Planners back Gleneagles hotel for Edinburgh
0 An artist’s impression shows the rooftop terrace planned for the hotel which would be located on St Andrew Square A slice of historic Gleneagles will be landing in Edinburgh as plans for a high-end hotel are set to be approved by councillors.
Ennismore, owner of the famous Perthshire estate, will take over two empty premises at St Andrew Square to open the 33-bedroom Gleneagles Hotel.
A bronze rear extension called the garden pavilion will be built, as well as a new rooftop terrace for members, subject to council approval.
The former Bank of Scotland premises next to Dundas House, which closed its doors in 2016, will be transformed into Gleneagles’ new venture.
The company is also pushing forward plans for a new sister hotel in the Mayfair area of London. The projects are the first expansion in the brand’s 94-year history and were labelled a “landmark moment for the business”.
Ennismore’s vision for the Edinburgh project will provide a mix of seasonal Scottish dining, luxury hotel rooms, private meeting and event spaces along with bars that “celebrate the best of Scotland’s whisky”.
Developers hope the two sister hotels in Edinburgh and London will “allow Gleneagles to look after its already loyal guests more frequently”, as well as introduce “new global audiences” to the iconic Scottish brand.
A spokesman from Ennismore said: “We have worked hard with the council and partners to ensure that one of the city’s finest listed buildings is preserved and restored sensitively to create a fantastic new hotel and dining experience.”
The developers have also applied for permission to build a full-width recessed roof extension with an external terrace on the front section of the building, which will sit behind the building’s prominent statues. To the rear of the two properties, a modern single storey and basement structure will be built, containing bedrooms, dining and kitchen spaces.
The extension will be finished in bronze cladding panels with metal-framed windows.
Both buildings at St Andrew Square date back to the late 18th century. When the larger building was completed, it was the most prominent building on the east side of St Andrew Square until the mid 20th century.
The vision has been welcomed by council leader Adam Mcvey, who said the plans demonstrated Edinburgh’s attraction as a destination.
He said: “Gleneagles is a fantastic Scottish business and by expanding into Edinburgh they’re giving a strong vote of confidence to the hospitality market in the capital.”