Gleneagles Hotel facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Gleneagles Hotel |
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Gleneagles Hotel and grounds
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| General information | |
| Status | Complete |
| Type | Hotel |
| Architectural style | Georgian |
| Address | Auchterarder Perthshire PH3 1NF |
| Country | Scotland |
| Coordinates | 56°17′09″N 3°44′51″W / 56.28583°N 3.74750°W |
| Construction started | 1913 (paused 1914 – 1922) |
| Completed | 1924 |
| Opened | 7 June 1924 |
| Owner | Ennismore |
| Technical details | |
| Floor count | 3-storey with attics |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | Matthew Adam |
| Architecture firm | Caledonian Railway Divisional Engineer |
| Developer | Caledonian Railway |
| Other designers | Charles W. Swanson (interior designer) |
| Other information | |
| Number of rooms | 232 |
| Number of restaurants | 6 (The Strathearn; Andrew Fairlie; Birnam Brasserie; The Dormy; Glendevon; Garden Cafe) |
| Number of bars | 4 (Auchterader 70; The Century Bar; The American Bar; Inglenook) |
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Listed Building – Category B
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| Official name | Gleneagles Hotel |
| Designated | 8 April 1980 |
| Reference no. | LB4570 |
The 9th hole on Kings Course at Gleneagles
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| Location | Auchterarder, Scotland, UK |
| Established | 1924 |
| Type | Private |
| Owned by | Ennismore |
| Total holes | 63 |
| Tournaments hosted | Ryder Cup, Johnnie Walker Championship |
| King's Course | |
| Designed by | James Braid |
| Par | 71 |
| Length | 6,790 yards |
| Queen's Course | |
| Designed by | James Braid |
| Par | 68 |
| Length | 5,965 yards |
| PGA Centenary Course | |
| Designed by | Jack Nicklaus |
| Par | 73 |
| Length | 7,320 yards |
| Wee Course (9 holes) | |
| Designed by | George Alexander |
| Par | 27 |
| Length | 1481 yards |
The Gleneagles Hotel is a famous hotel located near Auchterarder, Scotland. It was built by the Caledonian Railway company and first opened its doors in 1924. This grand hotel is known for its three top-level golf courses.
During World War II, the hotel was used as a military hospital. Later, it was updated and hosted the 40th Ryder Cup golf tournament in 2014. Gleneagles has also been the location for important international meetings, like the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting 1977 and the 31st G8 summit in 2005. It is recognized as a special historic building.
Contents
The Hotel's Story: A Look Back at Gleneagles
How Gleneagles Hotel Began
The idea for Gleneagles Hotel came from the Caledonian Railway (CR) company. They also built the nearby Gleneagles railway station. Building started in 1913, but it paused during World War I.
The hotel finally opened in 1924. By then, the Caledonian Railway had joined with another company, the London, Midland and Scottish Railway (LMS). The hotel even had its own special railway line!
Music and Radio History
A popular bandleader named Henry Hall helped choose the pianos and organize the music for the hotel. He thought that radio broadcasts would be a great way to tell people about the new hotel.
So, his band moved to Gleneagles. On June 7, 1924, the hotel's opening night was celebrated with Scotland's very first live radio broadcast from outside a studio.
Gleneagles During Wartime
Like many large country hotels, Gleneagles was turned into a hospital during World War II. It was called Gleneagles Hospital. After the war, in 1948, the hotel's ownership changed from the railway company to a government group.
Changes in Ownership and Updates
In 1980, Gleneagles Hotel was officially recognized as a historic building. In 1981, it was sold to a private company. Then, in 1984, it became part of a company that owned Bell's whisky. Later, it was owned by Guinness and then Diageo.
Between 1982 and 1986, over £11 million was spent to make the hotel even better. Since 1982, the hotel has been open all year round. From 1986 onwards, it has earned five red stars from the AA, which is a top award for hotels. In 2015, the hotel was sold to a company called Ennismore.
The hotel was also updated before it hosted the 40th Ryder Cup golf tournament in 2014.
What Can You Do at Gleneagles?
Golf Courses at Gleneagles
Gleneagles is famous for its golf. It has three main golf courses:
- The King's Course
- The Queen's Course
- The PGA Centenary Course (which used to be called the Monarch's Course)
There is also a smaller nine-hole course called the Wee Course. The Gleneagles Golf Academy opened in 1994. It was later renamed The PGA National Academy for Scotland. The PGA Centenary Course was designed by the famous golfer Jack Nicklaus. He said it was "the finest parcel of land in the world I have ever been given to work with."
Major Golf Tournaments Hosted Here
Gleneagles has hosted many important golf tournaments, including:
- The Curtis Cup in 1936
- The Women's British Open in 1957
- The Scottish Open from 1987 to 1994
- The Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles from 1999 to 2013
- The 40th Ryder Cup Matches in 2014
- The Solheim Cup and Junior Solheim Cup in 2019
- The Senior Open Championship in 2022
Other Fun Activities
Since 1992, the British School of Falconry has been located at Gleneagles. Here, you can learn about and experience working with birds of prey. There are also holiday homes called Glenmor within the hotel grounds.
Important Meetings at Gleneagles
Gleneagles Hotel has been chosen for several very important international meetings:
- Gleneagles Agreement (1977): This agreement was made during a meeting of leaders from Commonwealth countries. It was about limiting sports contacts with South Africa because of its apartheid policies at the time.
- Bilderberg Group Meeting (1986): This is a private meeting where important people from different countries discuss global issues.
- 31st G8 summit (2005): The G8 summit was a meeting of leaders from eight of the world's largest economies. At this meeting, the G8+5 group was formed, which included five major developing countries.
Awards and Recognition
Gleneagles Hotel has won many awards for being an excellent place to stay and play golf:
- It has received 5 Red AA Stars every year since 1986. This is a very high rating for hotels.
- It was named the "Best Hotel in the World for Facilities" by Conde Nast Gold List in 2009.
- It has been recognized as "Scotland's leading resort" at the World Travel Awards.
- It won "Best Golf Resort in the World" multiple times (2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, and 2017) from Ultratravel Magazine.
- It was named "Scotland's Best Hotel" by Today's Golfer Travel Awards many times (2014, 2015, 2016, and 2017).
Images for kids
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The 9th hole on Kings Course at Gleneagles
See also
- Golf in Scotland
- Gleneagles, Scotland
- List of G8 summit resorts
- Emergency Hospital Service
