SET against the stunning backdrop of the North Sea, the Fairmont Hotel is like something out of a dream.
The 5-star luxury hotel – situated on the Fife coast just outside of St Andrews – is made up of 6 restaurants and bars, two 18-hole golf courses and features award-winning spa facilities.
The new summer menu at the St Andrews Bay Clubhouse has just launched, making it the perfect time to visit.
I was incredibly excited to spend the night here – mainly because I’ve never stayed anywhere this luxurious before, and as a foodie I couldn’t wait to sample the huge variety of different cuisines on offer.
We were welcomed in the Kingdom of Fife suite (balcony view pictured below), where many famous sportspeople, celebrities and politicians are all known to have stayed.
Two of the hotel’s most skilled bartenders treated us to a cocktail masterclass, where they made some of the most delicious drinks I’ve ever tasted.
I’m not a big whisky drinker, but the Bumpy Bill cocktail (pictured below) – made with Johnnie Walker, Quinta do Noval, apricot liqueur and acid adjusted honey – went down so smoothly, I could have drunk it all night.
But there wasn’t time for that, because soon I was whisked away (by chaperone, I must add) to the Clubhouse, where each dish I tried was paired with the perfect wine.
If you try anything while you’re here, let it be the ribeye steak (pictured below), sourced from farms across Scotland.
Served with fresh asparagus and plum tomatoes, and covered in a mouth-watering parmesan and parsley sauce, it’s unlike anything I’ve ever eaten before.
When you try it with the peppercorn sauce – and pair it with the deliciously rugged Quinta do Crasto red wine – it literally melts in your mouth, and if it wasn’t for the seven other dishes I was yet to try, I could have eaten it all night.
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Another personal favourite was the creamy chicken liver parfait, served with a red onion marmalade, golden raisins, whisky, truffle and melba toast. It’s the perfect palate-cleansing starter, although an honourable mention must also go to the beetroot, which comes with goats cheese, walnut and truffle honey.
The seafood options are also a must, and there’s no better way to try it than in the gorgeous setting of the Clubhouse, overlooking the sea.
I sampled the seafood platter (pictured below), which comes with langoustine, prawns, lobster from St Andrews Bay, and oysters from the Isle of Cumbrae.
As someone who has never tried lobster, I was so surprised by how tender it was, and the flavour was only enhanced by the garlic butter and lime salt it was dressed with.
And for dessert? I tried the Paris-Brest, a European twist on an Eton Mess. Piped with tangy jam and cream, this pastry is quite simply a summer classic.
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For anyone with more of a sweet tooth, the chocolate layer cake is also a good call, although it was a bit too rich and hard to cut into for my taste.
But that’s not all – while you’re there, all guests get free access to the hotel’s award-winning spa, including an indoor pool, jacuzzi, sauna, and steam aromatherapy room – I certainly made the most of it!
If you’re planning on staying the night, you’re in safe hands. All rooms come with a luxurious king-size bed, and the bathroom has both a waterfall shower and a separate bathtub.
For breakfast the following day, you can head down to the main atrium, where your typical hotel buffet is elevated to the next level, complete with a chef whose sole job is to cook eggs exactly the way you like them.
If you need a break from the chaos of life and you’re looking to treat yourself, if you want to explore more of the beautiful scenery Fife has to offer and soak up some golf – or indulge in a relaxing spa break – the Fairmont Hotel is the perfect place.
I left feeling like a new person, and I can’t wait to come back.
Find out more at fairmont.com/st-andrews-hotel
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