site, to protect the environment and be stewards in all that we do.

This includes our social responsibility, and we are really excited to build on the solid foundation that has been created over the years. Amanda will be leading our course walks where, along with some of our colleagues, she will share with you some of the wonderful stories, nuances, and experiences you should be looking out for when you play our beautiful courses. Keep an eye out for more details as we would love to welcome you on these inclusive walks to learn and enjoy all that our estate has to offer!

We have had an incredibly dry start to the year. July in particular reminds me of the summer of 2018 when I started at Gleneagles. I was told it was unlikely I would experience a summer like that again yet here we are at the glorious playground enjoying glorious sunshine day in and day out!

It’s not often we get to dry our courses out so I am grateful for the opportunity. Yes, it creates certain stresses to the plant however, the King’s and Queen’s were designed to be played firm and fast and that is exactly what we are experiencing. We will need to go back and overseed some of the weaker areas that have really struggled, but this is done with minimal disruption and we will rope off any areas that do need protecting, so thank you in advance for supporting the recovery when we do go ahead with these works in August.

Finally, our 13th Heather Project on The Queen’s! Patience is key when it comes to heather establishment, it simply takes a lot of time. We need to be more proactive in pushing things along as well and we recognise that at times the area has not looked as tidy as it should. We have now made a collective decision to keep the areas mown down and will be topping off this area monthly. We will also be introducing some more sand throughout the area to help with drying it all out and will be overseeding with some fescue in and around the bed and continue to spray out the unwanted grasses coming through.

The next time you tee off the 4th of The Queen’s, look to the right as you start on the fairway. There is a healthy area of heather there that has come on significantly over the past three years. This is due to the rough management practices in place. Our aim is to get the 13th to this level in the next two seasons. Our ask is simply this, to minimize any traffic from entering the 13th heather area. We will rope this off neatly and request that you refrain from walking through this area at all times. It will be a great help to us all!

Enjoy the remainder of summer and we look forward to seeing you out on the golf courses. As always, expect a friendly wave from our team and our sincere thanks and appreciation for being part of our journey during the years ahead. Collectively we can and will communicate more often but as always, you are welcome to visit us at The Bothy or drop me an email with any concerns or feedback.

Craig

Executive Sous Chef - Ian Syme

Chef Ian Syme

I’m one of two Executive Sous Chefs at Gleneagles, supporting the Executive Chef, Simon Attridge, in overseeing the whole culinary operation across the estate.

 

We have nine bars and restaurants, so working across the different kitchens at the hotel offers amazing exposure to various culinary traditions and styles of cuisine.  Each kitchen has its own unique personality and individual pace.  One day I could be managing breakfast service, pasta and the grill in the Birnam Brasserie, or Tandoor in the Dormy, and the next I could be covering fine dining in the Strathearn, so no two days are the same and you’re continually sharpening your skills in so many different types of cooking.

We also have regular outdoor pop-up events and restaurants in our gardens, such as our Seafood Bar, our Indian Street Food Festival and our Gamekeeper’s Hut, as well as an enormous private dining operation which amounts to 150,000 covers annually, spread across almost 1000 events.  These events range in scale from small group meetings, to conferences for 450 delegates.  Whether you’re creating a luxury picnic hamper for two or a show-stopping wedding breakfast for 200, private dining is a huge learning curve for any chef and an unmissable opportunity to develop skills in pace-setting, planning and man-management.

I love working at Gleneagles because of that diversity and the scope to develop your experience; on every single shift you’re learning and developing as a professional. We’re a really international team too, so I enjoy working with chefs from around the world and learning from their styles and approaches to food. I can’t think of a more supportive, inspiring, exciting or diverse training ground for any chef – if you develop your career here, you’ll build the skills and generate opportunities to go anywhere you want to in the world.

As a team we’re constantly supporting each other to perform at the highest level – it’s an inspiring environment. We’re creating, innovating and experimenting every day and all our chefs, regardless of their career stage, are empowered to do that.  Simon, our Executive Chef, actively encourages it and has created an open, supportive and creative environment for chefs to flourish.

Aside from having a world-class culinary operation, Gleneagles is also outstanding at everything it does. From our golf courses and country pursuits to our wellness offering and accommodation, every single element here is best in class and you’re surrounded by colleagues – fishing instructors, golf pros, equestrian grooms, guest service professionals – who are the best in the industry. There’s nowhere else in the world like it.  The skills you acquire and the opportunities for professional development you encounter when you’re a part of a team like that are unparalleled.

Executive Pastry Chef - Phil Skinazi

Pastrychef Phil Skinazi chopping strawberries

I joined Gleneagles in 2017 after spending 17 years mastering the art of pastry in London, including tenures at The Mandarin Oriental and The Savoy, but as a native Scot it felt good to come back home to where my passion began.

 

 

When I was a teenager, I got a job as a Kitchen Porter and loved the kitchen buzz straight away.  I used to watch the chefs with fascination and, after being promoted to junior chef, I knew I’d found my calling.  I didn’t like the constant heat, though, so the nice cool pastry kitchen offered me the best of both worlds.

The pastry team at Gleneagles is fun, passionate, creative and high-energy.  We’re a melting pot of different personalities with our own unique styles, creative influences and aspirations but we share a passion for excellence and we encourage each other to achieve our very best on every shift.

We’ve got a really supportive, inclusive, and collaborative team dynamic, where everyone – regardless of their role or experience – is valued for their individual strengths and encouraged to express their personality and creative ideas.  “Mistakes” are not seen as errors at all, but rather as fantastic learning opportunities for the whole team.  Whether it’s a mousse that’s split, a cake that’s not risen properly, or a ganache that hasn’t set, we identify what’s happened and find a solution – so we’re all learning together every single day.

I like to push the boundaries of what’s possible in pastry, and I encourage that innovative attitude in my team.  No great gastronomic masterpiece can come to existence without trial and error.  So I tell my team, especially at the start of their career, that they must let go of fears of making “mistakes” and instead look forward to learning and growing as chefs.

We’re continually evolving our menus, so the opportunity for developing new concepts is unlimited.  I might provide a brief – for instance, asking one of the pastry sections to come up with a new dish that is summery and fresh, or rich and festive – and tell them to come back to me with ideas.  We’ll then produce those items to taste and tweak and review them as a team, until we have something really special.

As a junior chef 20 years ago, I remember working in kitchens where you’d be fighting over whisks, spatulas and containers, because all the restaurant’s investment was on the customer-facing part of the business.   At Gleneagles, the back-of-house areas receive continual investment, so you’ve got everything you need to succeed in your job.  The diversity and scope for professional development across our nine culinary outlets is also second to none.  Where there’s a desire to build skills and experience in other areas, we actively encourage our chefs to spend time working within different kitchens in the hotel to expand their repertoire.

Executive Chef - Simon Attridge

Chef Simon Attridge teaches a younger chef at Gleneagles

Before being appointed in 2017 to lead the kitchen team at Gleneagles, I held senior positions at the Shangri-La Hotels group, as well as head chef roles at the Michelin-starred Drakes on the Pond and Heston Blumenthal’s Riverside Brasserie.

The move from London up to rural Perthshire was one I was eager to make. As soon as I arrived at the gates, I knew I wanted to work here, join an amazing team, and be a part of this iconic brand.

The breadth of the culinary offering at Gleneagles is among the largest and most diverse in the world, and for chefs at any career level it offers unparalleled development opportunities.

Over the past five years, the hotel’s been transformed with the largest investment programme in its 100-year history and it’s been incredibly exciting for our culinary team to be a part of that journey.

We’ve relaunched our iconic fine dining restaurant, The Strathearn, as well as our clubhouse restaurant, The Dormy; we’ve created a new café, a new brasserie, an afternoon tea lounge; and we’ve launched three new bars, all of which have their own culinary identities and styles.

What I’m most proud of is building a diverse team to deliver consistently across all these outlets, so that regardless of where our guests dine – and whether they’re enjoying breakfast, a simple sandwich or salad, a curry or a pizza, or a decadent three-course dinner – the dining experience they have is best in class.

As well as transforming front-of-house spaces, all back-of-house areas in the hotel – including our kitchens – have received significant investment.  From cutting edge equipment to the installation of a new pastry kitchen, all our culinary workspaces are industry-leading.

Additionally, we’ve evolved our private dining offering by creating a range of beautiful new event spaces and experiences in the hotel, including a chef’s table at our open kitchen, where we recently launched an innovative guest chef collaboration programme, The Strathearn Series.  This sees us inviting established and aspiring culinary stars from around the UK to host one-off dining experiences throughout the year.

We’re also surrounded by some of the most breath-taking scenery in the world, which lends itself perfectly to unique culinary experiences.  If someone wants a picnic on the golf course, a sumptuous loch-side lunch while they’re fishing, or a candlelit supper in a stone bothy on top of a mountain, those are requests we relish. That’s the beauty of Gleneagles – everything is managed in-house. I can’t think of many other properties in the world that have this scale or scope of culinary offering.

For a chef, the best thing about this part of the world is the vast natural larder of outstanding regional produce.  We change our menus regularly, to reflect the shifting seasons and make the most of these incredible ingredients at the right time.  Our langoustines are creel-caught on the west coast of Scotland and delivered daily to the estate. Our wild venison comes from deer that have roamed freely across Scotland’s glens and mountains. Our berries are handpicked from a farm just a couple of miles away, and our wagyu beef comes from cattle grazing in a field just a stone’s throw from the hotel.

We’re lucky to have ingredients with such an enviable provenance – the fields, woods, mountains and waters around here are a cook’s paradise.  We have access to some of the finest and freshest seasonal produce in the world, and that makes me and the team – and in turn our guests – very happy.

Wild Wellness

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Sheep in a field with trees and Glendevon in the background near Gleneagles
The Gleneagles Hotel exterior through trees
A man looks down a valley near Gleneagles
Two hikers on a snow-capped Ben Vorlich near Gleneagles

Make the most of the natural landscape surrounding Gleneagles with our take on Wild Wellness – a mindful and restorative nature-based wellness programme.

Guided by the principle that exposure to nature has significant physical and mental health benefits, the two-night and three-day retreat invites you to reconnect with the natural rhythm of the dramatic Scottish landscape, to nurture mind, body and soul.

Day 1 –  BREATHING IN THE WILDERNESS

Your Wild Wellness journey will commence with an introduction to pranayama breathing, known for its power to soothe and revitalise a tired body.

An immersive Nature Walk on the estate will follow with guests given the chance to track and observe local wildlife along the way. For those looking to push their boundaries, the walk culminates with the ancient Japanese ritual of waterfall bathing.

After dinner in The Strathearn, guests will be whisked away for an evening of stargazing – with al-fresco digestifs to reflect on the day’s adventure.

Day 2 – A MINDFUL MORNING IN THE MOUNTAINS

The world famous Gleneagles breakfast provides the ultimate fuel for the full day’s expedition that awaits – summiting the magnificent Ben Vorlich,  3,000 ft above sea level,  which provides the most dramatic backdrop to Loch Earn.  Regarded as the Gateway to the Highlands, guests will take in spectacular views, before stopping off for a scenic picnic lunch. Back at the hotel,  guests will retreat to the award-winning spa for a well-earned aromatherapy massage to help soothe tired limbs.

Day 3 – EMBRACING NATURAL PURSUITS

The Wild Wellness programme will culminate with a morning of fishing, foraging and forest bathing. Guests will take time to breathe, relax and enjoy an introduction to seasonal foraging – be that edible or medicinal –  and learning about the wild and wonderful flavours in Scotland’s natural larder.

Take a tranquil boat ride on the loch, before enjoying an introduction to the graceful and rhythmic art of fly fishing. The retreat concludes with a Forest Bathing session in Torlum Wood, allowing guests to slow down and completely immerse themselves in the tranquil atmosphere .

Guests will depart Gleneagles focussed and restored, with a newfound sense of inner calm, and with newly learnt holistic practices to better equip them to handle the stresses of everyday life.

DETAILS & PRICING

Wild Wellness at Gleneagles will run on selected dates from November 2020 to March 2021. Rates for the package start from £3,280 including VAT and breakfast in October, and from £3,100 from November to March, based on two people sharing a Manor Room for two nights.

Single occupancy rates start from £2,880 including VAT and breakfast in October, and from £2,700 from November to March, staying in a Manor Room for two nights.

Beginner Lesson

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A man walks a grey horse on lead rein at dusk

WHAT’S INCLUDED

Never been near a horse? Try something new on well-behaved horses and ponies with highly qualified coaches. Whether you are 8 or 58 years old, first-class tuition at Gleneagles will provide you with the important foundation skills that allow you to enjoy a new sport.

DURATION & Pricing

All 45 minutes.

Private – per person £125

Shared – per person £125

Prices exclude 12.5% discretionary service charge.

Show jumping Lesson

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A large grey horse with rider walking into the sun

DESCRIPTION

Whether you are having your first jumping lesson or want to improve your competition skills, we have the horses and coaches to take you from your first cross pole to 1.20m fences.

DURATION

45 mins. Private or Shared lesson.

PRICES

Private – per person (45 mins) £125

Shared – per person (45 mins) £125

Prices exclude 12.5% discretionary service charge.

 

Dressage Lesson

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A riders boot in a stirrup with Gleneagles branded numnah

DESCRIPTION

The art of classical dressage has entranced practitioners since the time of the ancient Greeks.

Here, at Gleneagles, we have a variety of schoolmaster horses that are established in dressage movements such as shoulder-in, travers, renvers and pirouettes.

PRICES

Private – per person (45 mins) – £125

Shared – per person (45 mins) – £125

Prices exclude 12.5% discretionary service charge.

Lead Rein Lesson

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A riding instructor leads a young boy on a pony past a fence

DESCRIPTION

Children between the ages of 4 and 7 years old are offered a special treat – a lesson on one of our adorable Shetland or small ponies.

The most popular members of the equestrian team, our special little ponies, provide a wonderful introduction to the art of horse riding.

PRICES

£80 per person for 30 mins

Prices exclude 12.5% discretionary service charge.

AGES

For children aged 4-7 years old

Growth & Development

And not just across Hotel Operations or golf. We have 49 departments within Gleneagles, so whether it’s gardening to guest experience; linkperson to lifeguard, retail to risk; marketing to mixology we’re here to support you – in the last year alone, from a population of around 1,450, we confirmed 100 cross-departmental moves and 90 promotions.

To support you we have a wide range of learning and development programmes, early careers programmes, management training sessions, career development workshops and internal secondment opportunities. These programmes are designed to help you grow and learn and are available to sign up for when the time is right for you. Through regular development discussions with your line manager, you’re encouraged to create a training and development plan aligned to your needs and aspirations.

We share all of these programmes and session through line managers, we publish them on employee engagement platform and we have an internal job board that actively promotes new roles.

Moments That Matter

We want to support the whole person, and to do that we understand that we need to support not just the professional but the personal. As part of this we’ve introduced Moments that Matter.

Moments that Matter identifies the significant events which can occur in people’s lives and looked at what meaningful support we can provide to our people during these events. Of course, what that support looks like depends upon the event – whether it’s a cause for celebration like securing a new home, acknowledging a birthday; adjusting to a change, like the arrival of a new addition through maternity, paternity or adoption; or dealing with bad news, like coping with the loss of a loved one or facing up to serious illness.

Moments that Matter is designed to make a difference to our employees when it really matters – to feel part of a compassionate and inclusive community, one which recognises that, as individuals, we all go through different moments at different points in our lives, and for our people to know that they’re part of an organisation that cares and looks out for them.

We also have a comprehensive range of resources available to support whatever our people are facing and are accessible at any time, including

  • trained mental health first aiders across both Gleneagles and the Gleneagles Townhouse,
  • a 24-hour employee assistance programme offering information, counselling and advice
  • onsite occupational health adviser, physiotherapy and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
  • 1:1 counselling
  • Wellness Hub run through our Employee Benefits Platform.

So, whether it’s a conversation with one of our mental health first aiders, taking a moment to meditate at the end of a busy shift, or finding an exercise class to raise those endorphins we’re here to help.

Administration & General

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“No thoughtful act, however small, is ever wasted.”

Within Administration & General we have our Managing Director and General Manager roles along with the team of personal assistants who provide vital support to our Executive function and provide event management support.

Information Technology

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“There’s a way to do it better; let’s find it together.”

Our Information Technology (IT) team is made up of IT Support, Technology Projects, AV, Security & Data Protection and Innovation.

Our IT Support team keep the infrastructure working, responding to requests for support from colleagues and teams and maintain all our management systems and hardware. Taking this a step further our Tech Projects focus on delivering new projects to support our various business areas, new openings and strategic goals.

We also provide AV support for Events and provide advice and guidance on how to create better events experiences for external and internal customers. Our IT team is also responsible for data protection – monitoring our data and systems to ensure they are secure – and we also have a key role to play in identifying new technologies in IT and Hospitality to support business leaders and develop the business.

Marketing & Brand

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“I feel part of something much bigger here, caretak­ing the 100 years that went before me and making my own mark today.”

While we’re proud of a history stretching back one hundred years, we don’t rest on our laurels and our Brand & Marketing team work hard to communicate not just our brand personality but also our brand values, right across all channels. In practice this includes the creation of support materials such as brand guidelines, photography, copywriting, brand experiences, on-estate signage and guest journey materials.

Our Marketing team make sure the right people see the right message at the right time, through a variety of carefully chosen channels and partnerships, including social media, brand partners, digital search marketing, digital products, customer relationship management and advertising. Brand & Marketing also includes our Public Relations team who manage press relations, journalist visits and react to any journalist enquires across lifestyle, national, regional, specialist, trade and industry press.

Finance & Procurement

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“The magic doesn’t hap­pen by accident; it hap­pens because we’re all pulling together.”

Critical to the running of our properties our Finance & Procurement team are an important support function. Our Accounts payable and receivable make sure we’re paying our suppliers quickly and accurately while also ensuring that we are paid any outstanding monies due to us.

Through our team of Business Analysts we help the business hit financial targets and provide support about financial decision making. We also provide F&B Control, assisting the team to ensure that all menus are costed, and profit margins are achieved while our Procurement team do a great job of making sure we are procuring goods and services at the right price, the right quality and at the right time.

People Team

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“There’s an energy here that I’ve not experienced before; a spirit and drive to be the very best we can be.”

Driving everything we do at Gleneagles are the people who share our energy for excellence and, within our People team, our Talent Attraction team are ever searching for the next generation of Gleneagles people to carry us forward and to make their own mark.

But the People team are also always looking for ways to make Gleneagles a better place to work for colleagues who already work here – a place where everyone, no matter what their background, feels they can be themselves; where every employee is treated with kindness, respect and fairness.

Our Organisational Development team help people across the business grow and develop; our People Partners support the business and colleagues alike to meet objectives and create opportunities for greater flexibility and choice in work balance; while Occupational Health provide wellbeing support for when the skies darken and life is proving to be more challenging. And we have a small but perfectly formed Communications & Engagement team who keep everyone informed and engaged.

Meetings, Sales, Reservations & Events

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Our Commercial team, which includes Sales, Reservations (or Playground Planning, as we call it here) and Events, work tirelessly to assist and make plans for our guests ahead of their stay, whether it’s dining, highlighting our ever increasing range of activities or arranging bespoke room requirements.

The team books everything for our guests, from golf days to complex itineraries, as well as reservations for both the Glorious Playground or the Edinburgh Townhouse so that our guests arrive happy and fully informed. For those guests who want to change their plans, add to them, or create them once they’ve arrived our team are available at ‘The Snug’ to attend to our guest’s requests so that we can make the most of their time here.

Technical Services

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“Full on! Adrenalin, am­bition and fun makes it exhilarating and exhaust­ing all at the same time.”

Our team of specialist professionals, including joiners, plumbers, electricians and painter & decorators, are experts in maintaining, conserving and enhancing our beautiful hotel. With 233 bedrooms, nine bars and restaurants, 10 event spaces, and kilometres of corridor space, it takes a huge amount of talent and dedication to look after every nook and cranny of the property.

Gleneagles presents a unique environment for any technical specialist, where no two days are the same. Our team approach each task – every nail that’s hammered, every light fitting that is repaired and each brush stroke of gloss paint – with the utmost care and attention to detail.

Security

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“We don’t get better through chance; we get better through change.”

Our dedicated Security team maintain the safety and integrity of our beautiful properties, ensuring both Gleneagles and the Townhouse are safe at all times for our team and guests.

Glenmor

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“Gleneagles beats with a very big heart and that comes from the warmth and sincerity of the team.”

Glenmor is a collection of luxurious homes set around its own village green and lochans within our beautiful Gleneagles estate. These exceptional Scottish lodges blend the luxury and adventure of our Glorious Playground while providing independence and space for the whole family.

We have a range of dedicated roles who look after our homes. Still very much part of Gleneagles, Glenmor enjoys the same level of outstanding service as the rest of the estate, with dedicated concierge, culinary, housekeeping and maintenance teams to make sure our guests enjoy the full Gleneagles experience at Glenmor.

Retail

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“Our signature dish is the pride we have in everything we do. It’s contagious.”

Our on-site retail arcade hosts a number of shops and boutiques which are packed full of luxury brands and beautiful gifts, ideal for any of our guests and visitors who’d like to indulge in some retail therapy.

Whether our guests are looking to choose the perfect single malt in The Still Room, pick up cute keepsakes in Hop & Scotch, or treat themselves to some beauty products in The Cabinet our dedicated retail team is here to guide guests and visitors through each of the product ranges available.

Golf Courses & Estates

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“There’s a role for every­one here, whatever it is you enjoy. So many de­partments, one big fami­ly.”

Caring for every inch of our 850-acre estate – from the trees that line our driveway and the turf on our three golf courses, to our beautiful gardens and the iconic Gleneagles Christmas tree – this team is responsible for ensuring the natural flora of Gleneagles is maintained, protected and enhanced, not just for our current guests to enjoy, but for future generations too.

With expertise that spans botany, agronomy, course architecture, landscaping, soil composition and even the weather, you’ll find them sowing seeds, pruning shrubs, blowing leaves, mowing lawns and raking bunkers come rain or shine!

Golf Academy, Golf Operations & Golf Retail

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“This brand, its size and scale and the drive to create experiences that stand out is what attract­ed me to Gleneagles.”

Since James Braid forged The King’s and The Queen’s golf courses from the rugged local landscape, and the first tee shots were struck on 1 May 1919, Gleneagles has been one of the world’s most iconic sporting estates.

A golfer’s paradise for over a century, our hallowed fairways have been graced by the good, the great and legends of the game. Our golf team, covering tuition, operations, retail and membership, continue to build on that heritage and strengthen that reputation, to ensure everyone who visits our golf facilities has a world-class experience.

Spa and Wellness

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“The strength of the team is each individual member. The strength of each member is the team.”

Our team look after our guests’ health and fitness needs within our state-of-the-art Swim & Gym facility. Incorporating some of the finest technology in the world, the gym is one of the first in the UK to feature the full interactive range of Strength and Cardio Equipment from the Technogym Artis and Skill ranges.

The beautiful new Spa at Gleneagles is a soothing haven from everyday stresses, where the welcome is warm, the spirits are lifted, and the pursuit of balance is the only option on the menu. With our own range of Gleneagles oil blends and scrubs, our therapists offer a range of treatments designed in collaboration with some of the world’s leading wellness brands. Our beauty lodge, Bob & Cloche, celebrates the glamour and excitement of the 1920s.

Whatever the occasion, whether it’s a manicure, a haircut, or a makeover with friends before a celebration, our beauty team are pros in pampering and polishing our guests to perfection.

Country Pursuits

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“We pull together to deliver some of the most breathtaking experiences I’ve ever seen.”

With over 50 outdoor activities and country pursuits at Gleneagles, our talented instructors offer some of the finest and most diverse leisure tuition experiences and facilities in the world.

This includes one of the finest Shooting & Fishing schools in the country, including a 13-stand clay target range set on a spectacular grouse moor; access to private fishing lochs; a fantastic Equestrian School complete with its own cross-country course; a school of falconry, the first of its kind in the world;

The Trail Yard outdoor adventure hub with cycling, tree climbing and zip wiring; as well as gun dog training, off-road driving, tennis, archery, air rifles and much more. Whether our guests are complete beginners or seasoned professionals, our instructors are experts in sparking the spirit of adventure!

Front of House

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“It’s the people who create the charm, character and the experiences that brings Gleneagles to life.”

Our Front of House team look after all aspects of guest relations – our guest facing teams offering a warm welcome on arrival, a fond farewell on departure, and oversee the happiness and comfort of our guests at every stage in between. We apply the highest attention to detail to ensure the guest experience is one perfect, seamless journey from start to finish.

Included within our Front of House are our drivers who collect guests at the airport and our receptionists who check them in, to our housekeepers who keep the hotel beautifully clean and our florists who add flower power to every occasion – this mighty team strives to ensure each guest who joins us leaves with happy memories that last a lifetime.

Food & Beverage

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“They may forget the words you say but never how you made them feel.”

Working across our entire operation – including four restaurants, three bars, two cafés, an afternoon tea lounge, room service, private dining and events, and an exciting range of outdoor seasonal pop-ups – our Food & Beverage team are a dynamic, talented and innovative crew, united in their passion for hospitality, their pursuit of excellence, and their ambition to exceed the expectations of our guests at every opportunity.

Whether it’s a quick pizza in The Dormy, a cocktail party in The Pantry, a four-course anniversary dinner in The Strathearn, a family lunch in The Birnam, Room Service or a bespoke dining event for 500 people in our gardens, the team make sure every single dining and drinking experience at Gleneagles is truly special.

Working at Gleneagles

Join Us

We offer work experience, apprenticeships, internships, gap year experiences and graduate programmes. We have a wide range of disciplines available across our job families, including culinary, food and beverage, guest experience, housekeeping, wellness, country pursuits, greenkeeping and estate management, and golf. We offer contracts of all shapes and sizes with flexible working patterns to suit individual needs.

And last year we had the pleasure of announcing over 100 internal job moves and 90 promotions. Our people are continuously growing and developing their skills. Our investment in personal and leadership development continues to grow as does our holistic and supportive approach to wellbeing.

And, irrespective of age or job family, we pay a minimum of £25,301 for a full time role.

Group Offers at The Glorious Playground.

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The Broadcasting ROom at Gleneagles set up for a meeting

INDULGE & CELEBRATE

‘Indulge & Celebrate’ is for groups seeking an unforgettable time at Gleneagles and provides the perfect opportunity to celebrate together. Gather your team for a day and enjoy the great outdoors, indulge in competitive clay pigeon shooting or exhilarating off-road driving as a team before settling down for the evening to experience a world of culinary delights; including impressive tableside theatre as you dine and truly unique moments such as an exclusive tour of Gleneagles’ underground cellar, home to our 17,000 bottles of wine. With such a glorious backdrop and convivial setting, you can be rest assured that your team will have plenty to talk about on their journey home…

 

RELAX & RETREAT

For teams seeking rejuvenation and balance embark on an energising journey of well-being and self-care, ahead of those all-important planning meetings and strategy sessions. At the heart of Gleneagles lies a dedicated focus on health & wellness through a variety of enriching experiences. Think: bespoke fresh juice & smoothie stations, power foods to feed mind & soul during your meeting breaks. Celebrate the end of a productive day and wind down for an evening of culinary delights in one of our many private dining spaces. Why not continue the wellness journey by starting your evening with an nutritional interactive cooking classes led by our very own Gleneagles culinary team.

B&B rates from £225 per person.

Enhance your group experience with bespoke selection experiences from £30 per person, enquire with our events team to find out more.

Itinerary for your stay

From hosting those all-important meetings and collaborative team sessions to gun dog training, falconry with our magnificent harris hawks to a glamourous dinner in our private dining space with bespoke experiences, our events team is on hand to ensure that your stay at Gleneagles is like no other.

View Sample Itinerary

T&C’s

Subject to availability, valid Sunday-Thursday only.

Minimum group size of 10 rooms per night.

Offer is valid between January – February 2024 bookings only.

Available on new bookings only.

Cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer.

Rate is based on single occupancy.

Brown Trout Fishing

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DESCRIPTION

At Gleneagles we offer a fully guided Brown Trout fishing experience. Under the expert instruction of our professional guides, you will learn the gentle art of Fly fishing with a Hardy’s trout rod. Throughout your day on the river, you will learn how to read the water, fly selection based on river conditions and finally how to hook, play and successfully land a wild brown trout. Price includes professional guide, transport to and from the river, the very best Hardy fishing tackle and accessories.

PRICE

Per person per half day / £395

Prices exclude 12.5% discretionary service charge.

EXTRA DETAILS

For age 12 and over

CANCELLATION POLICY

If we decide to cancel your day’s fishing due to extreme weather conditions beyond our control, for example; gale force winds making casting dangerous, unfishable spate conditions, or for any other reason, then you will receive a full refund less any costs incurred, or an alternate date will be offered, whichever is preferable.

Terms, conditions and cancellation fees apply. Payment must be received in full to secure the booking. Cancellation within 30 days of the booking will result in a 100% cancellation fee.

 

The Little Garden

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DESCRIPTION

Our young guests will be able to get hands on with nature with activities like bug hunting, pond dipping for tadpoles and water skaters, Leaf ID, Nature Art, Clay Creation, Junior Aromatherapy and nature science to name a few! With a ‘Hide’ to spy on the local wildlife, kids will have plenty of opportunity to catch a glimpse of squirrels, rabbits and maybe deer!

 

EXTRA INfo

The Little Garden can only be used during holiday periods as part of our Kid’s Programmes.

 

Padel

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DESCRIPTION

Gleneagles is delighted to bring Padel to the property for the first time. If you’ve not heard about it yet – Padel is the fastest growing racquet sport in the world – a really sociable game that has elements of both tennis and squash. The game should always be played as a four to get the greatest enjoyment out of the sport. If you don’t know the rules don’t worry, we’ll have someone on hand to explain them!

We can even offer Padel coaching to get you from complete beginner to Padel Pro!

 

PRICEs

We have a singles court and two doubles courts available to hire:

Doubles Court hire is £60 per hour and includes racquets and balls for up to four players.

Singles Court hire is £40 per hour and includes racquets and balls for up to two players.

Each of our courts can be booked in one-hour blocks.

Padel Coaching is also available in one hour sessions:

1 player – £85

2 players – £110

3 players – £135

4 players – £160

Axe Throwing

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An axe in a bullseye at the Trailyard at Gleneagles

DESCRIPTION

Visit the Trailyard where our instructors will teach you how to wield the mighty tomahawk axe.   You will learn how to throw single handed, double handed and a couple of trick shots just to keep things interesting.  Once you are ready then the competition begins, and we will track scores to see who will reign supreme.

DETAILS

We offer two styles of axe throwing session:

Lessons last 1hr 30mins and cost £75 for the 1st person with an additional £50 for each person after that up to a maximum of 4 people.

Free throw sessions last approximately 55mins and cost £55 per person.

Prices exclude 12.5% discretionary service charge.

Low Ropes

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A young girl makes her way along a low ropes course at Gleneagles

DESCRIPTION

With 19 distinct obstacles including a junior zip wire, swinging chains and seesaw bridge young ones be challenged all the way round.  We recommend children are a minimum of 5 years old and must be a minimum height of 100cm with a maximum height of 140cm to fully enjoy the experience.

DETAILS

Price: £40 per person

Prices exclude 12.5% discretionary service charge.

EXTRA DETAILS

These experiences are weather permitting.
Suggested age 5 years old
Minimum height 100cm
Maximum height 140cm

The Glen Stable Experience

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DESCRIPTION

A guided tour of the stables with one of our knowledgeable grooms, meet all of our horses and ponies, learn what they like to eat, how they sleep and who their friends are.  Get a look inside our beautiful tack room and finish off your tour learning how to groom one of the Shetland ponies, Hettie and Chelsea. There is no riding involved in this experience so it’s a great way to introduce family members to horses and ponies.

Duration & pricing

£45 per person for 45 minutes

Children under the age of 14 must be accompanied by a paying adult.

Prices exclude 12.5% discretionary service charge.

Countryside Walk

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A lone horse rider riding away from camera on a trail at sunset

DESCRIPTION

At Gleneagles, the surrounding heather-clad mountains form a perfect backdrop for beginner or novice riders to explore the countryside on horseback with an experienced equestrian coach guiding you on foot.

This 45 minute experience is £125 per person and is suitable for 4 years and over.

This can be booked as a private experience, or shared with up to 4 riders in total.

Availability

Available April – October weather permitting

EXTRA DETAILS

Aged 4 and over and suitable for novice or beginners.

Prices exclude 12.5% discretionary service charge.

The Andrew Fairlie Scholarship

Portrait of Chef Andrew Fairlie

The Andrew Fairlie Scholarship was set up after the death of the late great chef in 2019. Sponsored jointly by HIT Scotland, the Scottish Government and Gleneagles, it is awarded annually to one male and one female chef in light of Andrew’s commitment to diversity in the kitchen.

The winners gain industry-wide recognition and experience once-in-a-lifetime opportunities, such as a practical sage in an international kitchen, placements at the Culinary Institute of America and the chance to cook at Bute House, the official residence of the First Minister.

As the first and youngest recipient of a Roux Scholarship in 1984, Andrew recognised the life-changing opportunity such an award provides. Through our sponsorship of this scholarship, we’re proud to ensure the culture of excellence that Andrew established here at the hotel is nurtured in the next generation of world class chefs in Scotland.

Career Ready

Two chefs at Gleneagles

Career Ready is a social mobility charity that aims to give every young person, regardless of socio-economic background, the opportunity to progress to prosper in work and life.

Working in partnership with Career Ready and local schools, we’re providing local S5/6 pupils with a structured, impactful, two-year programme which aims to develop skills and break down the barriers that exist for many young people to enter the world of work

With a dedicated mentor from Gleneagles, a four-week paid internship at the hotel, and a series of skills masterclasses combined with workplace visits, we hope to support these young people to leave school feeling more confident, knowledgeable, and ready to follow their chosen career path.

Young Person’s Guarantee

Young receptionist in the Gleneagles lobby

We’re delighted to have signed the Young Person’s Guarantee, a national scheme that aims to increase career opportunities and future prospects for all 16 to 24-year-olds in Scotland.

Developed by the Scottish Government in the wake of the pandemic, the Young Person’s Guarantee, was launched to help young people in Scotland succeed despite the economic impact of COVID-19, while also ensuring employers continue to benefit from the fresh talent and new perspectives that young people bring to workplaces.

We’re demonstrating our commitment to the scheme through a range of career, training and work-based learning opportunities that will provide jobs, prepare young people for the world of work, and support them to realise their professional potential.

These include strengthening our links with education providers across Scotland, to offer more young people access to internships, work placements, employment taster sessions, and masterclasses; launching 20 new apprenticeship places, where on-the-job learning is coupled with a formal recognised qualification; and providing up to 50 six-month placements for young people through Kickstart, a UK Government scheme which aims to create new jobs for young people who are at risk of long-term unemployment.

Anchor House

A painter paints the door of a bedroom at Gleneagles

Our local community charity partner is Perth-based Anchor House, which works to overcome the causes and consequences of social exclusion, homelessness, poverty and unemployment.

We support Anchor House in a variety of ways, including fundraising schemes; developing a community outreach programme to bring our culinary, digital and finance teams to the shelter to coach disadvantaged individuals in key life skills like cooking, bookkeeping and web skills; establishing a volunteering programme which has seen our people renovate the shelter’s four-bed cottage and gardens; creating employment opportunities here at the hotel for residents at the shelter; and donating regular furniture, toiletries and gifts.

Looking after our neighbours

Executive Chef Simon Attridge

During the pandemic, we emptied our kitchen shelves and donated all our non-perishable supplies to Auchterarder’s Blue Door Foodbank for distribution in the local community, and we sent care packages to local residential homes, NHS staff and other key workers.  We also provided nearly 500 Christmas lunches for some of the most vulnerable and impoverished families in the local area and across Scotland.

Local Schools

Kids playing golf on The Wee Course

We provide a range of career development opportunities to local school children, including kitchen tours, interview practice, and cooking workshops, to help inspire the next generation of culinary and hospitality talent in the area.

We have a special partnership with our nearest school, the Community School of Auchterarder, which we support in a range of ways. We have donated funds, resources, food, flowers, event space and prizes for the school’s annual music concert, the Malawi Summit, its annual Burns Supper and its annual prize giving.

We also support Aberuthven Primary, Blackford Primary, Dunblane Primary and Dunning Primary through prizes and donations for a range of fundraising activities.

Additionally, our golf pros work with local primary and secondary schools to encourage sports participation by offering complimentary taster sessions in golf to young boys and girls.

Our turn to care

Wartime Gleneagles (Voluntary Aid Detachment nurses) VADs with French Officers, 1940s

When the pandemic led us to temporarily closing our doors in 2020, we launched ‘Our Turn To Care’, to thank the heroes of the crisis with a long term gesture of gratitude by donating 365 free room nights to healthcare workers each year for the next five years.

Gleneagles has a connection to healthcare workers stretching back over 80 years. The only other time in its history when global events led us to close our doors was World War II when the hotel transformed into a military hospital.

This scheme will give many individuals something to look forward to – a little bit of pampering and the chance to be the one on the receiving end of excellent care for a change.

Our partner, Hospitality Industry Trust (who are administering the scheme) are working directly with all 14 NHS health boards and partners across Scotland to distribute the complimentary bed and breakfast stays as fairly as possible.

It’s okay to talk

Andys man club

We’re proud to support Andys Man Club, a charity group that offers a safe and friendly space for men to come together to talk about their mental health.

Andys Man Club – named in honour of Andrew Roberts, a man who died by suicide aged 23 – was launched to encourage men to open up to other men about their feelings and experiences, challenge the stigma surrounding men’s mental health, and promote suicide prevention.

In 2021, Gleneagles became host to the 61st branch of the national charity, which first launched in Yorkshire in 2016.

The Gleneagles group runs every Monday night at 7pm in our Arena, a venue which offers privacy, parking and complimentary refreshments. It’s facilitated by two members of our own team, Billy Ramsay and Mark Nichols, who are passionate advocates for the charity having faced their own mental health challenges and after benefitting from the club themselves for many years.

We encourage any men in the region who may be going through a difficult time, who feel lost, lonely, distressed, hopeless or suicidal, or who simply need to talk to someone, to come along.

Social Bite

Conor O'Leary and Josh Litteljohn outside Social Bite

As providing bedrooms and food is what we’ve done for nearly a century, we want to support our community’s most vulnerable members to help keep them safe and dry.

As providing bedrooms and food is what we’ve done for nearly a century, we want to support our community’s most vulnerable members to help keep them safe and dry. Our designated national charity partner is Edinburgh-born Social Bite, which aims to empower people who have been affected by homelessness to get back on their feet, by using housing solutions, supportive employment and food distribution to re-integrate individuals into society.

We’re working with the charity in a number of ways, including supporting the Festival of Kindness campaign, which aims to provide 250,000 food and essentials packs to homeless people each winter; providing job opportunities at Gleneagles Townhouse for individuals affected by homelessness; donating a portion of every Gleneagles Townhouse guest’s room rate and a portion of every membership fee to Social Bite; and participating in Social Bite’s Break the Cycle initiative, to help raise £1M to build new Social Bite villages in the UK.

All aboard!

Gleneagles Pashley bike

We offer complimentary transfers from Gleneagles Railway station, to encourage our guests to travel by train rather than car.

We’re also helping our people reduce their carbon footprint through a number of travel initiatives. These include a Cycle to Work scheme; the creation of a car sharing portal to help our people find colleagues who can share their journey to work; and the launch of our new Gleneagles Team Bus, which reduces the numbers driving to work and ensures our people can get to and from the hotel come rain wind or shine!

Bye bye plastic

Horses with rugs

We’re playing our part in combatting the damage caused by single-use plastics in a number of ways.

We’ve replaced all our single-use bathroom amenity bottles with our own range of refillable bottles, and all the bottles of water in our bedrooms and chauffeur cars are eco bottles made from 100% rPET.  Our takeaway containers, coffee cups, sandwich boxes, straws and in-room teabags are made from plant-based, renewable or reclaimed material and are designed to be compostable, while our guest essentials pack – including sewing kit and toothbrush – is made from 100% recyclable materials.

We’re also continually exploring products that find innovative uses for plastic that would otherwise be dumped in the environment. We were the first hotel in the UK to resurface our main drive using recycled plastic, stopping 60,000 plastic bottles going to landfill.  Meanwhile, over in our Stables, even our horses are championing sustainability with their cosy new winter rugs, each of which is made from 340 plastic bottles.

Green Tourism

In 2021, we were thrilled to receive gold status by Green Tourism, an accreditation organisation that seeks to make the travel and tourism industry more sustainable.

The gold award – which we were the first hotel in the UK to win back in 2008 – is the highest possible status in the scheme and reflects our ongoing commitment to improving our working practices, protecting the natural environment, reducing our carbon footprint and ensuring our operation is managed and delivered as sustainably as possible.

Head Tandoor & Curry Chef - Mandeep Saini

Tandoor Chef Mandeep Saini

I grew up in North India and my whole family were passionate about cooking, so I was immersed in the tradition of Tandoor cuisine from a very young age.

After I left school, I studied economics and accounting which led me to work in a bank in Bombay, but after a few years of dealing with spreadsheets, I decided to change direction and embark on a career as a chef.

As an apprentice chef in Bombay, the city’s diverse culinary culture provided me with great experience of learning how to cook cuisines from all four corners of India.  I then moved to London where I was inspired to develop as a chef and learn about the different types of classic international cuisine.

My wife and I have a young daughter and the pandemic made us think about our future, and whether we wanted to move somewhere we could have a better work-life balance.  The opportunity to move to Gleneagles was one we couldn’t miss.  The quality of life is so much higher, the air you breathe is pure, the schools are fantastic and the scenery is just beautiful. Plus, you are only 20 minutes from the cities of Perth and Stirling, and around 50 minutes from Glasgow, Dundee, Edinburgh and St Andrews, so it’s very well located and, if you’re missing the noise of the city, you can get there in under an hour.

For any ambitious chef with a thirst for career progression and hunger for culinary knowledge, Gleneagles offers more than anywhere else.  There are so many styles of cooking to learn across our restaurants and kitchens, that the mentoring opportunities and the scope for improving as a chef are unparalleled.  Gleneagles builds confidence in chefs and offers training opportunities better than anywhere else I know.

Rosemary Ferguson Retreat

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Sheep in a field with trees and Glendevon in the background near Gleneagles
treatment room

Your experience begins at home with a welcome pack from Gleneagles and Rosemary featuring our locally sourced botanical oils, recipes, a three day food plan and some travel day ‘how to’s’

Day 1

A late afternoon arrival with Yin Yoga followed by a private dinner, curated and hosted by Rosemary, in the Winter Garden.

Day 2

Begin the day with a HIIT class followed by breakfast with Rosemary.

You’ll be whisked off and taken on a gentle walk to the hidden glen waterfall. A peaceful place for meditation and an invigorating spot for a wild swim!

A light lunch back at Gleneagles followed by yoga and a 50-minute personalised Gleneagles massage.

Dinner in the Winter Garden with Rosemary.

Day 3

Yoga starts the day followed by breakfast in the Winter Garden with Rosemary.

We’ll be taking you on another wilderness adventure to a nearby estate and immersed in the local landscape with a moderate level guided walk to reach the stone cairn at the summit and revel in the views.

Back at the hotel lunch will be served in The Spa Café. After lunch will be a Q&A session with Rosemary followed by an optional treatment in The Spa* or you can spend the rest of afternoon at leisure making the most of our heat and wellness experiences.

Dinner in the Winter Garden with Rosemary will be followed by a Sound Bath.

Day 4

There’s nothing quite like a power hike across the grounds to prepare you for the day ahead with breakfast in the Winter Garden.

You’re welcome to make the most of the Health Club facilities before departing at leisure.

DETAILS, PRICING & BOOKING

The final Rosemary Ferguson Retreat at Gleneagles will run later this year in 2022.

Rates for the package start from £3,245 including VAT, based on two people sharing an Estate Room for three nights with all elements detailed included. *A second treatment in The Spa can be booked at an additional cost.

Single occupancy rates start from £2,275 including VAT, staying in an Estate Room for three nights.

To book, please email enquire using the form below or call 0800 704 705, Option 1

Enquire Now

Falconry Instructor - Keenan Scott

Falconry instructor Keenan Scott holding a golden eagle

I’m only 18 years old and I’ve already found my dream job.  Coming to work is my happy time so I basically get paid to have fun and help other people have fun – how lucky am I?

At school, all my friends enjoyed staying indoors and playing the PlayStation and the Xbox, whereas I was always desperate to spend all day outside and have adventures.  I knew I wanted a career that would allow me to work outdoors because I would have hated sitting at a desk looking at a screen.

I stared working as a joiner as a Saturday job, and after school I got a job as a ‘fencer’, fixing deer fences around the countryside. But I really missed the interaction with people because it involved spending the whole day in the hills on my own.  It got to the point where I couldn’t build one more fence – it just wasn’t for me.

That was when the opportunity came up to join the Gleneagles team as a trainee all-terrain instructor, providing our junior guests with fantastic experiences in the mini Land Rovers and Argo Cats, and I grasped it with both hands!

After building up my skills and completing lots of training, I was offered the chance to expand my responsibilities and begin working with the animals.  Now I’m qualified to teach ferret lessons, gundog lessons, and fly a hawk by myself.  I love animals but, as one of nine siblings, my parents always refused to get me a pet because they said the house was already too busy with all of us children, so I can’t believe my luck that I’m now surrounded by animals all day!

It’s been a big learning curve, but I love the diversity in my role.  Every morning, we weigh the birds because they need to be hungry enough to fly.  If they’re too fat they won’t fly, but if they’re too hungry they won’t fly either, so we have to monitor them continually to keep them on target.  After that, I might head over to the clean out the kennels and give our dogs some exercise.

It’s hard work – you’re always on your feet, walking, talking, cleaning, preparing, planning and getting things ready for the next lesson – but I’m a real people person, so I love helping guests to enjoy themselves and I spend my day in awe of all these animals, learning about how they respond to commands and watching how they experience the world. They’re amazing! People always say never work with children and animals, but that’s the best bit about my job.

The range of roles and positions at Gleneagles is amazing.  You can start in any part of the business, but if you work hard and have an enthusiastic attitude, there are so many internal career opportunities to move in a different direction, whether that’s leisure, pursuits, guest relations, food and beverage, or culinary.  You meet people from all over the business, from all kinds of backgrounds and from all over the world. Everybody looks out for each other – we’re like one big family.  It genuinely is the Glorious Playground – for the people, for the guests and for our animals.

If someone had told me when I was at school that one day you’re going to get to work outside all day, with children, off-road vehicles and animals, I would have told them that that job doesn’t exist, but here I am living my dream and getting to do it!

Linkperson - Ian Crawford

Linkperson Ian Crawford on the front steps of Gleneagles

I joined the team nine years ago to work in the staff canteen. After a couple of months, the Managing Director said to me, “working behind the scenes isn’t where you belong, Ian; you’re a people-person and I’ve got just the job for you”.

That was when I became a Linkperson and I fell in love with the job immediately.  We’re the very first people our guests see, so we’re setting the tone of the whole visit.  We’re called Linkpeople because, as well as greeting our guests and offering valet parking, we provide the ‘link’ that joins their arrival to the rest of their hotel experience, whether that’s introducing them to the reception team or walking them to The Glendevon for afternoon tea.  There’s a lot of planning involved to ensure the whole experience is absolutely seamless and that every single guest feels special.

I have the most beautiful ‘office’ in the world on our iconic front steps.  Being outside all day, I get to see the changing seasons, from the rhododendrons in spring, and the colours of the trees in the autumn, to the Ochil hills which are as beautiful on a misty summer morning as they are in winter covered in snow.  I’ve become rather obsessed with the weather, because I like to give accurate forecasts when I’m asked by guests!

Assistant Greenkeeper - Laura Campbell

Greenkeeper Laura Campbell mowing the fairways at Gleneagles

I’ve always been a keen golfer.  I started playing aged 10, and eventually became the club champion at my local club, Pitlochry, where I also hold the course record.  I left school at 16 and did a couple of months’ work experience in greenkeeping, then took a full-time position and completed my greenkeeping qualifications at college at the same time.

I’m an outdoors person, so working outside each day is my favourite part of the job. No two days are the same and you get to see so many things, from the wildlife and the weather to the scenery and sunsets. You can stand at any tee on our three golf courses and just be in awe of the beautiful setting.  I’ll never take that for granted.

People have the perception that greenkeeping is just cutting grass, but it’s actually a complex science, from soil biology and GPS technology to weather forecasting.  We’re working together as a team each day to showcase the estate looking its best to our guests, so there’s a huge amount of satisfaction and pride. It’s hard work – you can walk up to 10 miles on a shift, but I could never do a 9-5 desk job, and if you love keeping fit and healthy that physical aspect of the job is a big part of the appeal.

I’ve enjoyed so many opportunities at Gleneagles.  A highlight for me was working at the 2019 Solheim Cup, and being given the chance of a lifetime to travel to Bellerive Country Club, St Louis, on an educational experience to work within the golf course maintenance team for The PGA Championship in 2018.

Sous Chef - Peter Meechan

Sous Chef Peter Meechan making pasta at Gleneagles

I feel so lucky to get paid to do what I love. I’ve always enjoyed cooking but I never contemplated becoming a chef until I was about 16; before that, like most boys my age, my dream was to become a premiership footballer.

I wasn’t academic at school and hated sitting at a desk, but I had a great home economics teacher who encouraged me to think about a professional culinary career.  My dad was also a chef so he taught me basic kitchen skills and sparked my appreciation of flavours and quality ingredients. I grew up in a huge family – I’ve got six brothers and sisters – so we all had to get stuck in to help cook dinner every night. It was a great training ground – you might say I’ve been a chef my whole life!

I love the pressure of the job; it’s the best part. When it’s Saturday night and the restaurant’s filled with 250 guests, you can look around the kitchen and know you’re part of a team that’s working together to carry off a mammoth and seamless operation – there’s a buzz that comes with it that’s just incredible.

Perks & Benefits

An estate room at Gleneagles

As a member of the Gleneagles team, you will also enjoy a fantastic range of perks, benefits and rewards including:

 

TIME TO LET YOUR HAIR DOWN

  • 30 days holiday (including bank holidays) that increases with service
  • Seasonal parties and local social events
  • 50% discount on Food & Beverage, Country Pursuits, Spa and Hair Salon (Mon-Thurs) and the Golf Driving Range
  • Golf Membership (with access to all 3 championship courses) for £50.00 per annum

 

TREATS IN YOUR POCKET

  • Flexi points into your Perkbox wallet to spend as you choose. The points can be spent immediately, or you can save them up over a number of months, for perks that cost that little bit more. All this gives you greater choice, so you can pick the things that mean the most to you!
  • Free ‘pay day’ lunch and monthly drinks offers
  • A generous ‘refer a friend’ scheme

 

BE OUR GUEST

  • Stay with us as a guest at Gleneagles for 2 nights per year at £65.00 per room B&B per night
  • Friends & Family rate of £95.00 B&B per night
  • Enjoy discounted rooms and restaurants rates with up to 50% off across the wider Ennismore brands and hotels, located across some spectacular locations, including London, Paris, Rome, Dubai, Doha, Rio, NY, Chicago and LA…to name just a few
  • Subsidised, single occupancy, en-suite accommodation available on our estate

 

INVESTMENT IN YOUR DEVELOPMENT AND WELLBEING

  • Life Insurance
  • Employee Assistance Programme, offering support and confidential advice for you and your family when you need it most
  • Ongoing investment in your personal development with access to internal and external training qualifications and programmes
  • Internal career opportunities across a wider range of specialisms and departments
  • Monthly recognition programme
  • Volunteering day every year with a charitable partner of your choice
  • Complimentary access to our staff gym

Sous Chef, Pastry - Grete Butkute

Pastry Chef, Grete in the pastry kitchen at Gleneagles

I grew up in Lithuania and at school I found it really difficult to decide what career I wanted to pursue – I certainly never thought I’d become a chef.  At weekends, I used to work in a floristy shop, and I enjoyed making beautiful arrangements, so I knew I wanted to do something creative.

When I finished high school in 2008, I relocated to Scotland to improve my English.  I sent my CV everywhere and took several jobs, working in a bar, a clothes shop, in sales and marketing, and in a kitchen at an Italian restaurant.

I enjoyed the culinary environment immediately and I realised that a career in pastry would allow me to combine my interest in culinary with my passion for making things look pretty.  So I spent the next decade developing my pastry skills in many of London and Spain’s best restaurants, alongside mentors who really encouraged and inspired me.  These included the legendary Albert Adrià i Acosta who taught me that pastry isn’t just about working in a kitchen; it’s an artform and a sensory experience.

I was appointed as Gleneagles’ Pastry Sous Chef in November 2020.  It’s a management position whereby I rotate around the different stations and help out the more junior chefs.   Our kitchen is a really happy place and a truly caring environment – every single person in our team is valued for who they are and encouraged to grow and progress.  Our Executive Pastry Chef, Phil, really cares about both our professional development and our personal happiness which brings out best in all of us.

There’s so much passion.  As a team, we’re continually looking to push the boundaries – how do we make it better?  How do we delight our guests?  How to we make this creation even more impressive?  That positive attitude and success mindset is so important in culinary.  The best chefs never take short cuts; they’re willing to take that extra step to produce something absolutely extraordinary.

As all chefs know, the pressure and pace of culinary is addictive.  The constant challenge of juggling jobs, making decisions on the spot and executing dishes with precision and excellence, and doing that shift after shift, day after day, is grueling, but it’s what keeps you going.  No matter what the challenge, you know you can achieve success, and so you push yourself to work at full capacity and do your very best on every shift, and you’re surrounded by other chefs who’re doing exactly the same.  It’s a thrilling feeling!

When I first arrived at Gleneagles and saw the scenery around the hotel, I thought I’d come to paradise.  The wildlife is flourishing, the countryside is so green, the air is so fresh and that beauty inspires me in my work every day.  It’s also a much higher quality of living here than in London or any of the world’s big cities. You’ve got the best of both worlds, because you’re working within a huge culinary operation at this world-famous hotel, but in your spare time, you really get to switch off and recharge.  It’s also not far from the big cities like Glasgow or Edinburgh if you need a city fix now and again.  I love that balance.

The Scots are also the friendliest people.  When I relocated, the Gleneagles team gave me so much support.  They helped me to settle in, they provided me with on-site accommodation, and everyone made sure I had everything I needed.  It was like being welcomed home by family.

PA to the Hotel Manager - Cornelia Dicoi

Cornelia Dicoi

I grew up in Romania and studied law at university with plans to become a barrister.  In the summer holidays, I used to earn extra cash working in restaurants and cafes, and I immediately fell in love with hospitality – nothing could beat the interaction with people and the satisfaction of making someone’s day with great service.

Eventually I realised that law wasn’t for me and began forging my career in hospitality.  I worked in London for four years before moving to Scotland.  Romania and Scotland are actually very similar, in terms of their fascinating history and beautiful scenery, so it felt like I was moving back home.

I joined Gleneagles in 2016 to work in the Century Bar and I was inspired by the team as soon as I arrived.  There’s a breadth of talent at Gleneagles across so many different disciplines, and it’s incredible to be surrounded by colleagues who are the best in their field. Working here is like being part of a big caring family – everybody goes out of their way to help you.

Gleneagles offers so many job opportunities at all career levels and the scope to move around, try different positions and grow professionally.  I loved working in operations, but I wanted to progress. I was promoted to Food & Beverage Coordinator, supporting the Director with the planning and delivery of service across all our bars and restaurants.  I have recently been promoted to PA to the Hotel Manager, which gives me an even broader involvement across the whole estate, from creating VIP guest experiences to supporting the day to day operations in the hotel.

Members' News - Golf Membership & Events

The European Team with The Solheim Cup after winning at Gleneagles in 2019

Find out more from Gwen and Alison about all the latest Events and member information

Golf has seen an incredible surge in demand this year, particularly for golf membership. Don’t forget if you have any friends or family interested in joining at Gleneagles please contact the Membership Office and we’d be delighted to apply the referral incentive for any new members you introduce!

The Members BBQ took place on Sunday 1 August and we were delighted to welcome so many familiar faces and guests. The weather worked out wonderfully and if you joined us we hope you enjoyed the afternoon!

We wanted to remind our full Individual Golf members to collect your bag tag and water bottle from the Golf Office if you haven’t already done so, just speak to any of the team and we will happily arrange this for you.

Also, if you have credit on your members account and would prefer this to be offset against 2022 membership then do pop in and see us or send an email to the Membership Office at memberships@gleneagles.com

Finally, our online booking portal gives you 24 hour access to reserve a tee time, up to 30 days in advance. If you need assistance setting up your account then please don’t hesitate to contact the Membership Office

Best wishes

Gwen and Alison

Our Awards

The Gleneagles Hotel exterior through trees

Success at Gleneagles is not down to a handful of individuals; each and every role is crucial to our success, so everyone is truly valued. Whether we’re serving whisky or serving tennis balls; preparing bedrooms or preparing afternoon tea; manicuring turf or manicuring nails – we’re united by a desire to create incredible experiences for both our guests and each other.

That dedication leads to many awards.  Here are just some of the accolades – awarded to both the hotel and our individual people – that we’ve been proud to celebrate over the past couple of years:

 

Hotel and estate-wide

Virtuoso Best of the Best Awards

Best Hotel in the World (2022)

 

Conde Nast Traveller 2021 Readers’ Choice Awards

No. 1 UK Resort in the Conde Nast Traveller (2021)

Best UK Hotel (2020)

 

The Times and The Sunday Times Travel Awards

Best Hotel in the World (2020)

 

AA Hospitality Awards

Hotel of the Year Scotland (2020)

 

The Daily Telegraph and Ultratravel Magazine’s ULTRAs awards

Best Golf Resort in the World (nine consecutive wins; 2011 – 2020)

 

The Golf World Top 100 courses and resorts rankings

#1 Golf Resort in the UK & Ireland (2019 – 2021)

#2 Golf Resort in the world (2021)

 

Tatler Travel Guide

101 best hotels and destinations around the world (2020)

 

World Golf Awards

Scotland’s Best Golf Hotel (2020)

 

Restaurants

The Royal Academy of Culinary Arts Annual Awards of Excellence

Young Waiter of the Year – Daniela Mayer, Assistant Manager, The Strathearn (2022)

 

The Tatler Travel Awards

Best Restaurant Scene (2020)

 

Institute of Hospitality and the Academy of Food & Wine Service

Restaurant Manager of the Year – Daniel Greenock, Strathearn Restaurant Manager (2020)

 

Gold Service Scholarship

Elizabeth Forkuoh – Strathearn Restaurant Assistant Manager (2020)

 

Culinary

Young Waiter / Young Chef Awards

Young Chef UK and overall culinary prize for Young Chef, Peter Meechan, Junior Sous Chef (2021)

 

The Caterer’s Acorn Awards: 30 of the most talented stars aged under 30

Callum Roberts, Estate Sous Chef (2021)

Andrew Mackay, Head Pastry Chef (2020)

 

The Hotel Cateys

Hotel Chef of the Year, Simon Attridge, Executive Chef (2020)

 

Golf & Greenkeeping

59club Service Excellence Awards

Golf Operations Team of the Year Award (2021)

Greenkeeper of the Year Award – Scott Fenwick, Director of Agronomy, and Craig Haldane, Golf Courses Manager (2020)

 

Leadership

The Walpole Power List

The 50 most influential people in British Luxury Brands – Conor O’Leary, Managing Director (2020)

 

Housekeeping

Hotel Housekeeping Honours Awards

Highly Commended Award – Michal Vilcinsky, Housekeeping Supervisor (2020)

 

Reception

AICR

UK Receptionist of the Year – Katharina Strasser, Guest Experience Co-ordinator (2020)

Members' News - Golf Operations

Illustration of a Gleneagles golf buggy

An update from David Blackadder, Golf Operations Manager

Summertime and golf are in full swing! It’s been a welcoming sight to witness the increased volume of returning guests to the estate from members, hotel residents, visitors and Glenmor alike. All three courses have been well played this summer and with the great weather, browning of the surfaces, everyone has thoroughly enjoyed their experience.

As we look to the year ahead, as at the time of writing, we will have just experienced Gleneagles’ hosting the 2022 Rolex British Senior Open where the greats of yester year have taken on the might of The King’s Course. Another point in history for Gleneagles in hosting the worlds best professional events and one we can’t wait for!

Best wishes

David

Members' News - Golf Academy

An update from Matthew Reid, PGA National Golf Academy Manager

It was fantastic to see The Open back on our screens after a long 2 year wait and what a truly incredible ball striking display from Collin Morikawa on what was a firm and fast Royal St. Georges. It certainly showed the importance of approach play, the likes we have not seen since a certain Mr. Woods back in in his prime.

The team and I at the PGA National Golf Academy were watching him closely and analysing why he is so successful. We might not have you winning the next major but would love to help you emulate his iron accuracy by hitting the perfect numbers on Trackman!

The team are all working hard in these challenging times with our newest assistant, Athol, fitting into the team effortlessly. He is moving into his second year of the PGA training and learning every step of the way. On a more sombre note, we are saying goodbye to Cairn after nearly 2 and half years as an Academy team member, as he is moving on to pursue a career in P.E. teaching. His calming and endearing personality will be missed by the team and membership, but we wish him all the best in his future endeavors! If you get a chance then do come in to see him before his last day on Thursday 13th August.

As Cairn moves on it opens an opportunity for another PGA trainee to join and I will keep you updated on any progress as we grow the team.

In July we had our first of six love.golf sessions, with fourteen lady golfers attending. It’s the exact energy and enthusiasm we love at The Academy with great progress being shown!

We have a number of fitting days coming up, with the Taylormade and Scotty Cameron so please speak to any of the team for more information on how to book.

Our main challenge at the moment remains the extended lead times for custom clubs. Be sure to check with the team to get the most up-to-date detail as we are now receiving daily updates from the manufacturers.

Remember that we are always here to help with your game – should you need – just let any of the team know and we can schedule a session accordingly.

Hopefully this fantastic weather continues and I hope to see you working on your game.

Best wishes

Matthew

Members' News - Food & Drink

Members' News - Retail

Find out more from Alyson Lilley, Golf Retail Manager

Although we still have a few months of summer ahead our retail lines start to look ahead to the autumn and winter months – start planning your wardrobe now!

Glenmuir

Be prepared, no matter the conditions:

Our men’s and ladies golf outerwear and midlayers are packed with fabric technology to keep you dry, warm and ready to play. The well-prepared golfer will have a good range of golf waterproofs and windproofs to hand. From thick padded golf jackets to thermal gilets, lightweight, quiet showerproof and windproof windshirts to lined sweaters for men and ladies, we cover all golfers – and all eventualities – on the golf course.

Clever, inside and out
Glenmuir’s golf jackets, lined sweaters and midlayers are constructed from a range of performance fabrics and natural materials with special treatments to help the golfer ignore sudden showers, winds and cold climates. With Storm Bloc protection, Teflon DWR, Scotchgard and nano-technology treatments, heat recirculating fleeces and thermally efficient down padding, these stretchable, non-restricting pieces of golfing outerwear and midlayers keep you game-ready.

J Lindeberg

Mens Tour Tech Print Polo Shirt – The Tour Tech polo is a bestselling polo, and for good reason. Now in a new seasonal print for autumn and winter 21, sewn from a premium technical stretch TX Jersey™ fabric, it provides moisture management and an extra soft feel that will make it your favourite round after round. Features an embroidered logo on the left collar, sleeve and upper back and our Gleneagles crest on the left chest.

Mens Logo Hoodie – A versatile mens mid-layer, that offers subtle style on the course or at home. The hoodie can be worn as an effective part of the layering system for golf and skiing, or away from the course or slopes. Experience the comfort of the revolutionary Tech Sweat™, a spacer fabric that provides warmth and softness. Finished with zipped pockets, J.Lindeberg branding and our Gleneagles crest on the left chest.

Members' News - Gardens

Find out more from Duncan Clephane, Head Gardener, about all that’s happening around the grounds

I’m delighted that the entire Gardens team have now joined forces with our Golf Maintenance creating a one team environment. We’ve now relocated to The Bothy to be part of a much bigger team, allowing us to work more closely together and to share ideas.

As with the golf courses, looking after our vast estate is a year round job and we really see the fruits of our labour as we move from spring into summer and the whole estate comes to life with colour.

No where is that more true than in our Kitchen Garden which opened during the spring of 2018. We’re currently working hard on the planting scheme in the raised beds and you can now see the improvements as we start to incorporate botanical plants which are being used to create the essential oils used in our new Spa treatments.

You’ll also see we’re developing a Little Garden for our wee guests to enjoy during the season, from planting vegetables to learning more about the bugs and wildlife that appear in and around the garden!

If you get the chance do pop in to the Kitchen Garden and take a look around.

Happy gardening!

Duncan

Members' News - Agronomy

A view of the Gleneagles golf courses on an autumnal day with the Ochil Hills in the background

Hear from Craig Haldane, Golf Courses Manager

As turf managers you will seldom hear any of us be absolutely delighted with the weather or current conditions, it’s just one of those things where it could always be better! That said, we also need to remind ourselves potentially of where we have come from and very importantly, what the journey is we are on as this provides some clarity and understanding not only for us and our teams, but to the wider membership when communicated the right way.

Moving forward this season, expect to see a lot more video content from the team as we share with you some of the daily practices we do, to get the courses set up and ready ahead of play. Our aim always, is to create great playing surfaces with minimal disruption to you and without being around you during your round. At times, we do need to get on with certain activities and the team work hard to ensure we are not interrupting your round.

Rough management has been a key pillar for us. I speak of the journey we are all on and when I say we, I mean you as a membership as well. No one likes to be in the thick stuff searching for balls when you are only just off the maintained semi rough and to this extent, we do a lot of work to thin out these areas.

A key practice happens in the late Autumn when we mow and collect the rough using a tractor drawn unit called the Super 500. It cuts and collects in one operation, and we do this to collect the seed that would usually just be spread again through the rough, and also to remove any surplus nutrition that is in the plant. If we cut and left the rough, it would create a lot of issues. By minimising the nutritional input, it discourages the wrong grasses from wanting to survive and encourages our finer grasses to prosper, ones that need a lot less input and are therefor thinner overall. It also encourages our natural wildflowers to blossom creating a beautiful contrast to the manicured fairways. It takes time and consistency in our practices to get the results we desire.

We are three years into the process on The Queen’s and are just starting the practices on The King’s in an aggressive manner to get ahead of the curve and ensure we are consistent across all our courses.

Amanda Dorans joined the team recently. Amanda is our Sustainability Coordinator and has a wealth of knowledge and experience in her field. She has a passion for our environment and for nature, with a key focus on ensuring we are doing everything we can on site, to protect the environment and be stewards in all that we do.

This includes our social responsibility, and we are really excited to build on the solid foundation that has been created over the years. Amanda will be leading our course walks where, along with some of our colleagues, she will share with you some of the wonderful stories, nuances, and experiences you should be looking out for when you play our beautiful courses. Keep an eye out for more details as we would love to welcome you on these inclusive walks to learn and enjoy all that our estate has to offer!

We have had an incredibly dry start to the year. July in particular reminds me of the summer of 2018 when I started at Gleneagles. I was told it was unlikely I would experience a summer like that again yet here we are at the glorious playground enjoying glorious sunshine day in and day out!

It’s not often we get to dry our courses out so I am grateful for the opportunity. Yes, it creates certain stresses to the plant however, the King’s and Queen’s were designed to be played firm and fast and that is exactly what we are experiencing. We will need to go back and overseed some of the weaker areas that have really struggled, but this is done with minimal disruption and we will rope off any areas that do need protecting, so thank you in advance for supporting the recovery when we do go ahead with these works in August.

Finally, our 13th Heather Project on The Queen’s! Patience is key when it comes to heather establishment, it simply takes a lot of time. We need to be more proactive in pushing things along as well and we recognise that at times the area has not looked as tidy as it should. We have now made a collective decision to keep the areas mown down and will be topping off this area monthly. We will also be introducing some more sand throughout the area to help with drying it all out and will be overseeding with some fescue in and around the bed and continue to spray out the unwanted grasses coming through.

The next time you tee off the 4th of The Queen’s, look to the right as you start on the fairway. There is a healthy area of heather there that has come on significantly over the past three years. This is due to the rough management practices in place. Our aim is to get the 13th to this level in the next two seasons. Our ask is simply this, to minimize any traffic from entering the 13th heather area. We will rope this off neatly and request that you refrain from walking through this area at all times. It will be a great help to us all!

Enjoy the remainder of summer and we look forward to seeing you out on the golf courses. As always, expect a friendly wave from our team and our sincere thanks and appreciation for being part of our journey during the years ahead. Collectively we can and will communicate more often but as always, you are welcome to visit us at The Bothy or drop me an email with any concerns or feedback.

Craig

Executive Sous Chef - Ian Syme

Chef Ian Syme

I’m one of two Executive Sous Chefs at Gleneagles, supporting the Executive Chef, Simon Attridge, in overseeing the whole culinary operation across the estate.

 

We have nine bars and restaurants, so working across the different kitchens at the hotel offers amazing exposure to various culinary traditions and styles of cuisine.  Each kitchen has its own unique personality and individual pace.  One day I could be managing breakfast service, pasta and the grill in the Birnam Brasserie, or Tandoor in the Dormy, and the next I could be covering fine dining in the Strathearn, so no two days are the same and you’re continually sharpening your skills in so many different types of cooking.

We also have regular outdoor pop-up events and restaurants in our gardens, such as our Seafood Bar, our Indian Street Food Festival and our Gamekeeper’s Hut, as well as an enormous private dining operation which amounts to 150,000 covers annually, spread across almost 1000 events.  These events range in scale from small group meetings, to conferences for 450 delegates.  Whether you’re creating a luxury picnic hamper for two or a show-stopping wedding breakfast for 200, private dining is a huge learning curve for any chef and an unmissable opportunity to develop skills in pace-setting, planning and man-management.

I love working at Gleneagles because of that diversity and the scope to develop your experience; on every single shift you’re learning and developing as a professional. We’re a really international team too, so I enjoy working with chefs from around the world and learning from their styles and approaches to food. I can’t think of a more supportive, inspiring, exciting or diverse training ground for any chef – if you develop your career here, you’ll build the skills and generate opportunities to go anywhere you want to in the world.

As a team we’re constantly supporting each other to perform at the highest level – it’s an inspiring environment. We’re creating, innovating and experimenting every day and all our chefs, regardless of their career stage, are empowered to do that.  Simon, our Executive Chef, actively encourages it and has created an open, supportive and creative environment for chefs to flourish.

Aside from having a world-class culinary operation, Gleneagles is also outstanding at everything it does. From our golf courses and country pursuits to our wellness offering and accommodation, every single element here is best in class and you’re surrounded by colleagues – fishing instructors, golf pros, equestrian grooms, guest service professionals – who are the best in the industry. There’s nowhere else in the world like it.  The skills you acquire and the opportunities for professional development you encounter when you’re a part of a team like that are unparalleled.

Executive Pastry Chef - Phil Skinazi

Pastrychef Phil Skinazi chopping strawberries

I joined Gleneagles in 2017 after spending 17 years mastering the art of pastry in London, including tenures at The Mandarin Oriental and The Savoy, but as a native Scot it felt good to come back home to where my passion began.

 

 

When I was a teenager, I got a job as a Kitchen Porter and loved the kitchen buzz straight away.  I used to watch the chefs with fascination and, after being promoted to junior chef, I knew I’d found my calling.  I didn’t like the constant heat, though, so the nice cool pastry kitchen offered me the best of both worlds.

The pastry team at Gleneagles is fun, passionate, creative and high-energy.  We’re a melting pot of different personalities with our own unique styles, creative influences and aspirations but we share a passion for excellence and we encourage each other to achieve our very best on every shift.

We’ve got a really supportive, inclusive, and collaborative team dynamic, where everyone – regardless of their role or experience – is valued for their individual strengths and encouraged to express their personality and creative ideas.  “Mistakes” are not seen as errors at all, but rather as fantastic learning opportunities for the whole team.  Whether it’s a mousse that’s split, a cake that’s not risen properly, or a ganache that hasn’t set, we identify what’s happened and find a solution – so we’re all learning together every single day.

I like to push the boundaries of what’s possible in pastry, and I encourage that innovative attitude in my team.  No great gastronomic masterpiece can come to existence without trial and error.  So I tell my team, especially at the start of their career, that they must let go of fears of making “mistakes” and instead look forward to learning and growing as chefs.

We’re continually evolving our menus, so the opportunity for developing new concepts is unlimited.  I might provide a brief – for instance, asking one of the pastry sections to come up with a new dish that is summery and fresh, or rich and festive – and tell them to come back to me with ideas.  We’ll then produce those items to taste and tweak and review them as a team, until we have something really special.

As a junior chef 20 years ago, I remember working in kitchens where you’d be fighting over whisks, spatulas and containers, because all the restaurant’s investment was on the customer-facing part of the business.   At Gleneagles, the back-of-house areas receive continual investment, so you’ve got everything you need to succeed in your job.  The diversity and scope for professional development across our nine culinary outlets is also second to none.  Where there’s a desire to build skills and experience in other areas, we actively encourage our chefs to spend time working within different kitchens in the hotel to expand their repertoire.

Executive Chef - Simon Attridge

Chef Simon Attridge teaches a younger chef at Gleneagles

Before being appointed in 2017 to lead the kitchen team at Gleneagles, I held senior positions at the Shangri-La Hotels group, as well as head chef roles at the Michelin-starred Drakes on the Pond and Heston Blumenthal’s Riverside Brasserie.

The move from London up to rural Perthshire was one I was eager to make. As soon as I arrived at the gates, I knew I wanted to work here, join an amazing team, and be a part of this iconic brand.

The breadth of the culinary offering at Gleneagles is among the largest and most diverse in the world, and for chefs at any career level it offers unparalleled development opportunities.

Over the past five years, the hotel’s been transformed with the largest investment programme in its 100-year history and it’s been incredibly exciting for our culinary team to be a part of that journey.

We’ve relaunched our iconic fine dining restaurant, The Strathearn, as well as our clubhouse restaurant, The Dormy; we’ve created a new café, a new brasserie, an afternoon tea lounge; and we’ve launched three new bars, all of which have their own culinary identities and styles.

What I’m most proud of is building a diverse team to deliver consistently across all these outlets, so that regardless of where our guests dine – and whether they’re enjoying breakfast, a simple sandwich or salad, a curry or a pizza, or a decadent three-course dinner – the dining experience they have is best in class.

As well as transforming front-of-house spaces, all back-of-house areas in the hotel – including our kitchens – have received significant investment.  From cutting edge equipment to the installation of a new pastry kitchen, all our culinary workspaces are industry-leading.

Additionally, we’ve evolved our private dining offering by creating a range of beautiful new event spaces and experiences in the hotel, including a chef’s table at our open kitchen, where we recently launched an innovative guest chef collaboration programme, The Strathearn Series.  This sees us inviting established and aspiring culinary stars from around the UK to host one-off dining experiences throughout the year.

We’re also surrounded by some of the most breath-taking scenery in the world, which lends itself perfectly to unique culinary experiences.  If someone wants a picnic on the golf course, a sumptuous loch-side lunch while they’re fishing, or a candlelit supper in a stone bothy on top of a mountain, those are requests we relish. That’s the beauty of Gleneagles – everything is managed in-house. I can’t think of many other properties in the world that have this scale or scope of culinary offering.

For a chef, the best thing about this part of the world is the vast natural larder of outstanding regional produce.  We change our menus regularly, to reflect the shifting seasons and make the most of these incredible ingredients at the right time.  Our langoustines are creel-caught on the west coast of Scotland and delivered daily to the estate. Our wild venison comes from deer that have roamed freely across Scotland’s glens and mountains. Our berries are handpicked from a farm just a couple of miles away, and our wagyu beef comes from cattle grazing in a field just a stone’s throw from the hotel.

We’re lucky to have ingredients with such an enviable provenance – the fields, woods, mountains and waters around here are a cook’s paradise.  We have access to some of the finest and freshest seasonal produce in the world, and that makes me and the team – and in turn our guests – very happy.

Wild Wellness

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Sheep in a field with trees and Glendevon in the background near Gleneagles
The Gleneagles Hotel exterior through trees
A man looks down a valley near Gleneagles
Two hikers on a snow-capped Ben Vorlich near Gleneagles

Make the most of the natural landscape surrounding Gleneagles with our take on Wild Wellness – a mindful and restorative nature-based wellness programme.

Guided by the principle that exposure to nature has significant physical and mental health benefits, the two-night and three-day retreat invites you to reconnect with the natural rhythm of the dramatic Scottish landscape, to nurture mind, body and soul.

Day 1 –  BREATHING IN THE WILDERNESS

Your Wild Wellness journey will commence with an introduction to pranayama breathing, known for its power to soothe and revitalise a tired body.

An immersive Nature Walk on the estate will follow with guests given the chance to track and observe local wildlife along the way. For those looking to push their boundaries, the walk culminates with the ancient Japanese ritual of waterfall bathing.

After dinner in The Strathearn, guests will be whisked away for an evening of stargazing – with al-fresco digestifs to reflect on the day’s adventure.

Day 2 – A MINDFUL MORNING IN THE MOUNTAINS

The world famous Gleneagles breakfast provides the ultimate fuel for the full day’s expedition that awaits – summiting the magnificent Ben Vorlich,  3,000 ft above sea level,  which provides the most dramatic backdrop to Loch Earn.  Regarded as the Gateway to the Highlands, guests will take in spectacular views, before stopping off for a scenic picnic lunch. Back at the hotel,  guests will retreat to the award-winning spa for a well-earned aromatherapy massage to help soothe tired limbs.

Day 3 – EMBRACING NATURAL PURSUITS

The Wild Wellness programme will culminate with a morning of fishing, foraging and forest bathing. Guests will take time to breathe, relax and enjoy an introduction to seasonal foraging – be that edible or medicinal –  and learning about the wild and wonderful flavours in Scotland’s natural larder.

Take a tranquil boat ride on the loch, before enjoying an introduction to the graceful and rhythmic art of fly fishing. The retreat concludes with a Forest Bathing session in Torlum Wood, allowing guests to slow down and completely immerse themselves in the tranquil atmosphere .

Guests will depart Gleneagles focussed and restored, with a newfound sense of inner calm, and with newly learnt holistic practices to better equip them to handle the stresses of everyday life.

DETAILS & PRICING

Wild Wellness at Gleneagles will run on selected dates from November 2020 to March 2021. Rates for the package start from £3,280 including VAT and breakfast in October, and from £3,100 from November to March, based on two people sharing a Manor Room for two nights.

Single occupancy rates start from £2,880 including VAT and breakfast in October, and from £2,700 from November to March, staying in a Manor Room for two nights.

Own a Pony

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A young girl and boy are shown how to tack up a pony by a riding instructor

DESCRIPTION

Ever wanted to have your own pony; to groom it, ride it and look after it? Well, for groups of four you can spend two hours learning to do this under expert supervision and make a new lifelong friend.

DETAILS

£130 per child, ages 6 years and older.

Minimum of four children required for activity to go ahead so booking is essential.

Prices exclude 12.5% discretionary service charge.

The Glen Stable Experience

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DESCRIPTION

A guided tour of the stables with one of our knowledgeable grooms, meet all of our horses and ponies, learn what they like to eat, how they sleep and who their friends are.  Get a look inside our beautiful tack room and finish off your tour learning how to groom one of the Shetland ponies, Hettie and Chelsea. There is no riding involved in this experience so it’s a great way to introduce family members to horses and ponies.

Duration & pricing

£45 per person for 45 minutes

Children under the age of 14 must be accompanied by a paying adult.

Prices exclude 12.5% discretionary service charge.

Own a Pony

Enquire Now
A young girl and boy are shown how to tack up a pony by a riding instructor

DESCRIPTION

Ever wanted to have your own pony; to groom it, ride it and look after it? Well, for groups of four you can spend two hours learning to do this under expert supervision and make a new lifelong friend.

DETAILS

£130 per child, ages 6 years and older.

Minimum of four children required for activity to go ahead so booking is essential.

Prices exclude 12.5% discretionary service charge.

The Glen Stable Experience

Enquire Now

DESCRIPTION

A guided tour of the stables with one of our knowledgeable grooms, meet all of our horses and ponies, learn what they like to eat, how they sleep and who their friends are.  Get a look inside our beautiful tack room and finish off your tour learning how to groom one of the Shetland ponies, Hettie and Chelsea. There is no riding involved in this experience so it’s a great way to introduce family members to horses and ponies.

Duration & pricing

£45 per person for 45 minutes

Children under the age of 14 must be accompanied by a paying adult.

Prices exclude 12.5% discretionary service charge.

Countryside Walk

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A lone horse rider riding away from camera on a trail at sunset

DESCRIPTION

At Gleneagles, the surrounding heather-clad mountains form a perfect backdrop for beginner or novice riders to explore the countryside on horseback with an experienced equestrian coach guiding you on foot.

This 45 minute experience is £125 per person and is suitable for 4 years and over.

This can be booked as a private experience, or shared with up to 4 riders in total.

Availability

Available April – October weather permitting

EXTRA DETAILS

Aged 4 and over and suitable for novice or beginners.

Prices exclude 12.5% discretionary service charge.

Hacking

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A lone horse rider riding away from camera on a trail at sunset

DESCRIPTION

At Gleneagles, the surrounding heather-clad mountains form a perfect backdrop for a relaxing ride in the beautiful Perthshire countryside.

After an assessment to match you with your perfect mount, set off with your friendly guide on a 90 minute hack around our own land.

Availability

Available April – October weather permitting

EXTRA DETAILS

Aged 14 and over. Experienced riders only and the rider must be confident galloping across open fields.

Price includes 15 minute assessment – per person (90 mins)

Prices exclude 12.5% discretionary service charge.

Cross Country Lesson

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A rider on horseback in front of a setting sun

DESCRIPTION

For our experienced and adrenaline seeking guests who are jumping show jumps competently, you may want to experience the thrill of riding cross country: speed, power and fixed fences!

We have over 60 cross-country fences ranging from 20cm high to over 1m and a variety of horses to introduce you to this discipline, or improve your skills.

PRICE & EXTRA DETAILS

£165 per person for a 90 minute lesson.

This is a private lesson with one of our senior coaches.

For competent riders aged  14 years and over only who are confident show jumping 80cm before tackling our cross country course.

Prices exclude 12.5% discretionary service charge.

Countryside Walk

Enquire Now
A lone horse rider riding away from camera on a trail at sunset

DESCRIPTION

At Gleneagles, the surrounding heather-clad mountains form a perfect backdrop for beginner or novice riders to explore the countryside on horseback with an experienced equestrian coach guiding you on foot.

This 45 minute experience is £125 per person and is suitable for 4 years and over.

This can be booked as a private experience, or shared with up to 4 riders in total.

Availability

Available April – October weather permitting

EXTRA DETAILS

Aged 4 and over and suitable for novice or beginners.

Prices exclude 12.5% discretionary service charge.

Hacking

Enquire Now
A lone horse rider riding away from camera on a trail at sunset

DESCRIPTION

At Gleneagles, the surrounding heather-clad mountains form a perfect backdrop for a relaxing ride in the beautiful Perthshire countryside.

After an assessment to match you with your perfect mount, set off with your friendly guide on a 90 minute hack around our own land.

Availability

Available April – October weather permitting

EXTRA DETAILS

Aged 14 and over. Experienced riders only and the rider must be confident galloping across open fields.

Price includes 15 minute assessment – per person (90 mins)

Prices exclude 12.5% discretionary service charge.

Cross Country Lesson

Enquire Now
A rider on horseback in front of a setting sun

DESCRIPTION

For our experienced and adrenaline seeking guests who are jumping show jumps competently, you may want to experience the thrill of riding cross country: speed, power and fixed fences!

We have over 60 cross-country fences ranging from 20cm high to over 1m and a variety of horses to introduce you to this discipline, or improve your skills.

PRICE & EXTRA DETAILS

£165 per person for a 90 minute lesson.

This is a private lesson with one of our senior coaches.

For competent riders aged  14 years and over only who are confident show jumping 80cm before tackling our cross country course.

Prices exclude 12.5% discretionary service charge.

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