Whole world in your hand
The Fairmont St Andrews has taken its high end hospitality outside, writes Kirsty Stewart
I’ ve always been a massive fan of everything Scandinavian – The Bridge, hygge, organised coffee and cake breaks at work ( fika), Abba. And now there’s even more of a reason to adopt some of the characteristics of our Nordic cousins. Covid means if you want a social life you have to get your thermals on and conduct it outside.
The Fairmont in St Andrews has got on board with this. The Lawn Bar is outdoors and weather dependent. With sanitised blankets, fire pits and gas burners plus picnic tables it’s as good as it gets for socialising outdoors in autumn in Scotland. This being a five star hotel, there's also the Links Champagne Bar, again al fresco, and subject to government guidelines so do check.
Granted the weekend we visited the Fife town with the weather kind for late October. The Sunday morning sun shone for the athletic beach volleyball players as they served, and demonstrated the dig and the spike on the West Sands, a sporting location perhaps most closely associated with Eric Liddell and Chariots of Fire. A little further along we encountered the Blown Away surf school practising their Point Break poses. From prone to professional in one move, very nearly.
You could almost forget you– know– what. It was the same in the wellappointed bedroom that was home for the night. Although there were some tweaks, by necessity.
The hotel's signature scent Labo Rose 31 perfumed the immaculate bathroom area, in which some items came with a sticker I’ve never seen before, to set your mind at ease. “Thoughtfully disinfected” adorned the stainless steel tissue box and soap tray, and in the bedroom the kettle, the phone and the alarm clock. # All Safe is another procedure employed by Accor hotels – a guarantee of elevated cleanliness protocols, words I never thought I’d type in a review of a luxury hotel but we live in strange times, a situation acknowledged by different departments of the hotel, including the kitchen.
As foreign breaks are off for most of us for the time being the Fairmont has done its best to bring exotic dining to Scotland through The Travel Series, where guests will be transported through a programme of culinary takeovers. Less around the world in 80 days and more across the globe in six courses. Each month the hotel will celebrate a different culture, showcasing a new chef with the tourism tasting project beginning in India last month with St Andrews
Bar & Grill head chef Allwyn Dias who brought the tropical cuisine of Goa to life. The Fairmont spa is even getting on board to add a sensory element to the experience: to match chef 's menu, the spa offered a special Indian Elements treatment, featuring a transportive journey with the scent of Oud. Beginning with a Himalayan salt scrub concentrating on feet and lower legs, followed by a back of body and Indian head massage, the treatment is designed to soothe aches and pains using Gotu Kola oil, transporting guests to India.
If your tastes run to more classic dining book a table at The Squire for a steak dripping in garlic and herb butter, accompanied by hand cut chips, and with a nod to your usual healthy eating diet, a side of broccoli. You couldn't eat this cave man feast every day but it works for a special treat. Sadly alcohol was off the menu so we drank ginger beer. Even if you're not a golfer, staying in a golf hotel allows you to appreciate the calming swathes of green that surround the property. The five- star Fairmont St Andrews resort boasts two championship golf courses, The Torrance and
The Kittocks, and has played host to a number of prestigious events, including the European Tour Scottish Championships, the Scottish Senior Open and is one of The Open Qualifying sites. The week after we stayed the hotel was hosting the Scottish Championship as part of the European Tour's ' UK Swing' expansion of its 2020 schedule.
The Fairmont is assisted by the undeniably American vibe to its layout which means a grand public space in the middle of the hotel, perfect for social distancing. A multi- million pound renovation has refreshed this space creating a cool contemporary feel.
The atrium features the magnificent lighting sculpture by renowned artist, George Singer, named Zephyr, which emulates shoals of fish in St Andrews Bay and the blowing reeds on the cliff tops. It's a thing of great beauty and we took a few minutes to really look at it, a moment of peace on a St Andrews weekend, free of stress.
The Fairmont has done its best to bring exotic dining to Scotland
Room rates at The Fairmont St Andrews ( www. fairmont. com/ st- andrews- scotland) start from £ 186 per night, based on two adults sharing a Fairmont King Room, with B& B included.