Dunkeld’s pride in hotel upgrade
Tea cheers with top pastry chef Helen
This weekend sees the relaunch of an iconic four-star Highland Perthshire hotel, making it the new pride of Dunkeld.
Over the last year Dunkeld House Hotel has been undergoing a multimillion pound renovation, having been sold by the Hilton chain and made into a lavish independent destination revelling in its country location.
To welcome the public of Perthshire to the newly finished leisure, business and conference accommodation, Dunkeld House Hotel is hosting a celebrity afternoon tea tomorrow and Sunday, showcasing the newlybuilt, glass-sided Riverside Restaurant overlooking the Tay.
At the helm will be the 2016 winner of the Bake Off spin-off show Crème de la Crème, Helen Vass.
Professional pastry chef Helen, from Number 16 in Glasgow’s West End, won the BBC 2 show hosted by Tom Kerridge with an incredible all chocolate show-stopper.
Before Crème de la Crème shot her to fame, she spent time working at Gleneagles but, for this weekend, she will be working with the Dunkeld House Hotel kitchen team to offer an exclusive afternoon tea experience, for £35 per person. Guests get a glass of prosecco, delicious sweet treats and
Helen Vass, winner of BBC2’s 2016 Creme de la Creme professional chef’s cookery show a relaxing in-house pianist.
Since last May, impressive upgrades costing close to £3m have been made to refresh every aspect of the hotel.
The first thing to notice is the arrival for guests is different, with a magnificent bronze stag guarding the entrance around a heather-heaped turning circle.
What was the main entrance is now an arrival point for staff to take luggage. Visitors in future will come in through the original 1900 entrance doorway, with the sound of the river at their back.
They check in at reception which has been moved to the base of the main staircase.
The hotel’s main public rooms are sophisticated and grand, each given highly-individual designer treatment with bold colours and luxurious fabrics and a greater emphasis on spacious elegance.
Deer antler light fittings and horn coat hooks remind guests they are luxuriously based in sporting country.
An improved selection of private meeting rooms, bold bedroom corridors, new windows and classic iron radiators are some of the Dunkeld House Hotel improvements.
Bedrooms are efficient and comfortable without being overly corporate. They have been decorated to appeal to leisure as well as business clients and guests have access to the spa, fishing, 4x4 driving and clay pigeon shooting, all run by professionals.
“This property was screaming out for investment,” said owner Arnold Schnegg.
He continued: “My aim was to make this the best four star country house hotel outside Edinburgh. I think we have succeeded in bringing it up to a fantastic standard.”
The new start has brought changes, with a vastly extended marble-topped bar, better suited for serving the hotel’s 200 guests.
An iron-gated wine cellar is a feature of the refurbished dining room and sunlight enters the Victorian building through the new Riverside Restaurant’s modern glass extension.
Bookings for this weekend’s invitation to afternoon tea with Helen Vass are being taken, spaces are limited and cost £35 per person. Call 01350 727771 to book. Dunkeld House Hotel