There surely can’t be anyone in the U.K. who isn’t aware of the Carnoustie Golf Hotel after the amount of press coverage the 2007 British Open Golf Championship was given when it was staged here in mid July 2007……but for the odd one or two of you out there who don’t know of it or where it is - it’s in Carnoustie which is on the east coast of Scotland about a fifteen minute drive north from Dundee.
We were lucky enough to have a short stay here towards the end of April and even this early on in the year there were signs that preparations were being made for the prestigious golf event which was due to be held at Carnoustie from 19th - 22nd July 2007.
Below is what the Management of The Carnoustie Golf Hotel say about this four star hotel on its website. Under that will be what we found on our visit in late April…..we stayed on a Dinner Bed and Breakfast deal on 24th and 25th of the month.
One of Scotland’s premium destinations for guests seeking luxury golfing, leisure and conference facilities, the Carnoustie has 75 en-suite bedrooms, with ten suites providing enviable views over the Championship golf course, the sea or the town of Dundee.
Business travellers will find our flexible conference facilities most accommodating. Further amenities include the Dalhousie Restaurant, where guests can excite their taste buds with delicious fare prepared with local Scottish produce and a Leisure Club with gymnasium, swimming pool,
sauna, spa and steam room.
The Championship course as well as the 18-hole Burnside and Buddon Links courses, are all available for golfers to enjoy. Hotel features 85 Rooms 18 Hole Golf Course Bar Car Parking Conferencing up to 300 Leisure Club Non-Smoking Rooms Restaurant Room Service Spa Facilities Wedding up to 250 Wireless The Links, Carnoustie, Angus, DD7 7JE Tel: 01241 411999 Fax: 01241 411998 http://www.oxfordhotelsandinns.com/OurHotels/Carnoustie To book, call: 0871 376 9900
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CHECK IN
We arrived at the reception desk around 13:55 and were met by Miss Officious….who informed us that as check in was not until14:00 we should either go for a walk or sit in the lounge bar and have a drink or a coffee while we waited. We took the lounge option and a glass of wine for me and a pint for hubby….we’d hardly ordered our drinks when the concierge came looking for us and informed us that our room was ready and that he’d take our luggage (which we had left at reception) upstairs and when we were ready we should collect our room key from Miss Officious. (For some strange reason I feel unable to use her proper name).
Drinks consumed and the time now 14:30 we made our way back to the reception area and our new ‘friend’….she told us our room number and promptly turned her back on us to continue her conversation with a colleague. She appeared shocked when we interrupted her conversation ‘flow’ to ask for directions to our room, but was reasonably courteous in her response and the directions she gave.
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GUEST BEDROOM
We managed to find our room with no difficulty at all and we were pleasantly surprised at what we found. Our standard ensuite room was a good size with a double bed, bedside cabinets, dressing table, mirrors, TV, side table and two chairs. The lighting in the room was excellent. There was a hairdryer available in a drawer in the dressing table. From the window there was a beautiful view out over the Buddon Links Golf Course and Carnoustie Bay. The ensuite bathroom was a reasonable size and had an overbath shower, WC and washbasin. There were plenty of nice white towels of varying sizes and these were changed regularly. The toiletries supplied were from the spa and were replenished when used.
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RESTAURANT
We had breakfast and dinner in the Dalhousie Restaurant on both days and we were very impressed by the selection offered in their Table D’hote Menu. We decided at dinner on the second night to upgrade the menu for a very small charge (if my memory serves me correctly it cost us an additional £10 to have smoked salmon starters and a couple of fillet steaks). There is an extensive wine list available and prices range from reasonable to extortionate! Breakfast was partial table service and partial buffet with a tremendous selection of foods which included a ‘Full Scottish’ fry up. The quality and standard of the food and service in the restaurant was excellent. We hadn’t quite finished our meal on the first evening, when our invited visitors arrived and staff quickly arranged for an extra two chairs and some glasses and drinks for our guests, both of whom are most probably known to lots of you - Belfin and Jambro 1978.
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LOUNGE BAR
Called Calder’s Bar it is a large wood panelled room with deep comfy armchairs and sofas. There is an abundance of tables alongside and between the chairs – it’s all rather sumptuous in a slightly tartan way! Calder’s bar leads onto an outdoor terrace which overlooks the 1st tee and the 18th green of the championship course.
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LEISURE CLUB
We didn’t use this facility at all as we were there for such a short stay, however I did go for a look around the facilities which include a fully equipped gym and they looked pretty inviting. The swimming pool and Jacuzzi looked just as good.
This is a fully stocked golf shop, for those who wish/need to buy golfing items during their stay.
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SUMMARY
We thoroughly enjoyed our stay and we are intending to return along with another couple before the end of the year. The return stay will be for three nights and hopefully we can get as good a deal then as we did for this stay…..in fact we’re kind of banking on it as the men want to play golf on the three courses which surround the hotel (The Championship course, The Burnside course and the Buddon Links) and my ‘girl’ friend and I intend to have some nice treatments in the leisure club’s spa.
I sincerely hope that Miss Officious was given some customer service training before the world and his brother descended on the hotel for the Open Championship or that she was given a ‘back office’ job.
Okay…..the cost…..it was an unbelievable £148.00 for a standard double room for two people for dinner bed and breakfast for the two nights.
Well-written with lots of information there. Derek
plod591 30.03.2008 10:21
Excellent review, concise with all the revelant information, would love to go there but the mrs would bar my clubs from accompanying me. I take it there was the customary feedback list to fill in and Officious was duly highlighted LOL. Worthy of my E. xx
carcraig 29.03.2008 23:35
Sounds like spectacular value for money, considering the location.... Great review, Caroline xx
Scotland`s premier luxury golfing and leisure destination is the ideal venue for golf days ... more
corporate events or relaxing short breaks Popular with non golfers too Carnoustie offers luxurious leisure facilities and the chance to explore local castles ...
Information:
Price is per double room per night and may vary depending on date booked...
exceptional by (10%):
very helpful by (90%):
