When a high-end hotel brand moves into the UK market for the first time, you might expect them to launch in the bright lights of London or Edinburgh.
But for Destination by Hyatt, one of the world’s most well-respected luxury hotel groups, it was the Scottish Borders, and more specifically the small town of Kelso, that was chosen as the site of significant investment.
Schloss Roxburghe formally opened this month after a multi-million-pound renovation by Düsseldorf-based investment group 12.18 (Schloss is the German term for a palace or manor house). Originally owned by the Duke of Roxburghe, who resides in the nearby Floors Castle, the hotel has been completely transformed by its new owners, now proudly holding the title of the UK’s first Destination by Hyatt hotel.
The scale of investment really is stunning. The 12,000 square foot spa, in particular, is striking– with an outdoor heated infinity swimming pool (complete with an underwater sound system) as well as sunken outdoor hot tubs. And with the benefits of cold-water therapy widely reported, on my trip to the Schloss Roxburghe I decided to brave the outdoor cold plunge pool, managing to stay in for about 30 seconds before swiftly retreating to the adjacent aromatherapy sauna.
Even the relaxation area, with floor-to-ceiling windows that look out on to the landscaped grounds, feel luxurious. Every detail has been thought through – perhaps because the annex in which the spa is contained was custom-built as an extension to the original hotel. This annex also houses 20 guestrooms and suites, as well as the upmarket Charlie’s bistro where breakfast is served.
When I found out we were staying in this section of the hotel, I wondered if the rooms would have as much character as those in the main building. I needn’t have worried. The transition from old to new is so seamless you don’t even realise you have left the main hotel – a pairing between old and new that encapsulates the entire hotel.
It’s a theme certainly seen in Charlie’s restaurant, named after both Bonnie Prince Charlie, who stayed at the property in 1745, and the current Duke of Roxburghe. I was particularly taken with the monkfish, with cider, leeks and baby onion, and the heritage beetroot served with goats curd.
Breakfast too, was decadent. I ordered eggs Benedict, but was then seduced by the sumptuous buffet (the pastries were a particular standout) and ended up with enough food to feed the five thousand, plus two separate glasses of fresh fruit juice and an iced latte.
It isn’t cheap, but you certainly won’t feel short-changed by a stay at the Schloss Roxburghe.
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