Hotel is best in Scotland
Owner Lesley‘thrilled to bits’to win
A top Perthshire hotel has won the hotel of the year prize at an industry awards bash.
The 400-year-old East Haugh House Hotel in the Highland Perthshire hamlet of Ballyoukan, near Pitlochry, won the top prize at the annual Prestige Hotel Awards, held in Glasgow on February 18.
However, there were a number of other big Perthshire names taking away national prizes on the evening.
Knock Castle in Crieff won best hotel restaurant of the year, and Fonab Castle in Pitlochry won best spa hotel of the year.
There was also a nod to Dunalastair House Hotel in Pitlochry, which came runner-up in the best country hotel category.
Lesley McGown, the owner of East Haugh House Hotel said she was “thrilled to bits” when it was announced they had won the prestigious award.
She added: “It was amazing. We have been in business for 30 years now as a private independent hotel and it is just incredible for an independent hotel to win, because it tends to be the big boys who win.
“This is brilliant for small independent hotels, we are absolutely chuffed.”
Lesley said she believes their family-run business topped the hotel charts at the awards bash because of their strong reputation for food and excellent staff. She said: “We have always had a huge reputation for our food. We have a fantastic team and the head chef here is brilliant.
“There is such a personal service as well. We always strive to have good staff and good training, and both of
East Haugh House Hotel won hotel of the year our daughters are involved in the business. People feel like they are coming into a home from home, they feel like it is there own place.”
Lesley hopes this latest award will boost the region’s tourism, as so many hotels in Perthshire took home prizes on the night.
She continued: “It was fantastic for Pitlochry to get two awards - Fonab Castle also won best spa hotel, which is a great accolade. When we first came to Pitlochry 30 years ago there was nothing, but now it is just jumping all year round.
“This is fantastic for the area, and just amazing for other Perthshire hotels to also win awards. But we are thrilled to bits to have won best hotel of the year.”
Warren Paul, CEO of Prestige Hotel Events, added: “The hotel industry is thriving in Scotland and deserves recognition.”
Fonab Castle in Pitlochry picked up spa hotel of the year