Glenapp Castle - South Ayrshire

I will start off by saying that we spent a lovely afternoon at Glenapp Castle. The scenery, buildings and staff were top notch! However, we decided to have afternoon tea in the recently opened glass houses to the side of the hotel….. what a beautiful setting. The staff were attentive and friendly, however the afternoon tea itself was very disappointing. We were presented with six tiny sandwiches to start, which had poor quality, unimaginative fillings, served on supermarket brown and white bread. I am afraid that this was it for the savoury course. The cakes and scones which followed were a little better and nicely presented, unlike the sandwiches. With the cost of the Afternoon Tea, Glenapp are competing with other luxury hotels such as Gleneagles which provide a very much higher quality Afternoon Tea. I think the whole offering could have been improved with some artisan sausage rolls and lovely canapés for example. I so much wanted to love it, as the staff and the ambience of the hotel are fabulous. With a little imagination and some thought as to the quality of the ingredients, it could be wonderful, but for now, they are missing the mark.

We stayed with friends in the apartment. Everything about the castle, grounds and food was top notch. What really made our stay however was the amazing service from Dominic, Alex and Ethan. Dominic went much further than the extra mile to make our stay unforgetable and we really cant thank him enough for what he did. The following comments are completely trivial in respect of our wonderful stay, but the Castle could consider ensuring that all rooms have vanity mirrors and phones. The rooms were also very warm and the windows couldn't be opened more than an inch or two. Overall though an absolutely superb week that we will remember for a long time.

From the friendly welcome at the front door by Victoria, to the wallk in the grounds, to the aperitifs with accompanying piano music, to a truly memorable meal with outstanding service from Alex and Jessica (overseen by Nelio) to the tea and petit fours, we had an absolute ball. My pavlova with Glenapp summer berries is my stand-out dessert of 2021. This is country house dining exactly as it should be.

We visited Glenapp to celebrate a family wedding, it's location had been known only to the bride and groom. On arrival we were met by hotel staff who greeted us like royalty. After signing in at the visitors book we were shown to our room. This was a very tastefully decorated room as would befit a Scottish castle. From the window we looked over the gardens and (weather permitting) Ailsa Craig. There are various walks around the castle grounds which at this time of year are stunning with the changing autumnal colours. Back inside and the wonderful staff attend to your every need. The traditional Scottish breakfast will keep you going throughout the day but there are many other options available. The food served here is truly amazing and each menu is carefully thought out. As someone who didn't like lobster, salmon, deer or fish I can confidently state that I am now a convert. The presentation and the flavours are worthy of a Michelin star. The hotel laid on a clay pigeon shoot for the gentlemen and the ladies were treated to a morning of creating their own unique fragrance. A truly unforgettable experience for all the right reasons. Thanks to everyone at Glenapp.

We celebrated my dad's 80th birthday on 1st October and could not have wished for a better experience. The staff were very attentive and well trained and went out of their way to make the occasion memorable and an experience we will never forget. We had private dining and the chef made a delightful birthday cake which we all enjoyed. 6 course gourmet dinner was exceptional and the staff who served us were extremely pleasant and professional. My parents room and uncles room had a sitting room in between with stunning views of the gardens and Ailsa Craig. We were served sandwiches and scones in the drawing room after a stroll in the stunning gardens. Glenapp Castle is a unique place which takes you back to a bye gone era of opulence and grandeur, a truly amazing place to relax and recharge with staff who go out of their way to make your visit and truly exceptional experience. Glenapp is a unique and magical place that will capture your heart, a place where you feel very much at home with friendly and relaxed staff who go out of their way to ensure your stay is memorable. Thank you John and your amazing staff for everything.