Turnberry Golf Resort in Scotland Re-Opens as Member of Starwood’s Luxury Collection
Posted July 14, 2009 , trackbackThe historic Turnberry golf resort in Scotland
has re-opened as part of Starwood’s Luxury Collection brand at The
Open Championship 2009 following a $65 million renovation by owner Leisurecorp, a division of Dubai World company Nakheel.
Following the $65 million refurbishment, which
has focused on the iconic resort’s public spaces and 40 of its 211
luxuriously appointed guest rooms, Turnberry will host the word’s
oldest golf championship, on its renowned Ailsa golf course from
July 16 – 19, 2009.
Located on Scotland’s picturesque Ayrshire
coast, Turnberry, a Luxury Collection Resort, is the newest
addition to The Luxury Collection which includes other impressive hotels and resorts
such as The Grande Bretagne,
Athens, Greece; Hotel Marqu?s de Riscal, Elciego, Spain; Mystique,
Santorni, Greece; Hotel Danieli, Venice, Italy; The U.S. Grant,
San Diego and The Joule, Dallas.
This year’s Open Championship will host the
world’s leading golfers who will compete on Turnberry’s Ailsa
Course, widely viewed as one of the best links courses in the
world. The historic golf resort has previously played host to the
world’s oldest major golf championship in 1977, 1986 and 1994.
Turnberry, a Luxury Collection Resort, boasts
two 18-hole Championship courses including the Ailsa Course and
the Kintyre Course. In addition, the resort has a 9-hole Arran
Course and renowned Colin Montgomerie Links Golf Academy.
“It is an incredible honour for Turnberry to once again host The
Open Championship. The upgrade of the golf course and the
completion of an extensive hotel restoration programme has been a
key deliverable for 2009 and we have worked closely with heritage
consultants to ensure that the building’s history is preserved
while delivering beautifully designed hotel rooms and facilities,”
said Joe Sita, Chief Executive Officer, Nakheel Hotels, the parent
company of Leisurecorp. “We have dedicated close to $65 million to
restore the hotel to its rightful place as the premier property in
the West of Scotland.”
Redesigned by Mary Fox Linton, founder of Fox Linton
Associates, Turnberry’s restored accommodations include subtle
interior colours which give each room a soft, calming air inspired
by the resort’s majestic coastal setting.
Floor to ceiling windows
flood the resort with natural light and offer breathtaking views
of the Turnberry Lighthouse, Ailsa Craig and the lush links golf
courses.
Ensuring that Turnberry’s historical charm was preserved,
Fox Linton Associates collaborated closely with Historic Scotland
during the restoration of the 103-year-old resort.
“Being
privileged to work on an iconic building in such a beautiful
coastal setting lent inspiration to the new concept,” said Mary
Fox Linton. “We wanted to pay tribute to the original design by
James Miller and bring it up to date to create an ambience of
contemporary luxury using a colour palate and textures that
reflect the hotel’s location looking out over the Irish Sea.”
Dining at Turnberry indulges the senses with a diverse menu of
sophisticated and distinct culinary options.
Offering spectacular
views of the resort’s golf courses and the Irish Sea, original
architect James Miller’s Grand Tea Lounge has been redesigned to
its original splendor.
1906, open for breakfast and dinner, offers
guests a casual dining experience, featuring classic brassiere
inspired dishes such as eggs Benedict, ouefs en cocotte, lobster
Thermidor and more.
Turnberry’s Duel in the Sun bar, offering a
range of specialty draft and bottled beers, wine, spirits and
snacks, is an ideal setting to relax after a game of golf or to
enjoy the latest sporting event on the bar’s multiple plasma
screens.
The History of
Turnberry
Located in Ayrshire, Scottland Turnberry, a Luxury Collection
Resort first opened in 1906 and quickly established itself as the
premier destination for social and sporting events.
Converted into
an airfield during both world wars, the Ailsa course, designed by
Mackenzie Ross, reopened to the public in 1951. The course emerged
from acres of runway, foundations of brick huts, hangars and
transformer houses left over from the Second World War and has
been established as one of the world’s most renowned golf courses.
The Spa at Turnberry was added in 1991 and the new Golf Clubhouse
June 1993. The Colin Montgomerie Links Golf Academy, the first of
its kind in the world, opened in 2000, offering a unique teaching
environment with state-of-the art facilities. This was followed
with the opening of the Kintyre course in 2001.
With its
spectacular setting, challenging golf holes and awe-inspiring
views, each course is world renowned. The Onsite Outdoor Activity
Centre offers guests a variety of distinguished outdoor activities
including, quad biking, horse-riding, fishing, off-road driving
and more.
The Arran course, a par 3 and 4 course, opened in 2002
as the ideal venue for on-course lessons for novices and offer
expert players a warm up round prior to their game on the Ailsa or
Kintyre.
In 2001 Turnberry greatly expanded its accommodation
options by building nine two-bedroom luxury cottages, ideal for
couples and families, as well as twelve luxury lodges with either
six or eight ensuite bedrooms, adjacent to the hotel with
breathtaking views across the golf courses and sea.
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