By Islam El-Sakka
Tennis champion Andy Murray and his wife Kim have completed a major renovation of their five-star country house hotel, Cromlix, near Dunblane in Stirlingshire. The Victorian mansion, set on a 34-acre estate, reopened this year with a new glass-fronted restaurant called the Garden Room and a spa outbuilding named the Woodland Retreat.
Location and setting
Cromlix sits in the countryside where Murray grew up, less than an hour's drive from both Glasgow and Edinburgh airports. The hotel retains the residential feel of its past as a laird's private home, with just 20 rooms across the estate. Guests can reach Dunblane by train from major Scottish stations and arrange private transfers through reception.
Rooms and design
The property offers six room categories, from spacious Turret Suites to cosy rooms and a self-catering Gatehouse lodge. Interiors, overseen by Kim Murray, blend floral wallpapers, vintage furniture, pastel sofas, and original features such as bay windows and high ceilings. Bathrooms include walk-in showers and roll-top baths. Complimentary minibars feature shortbread baked to the recipe of Murray's grandmother, Erskine.
Dining and facilities
The Garden Room serves locally sourced dishes including goat's cheese soufflé, crab crumpets, wild turbot, and Scottish strawberry pavlovas, using produce grown on the estate. A 16-cover fine dining restaurant, The Cradle, operates Thursday to Sunday. Afternoon tea is served in the Glasshouse. The Woodland Retreat offers massages, facials, a sauna, and a cold plunge overlooking a small loch, with Crocs and Dryrobes provided. A Wimbledon-coloured tennis court and a pickleball court are available for guests.
Accessibility and family options
Three accessible ground-floor rooms are available, though the listed main building has no lifts. The hotel welcomes children of all ages, with connected rooms, cots, and a kids' package including a teepee, toiletries, and bedtime storybook. Dogs are accommodated with a "very important pup package" including beds, bowls, a hamper, and a doggie breakfast menu. Check-in is at 3pm; check-out at 11am.
