The manager of Andy Murray’s luxury hotel shares Dunblane destination’s exciting new plans

Advantage Cromlix.

Not content with resting on its laurels, after winning the 2024 AA Award for Scottish Hotel of the Year, this luxury venue, owned by Andy Murray and Kim Sears Murray, has got some grand propositions for the coming years.

These include a new restaurant and kitchen extension, which will replace the hotel’s current dining space, The Glasshouse, and extend the amount of covers from 50 to 80. The work on this is expected to be complete in the spring of 2026. There will also be three new ground floor bedrooms and, in 2025, a Wellness Cottage, offering treatments from Edinburgh skincare brand MODM, and nine cabins around the loch.

We asked the hotel manager, Barry Makin, to tell us more. 

Barry Makin | Contributed

Why does Cromlix need this new extension?

We’ve decided to prioritise the restaurant because we have such high demand for our current restaurant, The Glasshouse. It’s been really well supported by local people, and we wanted to make sure we always have the capacity to cater for them as well as hotel guests. We never want to be in a position where we are turning away local custom because it’s so important to maintaining a thriving hospitality business. It also means we can turn the current restaurant space into a dedicated venue for afternoon teas and special events.

Why did the hotel go for quite a contemporary look with the new extension?

We didn’t want to try to create something which looked Victorian but definitely wasn’t. We felt like the building could take a more modern extension, particularly if we incorporated elements like the garden wall into the design to tie it all together and if it was done sympathetically with planting and textures that fit into the surroundings. A lot of the building is glass so it will really tap into that theme we’ve followed all along about bringing the beautiful Scottish countryside into the hotel. Also, by having a more modern design we can make sure the restaurant utilises all of the most up to date sustainability systems and products and that’s important to us as we move forward. 

What will the views be like?

Stunning. You will be able to look over the back lawn of the hotel which is a beautiful space in itself, but also down the valley and across much of the Cromlix estate in front of the hotel. The tables will be set up so that as many people as possible can appreciate the views. 

Will executive chef Darin Campbell’s menu be any different?

Darin’s menu changes regularly - we have a winter and summer menu, and also he cooks according to what’s in season. I don’t think he’ll have to significantly change the way he cooks though with the new restaurant. He’ll be the lucky recipient of a brand new kitchen, which he is designing himself and so the efficiencies that we make there will help him upscale to catering for bigger numbers of people. The quality will be the same if not better.

Is afternoon tea a popular offering?

Yes it’s extremely popular. We cater for about 1,000 afternoon teas a month and we sell a lot of afternoon tea gift vouchers. I think afternoon tea has come back into fashion as it looks great on Instagram! We see a lot of younger people coming in for afternoon tea these days which we didn’t have before.

Cromlix Afternoon Tea | Contributed

What will the new bedrooms be like? 

Each of our bedrooms is completely unique, the design in each one is different. But the principles will be the same - bold patterns and prints, colour schemes based on nature, beautiful art and extremely comfortable amenities. We’re working with Suzanne Garuda at Garuda Design again, who did the designs for the refurbishment, and Kim will be very involved in the overall look and feel, so together they'll make sure everything ties together. 

Tell us about the plans for a Wellness Cottage

The next twelve months will be busy. Our wellness facility is due to open next summer. It will be an intimate two-person spa in a reclaimed building on the Estate, set in the woodland. We are just working on the treatments we will offer, but there will be a focus on natural wellness and revitalisation. We are also in the midst of creating our Gourmet Garden which is a bigger version of our Kitchen Garden - food mileage is something we are keen to address, and we want to be able to grow a bigger crop and a wider selection on the estate ourselves. Our retail offering is also growing, with plans for a small shop inside the hotel, and we’ve got some exciting new products coming in just before Christmas - watch this space.

Have guest numbers continued to rise post Covid?

For us, yes, but I don’t think that’s been the case everywhere. I think there has been a slowing down in domestic travel in the last couple of years but we are now seeing the return of greater numbers of US travellers. We’ve been fortunate in that our refurbishment and subsequent award wins have kept our profile high and that has given people a reason to keep coming despite the wider travel trends across the industry. 

Do your guests tend to be from Scotland/UK or further afield?

It’s predominantly a combination of guests from Scotland and from London and the south east of the UK. Then it’s a fairly even mix of European and US travellers. This year we’ve definitely seen more Americans than we had last year, so hopefully this trend continues. 

How long have you been at Cromlix?

I started at Cromlix in January 2023, just before the hotel closed for total refurbishment. I had to hit the ground running as it was the biggest project the hotel had undertaken since the Murrays took over in 2013. Every single room at the hotel was refurbished, as well as the grounds and entrance. I like a challenge.

Has it changed a lot since Andy and Kim bought it in 2013?

Yes. Back then it was a more traditional country house hotel, possibly a bit staid and a bit formal. The refurbishment has really breathed new life into Cromlix. It offers a much more relaxed version of luxury now - we really want our guests to unwind when they are here, and so we’ve tried to break down that formality, whilst still maintaining our levels of professionalism and service. We are often complimented on our staff, and I feel particularly proud of the warm Scottish welcome we give our guests when they are here. 

www.cromlix.com