The last time I visited Scotland was when I was really young, when my parents decided that they had spoilt us by travelling abroad all the time and not seeing much of the UK. I mean, at that age I was perfectly content with the multiple flights a year we took and I was in no rush to escape from the sunshine holidays. Alas, when you’re 12, your opinion is rarely considered and off we went to Scotland. I remember the lasting memories I had from 11 years ago was the fact it rained a lot in Scotland and was rather cold. Other than that, the memories had faded due to my adolescent mind.
I was ready to make new memories in Scotland, as I was invited to head back up to Scotland on a press trip to review Trump Turnberry. A gorgeous stately hotel based in South West Scotland, around 1 hour drive from Glasgow in a town called Ayrshire.
We were picked up from Glasgow airport by a suited and booted chauffeur who drove us to Trump Turnberry in a sleek Mercedes, ready for a luxury 2 night stay by the coast.
As we pulled into the road where Trump Turnberry was situated, we were greeted by a clear blue sky which brought out the extreme whiteness of the hotel. How majestic does it just, perched on the top of the hill? Safe to say, I wasn’t expecting Trump Turnberry to be as big as it was.
When you get up close to the hotel, the detailing stands out a lot more. I especially loved the little touches of small garden tables and chairs that allowed guests to sit out in front of the hotel and admire the gorgeous seaside views and the well known Turnberry golf course.
It was a sight that took me over 10 minutes to tear my eyes away from. It isn’t everyday you get to see so much luscious green grass, with a bright blue sky overhead before it meet the deep blue sea. Utter bliss, peace and serenity. I was slowly falling in love with the sound of birds chirping around me and the vivid sound of crashing waves, whilst watching golfers enthusiastically play on the course.
As we popped into the hotel to check-in, it truly took me by surprise. If i’m honest, I wasn’t expecting the hotel to be as grand as it was but it was even better than I ever expected it to be. The interiors resembled the standard of a deluxe 5-star luxury hotel in London and I was utterly in awe that this existed 500 miles north of London.
In every corner, wherever I looked there was a majestic chandelier in place. It gave the hotel the grandest feeling, but in a completely elegant and non-stuffy way. The grandest of them all was the Ivanka chandelier, which was named after Trump’s daughter. They were 10 of them in the hotel and they were the most elegant chandeliers. Each of the pieces of glass has handblown and each consisted of thousands of individual pieces that hand to be installed piece by piece.
We were taken to our sea view room that boasted two generously large double beds and had the most exquisite detailing on the frame. I was definitely in interior heaven!
The room was large with many components to it. Firstly, I was super impressed by the large flat screen tv that was perched on top of a trunk like cabinet. It added a nautical feel to the room, along with the blue and white interiors. So, so perfect for a coastal luxury hotel.
The room itself was spacious enough for Zoe and I to get ready without being in each others personal space, but I also loved the double sink feature which allowed us both to have time in front mirror at the same time whilst we got ready. I think it’s a feature that some hotels tend to forget about, but is extremely convenient.
The little touches that Trump Turnberry put together, such as the ‘his and hers’ amenities were very personal and a great way to show distinctive 5-star service to their valued guests.
The bathroom had a lovely warm feel, with gold detailing, a large stand alone shower and a totally ‘instagrammable’ bathtub. There was some great features includes during the renovation of the hotel that made it feel welcoming and satisfying for guests coming to stay. I’m a huge fan of ‘pretty’ interiors, so I was utterly blown away by our room at Trump Turnberry.
Turnberry is generally sort after for the golf course and brings a lot of older guests to come and enjoy the hotel. What I loved about Trump Turnberry is that they offer a range of different activities for all ages and facilities for guests that haven’t necessarily come for the golf course and have just come for a relaxing stay.
Zoe and I had a dabble at some off roading on quad bikes with our wonderful instructor Julie. She truly gave us a unique experience of going over hills, through ditches, over stones and rocks and up through the forests and down through the water. It was an experience I definitely won’t forget, especially with the gorgeous views in the distance.
Not only did we experience quad biking, we had a lesson on Archery too. It’s never something that has ever crossed my mind as something I wanted to try before coming to Trump Turnberry but i’m really glad I did. The competitive thrill you get when you hit the targets you want, especially as I didn’t even know how to hold the bow at the beginning of the lesson. Another great big thanks to Julie for being a brilliant and patient instructor.
Although we couldn’t come all the way to the famous Turnberry golf course and not have a golf lesson now, could we?
Especially as we were having a lesson from Rob Menzies who had played in South Africa and all over Europe. Let’s just say his golf swing was a lot better than mine, but I was impressed by how far I was actually able to hit the ball to. It could have been beginners luck but I also have to say Rob was great and ensuring we had the perfect posture and swing technique.
Just watching Rob, I was in absolute awe of the passion and training he has gone through to get to where he is. A true sporting inspiration.
After all those activities and sports we played over two days, we were in a desperate need of a spa afternoon. Zoe and I popped down to the ESPA spa for a full body massage, an alcohol detox in the sauna before a nice long swim.
Even the little touches reached as far as the spa. My therapist allowed me to smell various oils and pick what I preferred, within the range that would be suitable for the outcome I wanted from the massage. Even simple things like the towels on the massage table were warm and my slippers were heated to wear post-treatment. It is the little things that give hotels that 5-star luxury touch in my opinion.
After our massages, we were taken to the relaxation room where we were given a glass of prosecco to enjoy after our treatments. It truly doesn’t get any better than this. The staff at Trump Turnberry truly go out of their way for their guests to make your stay extra special.
We were geared up for some smashing some delicious foodie experiences during our stay at Trump Turnberry, but i’ll leave you longing until my next blog post about where to eat when visiting Turnberry. You know how I like to keep you all on edge…
Let’s just say, we both went to bed feeling rather full which sent us off into the deepest sleep in our large comfy double beds. I almost didn’t want to wake up in the morning because I felt like I was sleeping on a bed of soft feathers – so heavenly. When we managed to get ourselves out of bed, we were so surprised by the amazing breakfast views and offerings.
We were waited on hand and foot with excellent service. They brought around orange juice, before a choice of our caffeinated drinks. There was a glorious buffet selection that was filled with the most delicious exotic fruits (which I absolutely love, having spent many summers in Africa), fresh honey comb and delicious golden pastries.
There was also a menu where you could order cooked breakfasts. If you know me well, I can’t resist poached eggs on sourdough toast. I wasn’t too sure they would have sourdough but my kind request was granted and I was in utter heaven. Zoe ordered the eggs Benedict with salmon.
They were truly eggcellent! The yolks of the eggs were a rich orange colour, like the colour of a deep sunset. Can you see connection between my love between a good sunset and a perfectly poached egg? 😉
When the skies are blue, there is nothing quite like a post breakfast walk… to the lighthouse. Admittedly Zoe and I did get lost when looking for the lighthouse initially, but it’s all part of the fun, right? Especially when you realise a 1 hour walk should have taken just 20 minutes. Ooops? It was worth it though!
Trump Turnberry was everything I hoped it would be and more. I genuinely think it’s an incredible hotel who looks after their guests like they are royalty and offers perfect coastal get away, from the hustle and bustle of busy city life. I can safely say that I have new memories of Scotland that revolve around blue skies, tonnes of fun and an amazing stay at Trump Turnberry.
Until next time…
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