Historic hotel to close for £2m refurbishment

New owners’ pledge to add modern upgrade to Victorian splendour

One of Highland Perthshire’s leading hotels will not reopen until Spring 2021, bosses have confirmed.

Scotland’s Spa Hotel on Bonnethill Road in Pitlochry will stay locked up until next year.

With hotels across the UK expecting fewer international tourists than usual, the three-star establishment will be completing major renovations behind closed doors.

Last year, the hotel was sold to Irish hotelier group Castle Collection for a fee believed to be around £2.5 million.

The new owners pledged to invest a further £2m renovating the site in a bid to add a modern twist to complement the hotel’s existing Victorian style.

Castle Collection is run by the

MacCumhaill family, who also own Fishers Hotel and Atholl Palace in Pitlochry.

Management say while most staff will be moved to Fishers, there will be plenty of opportunity for employees at Scotland’s Spa at both the company’s neighbouring hotels.

Refurbishment work has commenced and bosses now plan to upgrade all 80 bedrooms. Management will build a brand new restaurant, open to residents and non-residents, that will have views into the kitchen.

Also in the blueprints are a modern conference room with two bedrooms, a built-in space which can be used as a hallway and the hotel residents’ bar. More family accommodation is also planned.

A spokesperson for the hotel said:

“We are sorry to announce temporary closure of Scotland’s Hotel until spring 2021.

“A big part of this decision is based on what customers told us last year, that we should close the hotel when doing so much refurbishment work.

“We have huge plans over the next eight months to transform Scotland’s the Spa

Spa into Pitlochry’s premier modern hotel. This year, we enter phase two of our plan.

“For guests who have bookings with us, we will be in touch and offer you the choice to move your booking to Fishers Hotel or you can cancel your booking.

“We can’t wait to open our doors.”

Picture: Steve MacDougall Scotland’s Spa Hotel in Pitlochry, which is due to close for eight months during a refurbishment.