Shuttered for 30 Years, Historic Seaside Ugadale Hotel in Machrihanish, Scotland, Reopens

The historic Ugadale Hotel, Scotland, officially reopened last weekend.

Thirty years after closing its doors, the historic Ugadale Hotel in The Village at Machrihanish Dunes, Scotland, lives again.

The hotel was officially reopened last weekend by the Village at Machrihanish Dunes to great pomp and circumstance. The Duke and Duchess of Argyll, along with David Southworth, President and CEO of Southworth Development  LLC; Michael Russell, MSP for Argyll and Bute and Willie Roe, Chairman of Highland and Islands Enterprises opened the doors of the famed hotel with an official ribbon-cutting ceremony surrounded by invited guests and well-wishers.

The crowd cheered and the Machrihanish Dunes Pipe Band played as guests were escorted into the new hotel for the first time.

Guests enjoy the warm atmosphere at the bar.
 

The following day The Ugadale Hotel hosted an Open House welcoming over 1,300 visitors from the local community. Guests were treated to a tour of the hotel’s suites and rooms, the Kintyre Club Restaurant, fitness centre and spa facilities.

For many it was a chance to witness the results of a building that long stood empty and dilapidated but for a select few it was a step back into history with many of the guests reminiscing of special occasions once celebrated at the hotel.

Dine at the Kintyre Club Restaurant.

Once regarded as the pinnacle of luxury accommodation in the west of Scotland when it was alternately known as The Ugadale Arms Hotel and The Machrihanish Hotel, The Ugadale Hotel is again welcoming visitors following a year of careful restoration work. Book your stay here.

It is the first time the hotel has welcomed guests in more than 30 years. The new Ugadale Hotel offers 22 luxurious guest rooms and suites, many overlooking the Atlantic and famed Machrihanish Golf Club.  It features a restaurant and bar called The Kintyre Club, the full-service Serenity Spa and a Fitness Centre.

The hotel has a waterview.

The Kintyre Club Restaurant
Complementing the historic charm of the hotel is the The Kintyre Club, a warm and inviting restaurant and bar in a private club setting offering inspired dining and spirited good times that takes its name from the organization formed in 1825.

Then, a group of twelve altruistic Scottish businessmen with roots in the Kintyre region banded together with the aim of assisting those in need in the Kintyre community – a charitable effort that the new club will continue.  The Kintyre Club is a private dining area reserved for hotel guests and club members, with all proceeds from membership dues distributed to Kintyre-area charities.  Over 600 memberships were accepted over the opening weekend thus raising over £6,000 for charity. 

Modern Amenities with Historic Charm
With style and architecture that echoes its historic past, The Ugadale provides guests with modern luxuries in each of its spacious and comfortable suites and rooms. These finely-appointed spaces feature rich walnut wood and antique brass highlights, along with traditional Scottish elements.

The new Serenity Spa offers weary travellers, as well as local residents, high-quality spa services and treatments, including facials, body treatments, sport/full body massages, manicures and pedicures. Serenity Spa features top-of-the-line Decleor Paris products. Located on the ground floor of the hotel is a Fitness Centre with state-of-the-art fitness equipment and stunning views of the Atlantic Ocean outside its windows.

A Major Investment for Kintyre
In addition to bringing valuable jobs to the area, Southworth has invested over £ 19.3 Million ($30 Million US) to the overall project, along with grants from Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) totalling £2.2million, including £886,000 from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) funding support.

In addition, HIE provided a grant totalling £ 509,606 for the development of the Machrihanish Dunes Golf Course which opened in 2009.  A special grant was also awarded to the Royal Hotel by the Scottish Ministers, through Historic Scotland under the Historic Environment Regeneration Fund and the Campbeltown Town Centre Regeneration Project (Argyll & Bute Council).

The Royal Hotel, the second historic hotel that’s currently being restored by Southworth, will offer in-town accommodations for guests of the Village at Machrihanish Dunes at its location overlooking Campbeltown Harbour.  It will feature 23 elegant rooms, a gourmet restaurant, and a lively waterfront pub.   The Royal Hotel is scheduled to open early May 2012.

About Machrihanish Dunes
Scotland’s award-winning seaside resort offering luxurious seaside cottages, the world’s most natural golf course and two-historic hotels all comprised to create The Village at Machrihanish Dunes.  Located on Scotland’s magnificent Argyll coastline, The Machrihanish Dunes Golf Club; The Ugadale Hotel; The Ugadale Cottages and The Old Clubhouse Pub are situated in the quaint town of Machrihanish. 

A mere five miles from Machrihanish in the heart of historic Campbeltown, The Royal Hotel stands serving as an in-town hotel option for those visiting the Village at Machrihanish Dunes.  With a growing collection of accommodations, fine restaurants and lively pubs, The Village at Machrihanish Dunes and The Royal Hotel will provide a warm welcome and first-class service to business and leisure travellers world-wide