Travel: Gleneagles, Perthshire

The resort set in 850 acres of prime Scottish countryside, is the perfect destination for everyone from gourmands to picky eaters, health nuts to lounge lizards.

It has also benefited from a multi-million pound development in preparation for the Ryder Cup matches of 2014, that has seen the creation of nine ultra- luxurious two-bedroom Spirit Suites on the hotel's top floor.

When we visited it was full of families, many of whom are attracted by the Glenmor seasonal ownership collection of homes dotted around three lochans in the grounds, enjoying the facilities of the hotel and providing a lively, thriving atmosphere that didn't deter from the five-star ambience in any way.

Wining and dining? Foodies will be in heaven as Gleneagles offers a huge range of eating experiences from tapas and burgers to Michelin-starred and we were lucky enough to dine in Andrew Fairlie's restaurant, a destination in itself and worth saving up for. I'd been told I must have the signature whisky barrel smoked lobster dish from the 75 la carte menu and managed to ignore the temptation of the 95 seven-course taster menu. Fortunately my friend is more of a pushover, so I was able to feast my eyes on what this entailed, without running the risk of exploding. And I can vouch for the lobster which was sublime. Breakfast is served in the Strathearn Restaurant and conservatory where a seemingly endless choice of cooked and continental dishes is laid out while there are further options at the Dormy Clubhouse overlooking the golf courses, or Deseo, a Mediterranean food 'market'-style emporium.

Room service? We stayed in one of the extensive new build rooms, an Estate Twin, which had a large sitting area and sliding doors that opened on to our own patio looking out across the grounds. Spacious with supremely comfortable beds, it also had a luxurious bathroom full of Asprey goodies (you'll find Molton Brown in the suites) and a mini bar stuffed with a choice of tipples. Tea and coffee were complimentary, as were various treats from truffles on the pillow to shortbread.

Worth getting out of bed for? There's more golf than you can shake a seven iron at, obviously. But if swing's not your thing there's shooting, fishing, falconry, off-road driving, tennis and cycling available, plus 850 acres of estate and countryside to explore. Kids will love the gundog school where there's a chance to work with labradors, or the equestrian school where there's everything from Shetland ponies to carriage driving, while indoors The Zone has pool and PlayStations and the Playroom caters for two to 12-year-olds. If all that sounds like too much effort, head for the spa with its vitality pools, sauna and steam rooms.

Budget or boutique? Definitely not budget, it's five-star all the way at Gleneagles.

Little extras? Chocolates, a welcoming bottle of fizz, fresh fruit, tea, coffee and biscuits mean you won't go hungry between all those gourmet meals.

Guestbook comments? We stayed for a weekend and didn't even scratch the surface of everything that Gleneagles had to offer. Oh well, we'll just have to go back for more. Rooms start from 315 for bed and breakfast per room per night; dinner bed and breakfast from 420 per room per night (based on three courses in Strathearn Restaurant or an allocation of 58 per person towards a meal for two in Restaurant Andrew Fairlie).

The Gleneagles Hotel, Auchterarder, Perthshire (0800 389 3737, www.gleneagles.com)

• This article was first published in the Scotland on Sunday on June 12, 2011