Review: The Gordon Arms restaurant with rooms, Yarrow, Scottish Borders - Scotland on Sunday Travel
If you think of the rolling hills of Scotland, you may imagine the mountains and crags of the Highlands or the immersive landscape of Loch Lomond and the Trossachs. But it’s rolling hills as far as the eye can see from our room at the Gordon Arms, an 18th-century former coaching inn located on the A708 road near Selkirk, and not too far from Peebles. The Borders seems like a bit of an undiscovered gem, yet with this scenery it’s hard to understand why.
The Gordon Arms is by no means a new kid on the block, but new owners - Bryn and Oxana Jones - have only been running the business for almost two years. They moved from Oxfordshire, having given up their business - The Oxford Arms, a multi-award-winning dining pub in Kirtlington village. Wanting to own their own property, the couple initially thought that The Gordon Arms was too far away, but on seeing it, fell in love and made an offer. Fast forward 18 months and the awards and accolades have been coming thick and fast. They’ve made some changes to the rooms, including removing older clunky furniture, and are focusing on a seasonal menu of local produce which has gained them a mention in the Good Food Guide as well as an AA Rosette.
Budget or boutique
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Hide AdAt around £120-£150 per night The Gordon Arms is a boutique offering with only five rooms, but the price won’t break the bank and there are often seasonal deals to be had.
Room service
Our superior double was a spacious room with a four-poster king sized bed, desk area and sofa with lovely views of the hills and countryside from both windows. It was light and comfortable. We were also able to bring Archie, the well travelled cockapoo, as the room (and bar) was dog friendly. The luggage rack style storage and shelves have been handmade by staff on site and the bathroom, with its blue and white colour scheme, has a jacuzzi bath and rainfall shower.
Wining and dining
The dining room, with its roaring fire (ideal for cosy winter nights) serves up lunch, dinner and a very reasonably-priced tasting menu. We visited not long after Burns night, so the a la carte menu featured some Burns-themed items, but it was the seasonal tasting menu that caught our eye. This changes monthly but we thoroughly enjoyed dishes such as seared Shetland scallops, Yarrow Valley venison wellington and ‘Drunken Cherry’ torte, made by Oxana. Look out for the creme brulee and whisky treacle tart if you have a sweet tooth.
Breakfast is also served here, and includes a full Scottish fry up as well as dishes such as smoked salmon and scrambled eggs. Toast, tea and coffee is available - with preserves made by Oxana (the damson jam was delicious).
Little extras
The tea and coffee station had Borders biscuits and our room had the addition of fresh daffodils in small vases dotted around the windowsills, giving a springtime vibe even in the depths of winter.
Worth getting out of bed for
Peebles is only a 20-minute drive away and home to some independent shops and lovely walks. If you have a sweet tooth be sure to visit Cocoa Black for one of their hot chocolates and a decadent slice of cake. The Borders distillery is a 40-minute drive away and well worth a visit for whisky fans and anyone wanting to try their spirits, which include gin and vodka too. For keen outdoor enthusiasts and walkers, St Mary’s Loch is close by and Grey Mare’s Trail Nature Reserve with walking routes for various abilities.
Guestbook comments
The Gordon Arms Restaurant with Rooms is a historic award-winning coaching inn nestling in the beautiful Yarrow Valley near St Mary’s Loch in the Scottish Borders. It was a favourite haunt of James Hogg, Sir Walter Scott and even Robert Burns was said to have stopped here. The team offer five cosy and comfortable, environmentally friendly, en-suite AA four-star rated rooms and good, honest and sustainable food with a minimum of fuss and maximum flavours from Bryn Jones, award-winning chef-owner, in the AA Culinary Excellence Rosette and Taste Our Best awarded restaurant. They have a short but serious wine list. The menu changes seasonably with daily specials to use even more local produce.
Hotel info
The Gordon Arms Restaurant with Rooms, Yarrow Valley, Selkirk TD7 5LE, 01750 82261, gordonarmsyarrow.co.uk.
Prices start from around £120-£150 per night.