Hotel of the Month

Her name was Delta and his was Bomber. Because of them, our trip to Gleneagles Hotel in the heart of the Scottish glens was even more memorable. And on the chauffeured journey from Edinburgh airport there was even a rainbow disappearing behind the hills.

Norman drove us past ancient battlegrounds and Scottish castles. When he dropped us at the imposing hotel entrance an hour later we were greeted by cheerful Scotsmen in Gleneagles kilts. From that moment on there was no faulting the service. Without fail, everyone was friendly, cheerful and helpful. And they were the perfect match to a very beautiful period hotel, one that manages to be grand, and yet comfortably laidback at the same time.

Gleneagles opened its doors to the public on 7 June 1924. Set in 850 acres of Perthshire countryside, it is an AA Five Red Star golf resort hotel. Back then, it was described as 'a Riviera in the Highlands' and even 'the eighth wonder of the world'. Today it still lives up to those accolades. The view alone from the windows of the Cragganmore Suite was stunning. Gardens landscaped by the celebrated 18th century garden designer Capability Brown fell away against the backdrop of snowy tipped mountains. Everywhere were uninterrupted views across the countryside. It's this combination of luxury, juxtaposed against the wilds of Scotland, that's just one of the many charming elements of a stay here. And the best thing is that whatever the weather, there's always something to do, or if you'd prefer, to simply not do.

Twenty treatment rooms lead through to a vitality pool overlooked by a glass-fronted sauna and lit by fibre optics.

Stormy outside? Then why not visit the Spa, by ESPA, which has just benefited from a £9.5 million pound makeover. Twenty treatment rooms lead through to a vitality pool overlooked by a glass fronted sauna and lit by fibre optics. The hard bit is which treatment to choose. Suffice to say that my two hour long Purva Karma four-handed massage was a truly blissful experience of warm oils and total relaxation. In another treatment room my sister was enjoying an aromatherapy massage. 'The best I've ever had', was her comment, and that's from someone who's a regular spa visitor. Whether for men or for the ladies, there's certainly something here to enjoy.

Gleneagles is a great choice for a girly get together, family breaks (they have excellent facilities for children), or a romantic tryst. On 14 February there's a special Valentine's offer with a three course dinner followed by dancing. And when you arrive you'll discover chocolates on your pillow. It's these little extras that really do make the difference.

When we returned from our Spa visit a little box with the Gleneagles crest on it had appeared on our dining table with white china plates and napkins. Inside was an extremely tasty, fruity malt whisky cake that disappeared in no time. The following evening at around six, an ice-bucket was delivered in case we wanted to have drinks from the bar in our room. Accompanying it was a glass tray with yummy canapés. And all of this before our main meal in the Strathern restaurant which serves classic food. Here the venison was perfectly pink and perfectly tender. And the shared dessert of Queen of Pudding resembled a royal version of bread and butter pudding with swirls of meringue and fruity flavours. The previous evening we'd eaten in Deseo, which has a relaxed Mediterranean feel to it. Despite the continental concept we opted for the Scottish rib-eye steak, which was temptingly displayed and cooked just as ordered.

Gleneagles is a great choice for a girly get together, family breaks (they have excellent facilities for children), or a romantic tryst. On the 14 February there's a special Valentine's offer with a three course dinner followed by dancing.

But, back to Della and Bomber. When Della fixed me with her beady stare it was just a little unnerving. Because, let's face it, I'd never had a hawk sitting on my gloved hand before. But she behaved beautifully as she flew and returned two tiny morsels of meat. She weighed less than I expected and looked magnificent with her shiny grey, black, white and rust coloured feathers. Bomber performed perfectly too as my sister directed this glossy black gun-dog to mark a fallen decoy, fetch it and return it to her. We both agreed these were the highlights of our trip.

I tried my hand at clay target shooting and Jim showed me how to hold a gun, somewhat apprehensively, for the first time. And I hit some to my amazement. All this and many more outdoor activities make Gleneagles a perfect holiday retreat. It's an easy flight with British Midland from London and, once there, the rest of the world seems to disappear. There's no better way to shake off the winter blues, feel totally indulged and ready to face the world again. You can be as switched on or off as you want, the choice is yours.

Prices on Saturday 14 February are from £325 per room, inclusive of dinner, bed and full Scottish breakfast based on two people sharing and are subject to availability at the time of booking. For full price details, call resort sales on freephone 0800 704 705 or visit www.gleneagles.com .
For flights with British Midland visit www.flybmi.com

By Michele Nevard