Bookings are now open for The?Kithmore, St Andrews’ highly-anticipated?new luxury boutique hotel?opening its doors this June following a £7.5 million transformation of the former Ardgowan Hotel on?Playfair?Terrace,?off?North?Street.?
Set across three elegant Georgian townhouses, dating back to 1847 and originally designed by renowned St Andrews architect George Rae, The Kithmore offers 44-beds and is close to The Royal and Ancient Golf Club and the iconic Old Course.
It is part of?the Marram?Collection, which includes the award-winning luxury boutique hotel The Leddie in?Aberlady?and the iconic?The?Bushmills Inn in Northern Ireland.
The Kithmore brings a new style?of relaxed, design-led luxury to the heart of St Andrews.??Sympathetically restored to preserve many of its original features, great care has been taken to respect its setting within a conservation area, with modern hospitality standards seamlessly integrated throughout.
A thoughtfully designed new extension further enhances the guest experience, increasing capacity with four?additional?bedrooms, while two more have been created on the ground floor within the former?Pilmour?Bar.
Original stonework has been carefully restored and new double-glazed windows sensitively installed, ensuring contemporary comfort while?maintaining?the building’s historic character.?
There is a range of four beautifully appointed bedrooms available from cosy and comfort rooms to deluxe and suites; select suites retain original architectural features such as the cornicing, restored timber panelling and sash windows.
The guest experience?is front and foremost,?thoughtfully designed to optimise quality,?luxury?and comfort: light, airy bedrooms and calm palettes?are paired with darker, more cocooning corridors, creating a sense of retreat and arrival.
Each room is unique and has been designed to?maximise its features whether it’s a free-standing bath?in a bay window with views?to the sea and the Old Course, or an original cornice restored to its former glory.?
Bespoke furniture and furnishings range from dressing tables, feature wardrobes and hospitality units; customised joinery, oak timber flooring, plush rugs and an original frieze design features in selected rooms. The artwork throughout has been curated to add character to each individual space with local artists showcased.
Commitment to quality is showcased throughout the property with the finest designers and brands featured.
All ensuite bathrooms feature timeless Italian stone porcelain tiles -?Ceppo?di Sabbia?-?inspired by Italian terrazzo, which beautifully complements?glazed ceramic wall tiles.?Crafted?free-standing vanity units with under-mounted basins and luxury?state-of-the-art?German brand?AXOR and?Hansgrohe?brushed black brassware,?and?dual-head rainfall showers?also feature.?
Thoughtful design?plays?a central role?in shaping the hotel’s warm and welcoming feel.?The reinstatement of historic planters?will enhance?both privacy and the streetscape with a subtle illuminated central entrance staircase set back from the street.??
Guests arrive at a stylish reception area?featuring?herringbone timber flooring layered with plush rugs, lounge seating, original?art?and a bespoke red marble reception desk that anchors the lobby. Hand-painted signage by a local signwriter?Thomas Payne of Thomas Paints guides guests through the property.?
A key aspect of The?Kithmore’s?appeal will be its new standalone bar and restaurant, which?is accessed by its?own street-level entrance and extended landscaped terrace.?Located?on?Playfair Terrace,?off North Street -?the interiors feature?cosy snugs with comfortable banquette seating,?enclosed by timber panelling and leaded glazed screens.?
Lighting and artwork have been carefully considered to create an atmosphere that feels refined yet homely, lifted from the building’s heritage but unmistakably contemporary. Climbing honeysuckle, planters with native flowers and grasses, feature yew trees, wall lighting and uplighters create an inviting social Terrace setting that feels both sheltered yet connected to the street.?
The aim has been to create a space that’s social and inclusive with a view to becoming the new go-to venue on Playfair Terrace for both visitors, students, golfers, tourists, and the local community.
The brand ethos, Links that Last a Lifetime, evokes experiences and memories. Whilst The Kithmore name is inspired by the Scots word kith, which means friendship and a sense of home, this reflects the hotel’s warmth, welcome and genuine hospitality.
Recruitment?for key management positions is?now underway,?with further recruitment for front line roles closer to the opening in June.??
Kathryn McNairn, general manager of The?Kithmore, said:? “From the very beginning, The?Kithmore?has been about creating a refined yet welcoming retreat, rooted in the character of St Andrews and delivered to the highest?design?specification?throughout.??
“Inspired?by the Scots word ‘kith’,?meaning friendship and familiarity, we have designed a?luxurious?boutique hotel that feels elegant but never formal?-?a true home from home.
“Whether guests are here to play world-class golf, explore the town, enjoy exceptional?food?or simply slow down and relax,?our?hotel offers?a thoughtful alternative to larger resorts, with quality,?comfort?and attention to detail at its heart.?As we?head?towards our opening in June,?we’re?now open for bookings and recruiting the team who will bring this vision to life.”?
Rooms at The?Kithmore?are priced from £415?per night this summer,?with bookings now open at?www.thekithmore.com. For reservations, recruitment enquiries or further information, contact hello@thekithmore.com or call 01334 472970.?
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