The Gleneagles Hotel

We’ve been coming to Gleneagles for a week at Christmas for nearly twenty years and, unfortunately, have witnessed a gradual but noticeable decline in standards. A first-time visitor might find the experience acceptable (if a little tired) for a five-star hotel. However, for returning guests who remember the quality it once offered, the gap between expectation, price point, and reality has become increasingly disappointing, particularly for a resort still marketed as the “glorious playground”. The pool facilities now feel dated. For the third consecutive year, the water temperature was uncomfortably cold. What was once a genuinely warm, leisure-focused pool now has a persistent chill. On one occasion we had to leave early because it was simply unpleasant to stay in. During our visit, a child in our party badly cut their foot on broken or sharp tiles in the pool. While staff were polite and assisted at the time, the response felt casual, with no clear reassurance that the issue would be properly addressed beyond someone “checking it out.” The changing rooms are clearly overdue refurbishment. Throughout our entire week-long stay, one of the three showers remained out of order. Previously, issues like this were dealt with promptly; now they appear to be left unresolved. Cleanliness was also inconsistent - on one occasion, a visible clump of hair in the shower area remained there the following morning, which is not acceptable at this standard. The Garden Café was consistently the most disappointing aspect of our stay. Despite a visible abundance of staff and lovely looking pastries, service was disorganised and inefficient. On one visit, we waited 23 minutes for two takeaway hot chocolates, despite there being no obvious queue. The ordering and queuing system is unclear, leading to congestion, confusion, and frequent queue-jumping, with little staff intervention to manage the flow. We overheard another guest remark that they would like a pastry but didn’t have half an hour to spare; suggesting this is a common and recognised issue. Overall, the experience has deteriorated incrementally year on year. While first-time guests may still be impressed, those who remember a warm and well-maintained pool, high standards of cleanliness, and confident, proactive service may find the current offering does not justify the cost. Sadly, based on our recent experiences, we would struggle to recommend Gleneagles as we once did.

Popped on for a drink on Saturday evening, held in a queue until a table was available. Great space with an extensive selection of drinks but the service was the best part of the night. Fraser looked after us from start to finish, 4 years at Gleneagles hasn’t diluted his Forfar twang and it was great to hear his stories of famous golfers at the hotel over the years. Nice to experience just the right balance of attention and professionalism in a great hotel located in Scotland. 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

Another amazing stay, wow - you exceed our expectations every single time! We came for a family stay for my husbands 30th birthday, every single team member here made our stay unforgettable. We felt cared for straight as soon as we stepped out our car, everyone really did go above and beyond for us. The biggest shoutout to the guys at the door, Rachel from the little Glen who was amazing with our daughter, Erin at the Birnham and Louise at the front desk… and every other members of staff. We cannot express how much we love coming to stay here, it’s our home from home & we can’t wait for our next visit already ❤️

My husband and I had a lovely 2 night stay at Gleneagles as a pre Christmas treat. The food, staff, rooms, service and surrounding area for walks were perfect. Well worth a trip where as always you are treated so well. looking forward to our next visit already.

We have just returned from celebrating our 10th wedding anniversary at Gleneagles and it was incredible. The staff are wonderful and we were treated with such care and professionalism. The hotel itself is beautiful, especially as it is decorated for the festive season. The food is superb and so many different choices depending on what you fancy. We used the Century bar, Strathern for dinner and the American bar. Breakfast is the best I think I’ve ever had! What an outstanding experience!