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Dunfermline Press, 15th May, 2014
TRAVEL
The luxury countryside family
resort that does exactly what
it says on the tin!
l By Katie Richardson
‘Exactly what it says on the tin’ is the expression that first comes to mind when describing
Morton of Pitmilly luxury countryside Resort.
Located in the village of Kingsbarns, just five
miles from St Andrews, you wouldn’t expect to
find this rare gem in what appears to be a sleepy,
rural village.
Indeed, taking the windy country roads and
dodging the occasional tractor made me think I
was going to arrive at a glamorous campsite but I
couldn’t be more wrong.
Pulling up to the reception, first impressions are
a quaint building with a children’s play area and
that country farm feel.
A friendly member of staff came out to great us
and checked us in as I’d decided to take my mother,
sister, brother-in-law and nephew for the two-night
stay.
We instantly knew this would be a great place
for all the family and were shown to a five-star
boutique holiday house in the new extension, the
Steadings, just round the corner from the original
four-star courtyard properties.
And walking through the door you were hit immediately with the stunning view of the sea with
wall-length windows and a massive open-plan
kitchen diner.
No expense has been spared on all the mod cons
including underfloor heating, en suites in each of
the four bedrooms and queen-size beds.
And staff were quick to cater for our every need
including putting on baby gates for my one-yearold nephew who was already testing the stairs.
It made you feel instantly relaxed and after a
quick snack, we all headed off for a few hours in
the resort’s swimming pool, the ideal place to relax using the sauna and steam room before heading
back to the house for some family time and one of
the best night’s sleep I have ever had.
The next day was also packed with activities
with owner and competitive tennis player, Eilidh
Smith, giving us the guided tour and letting us try
out Scotland’s only indoor dedicated tennis court
which she renovated from one of the property’s
barns, with her stepfather, John Parker, in 2011.
After lunch, we also took a trip to St Andrews
where a spot of shopping and sightseeing provided
a relaxing afternoon, despite the traditional Scottish
weather making an appearance.
That evening we checked out the games room
and enjoyed some films out of the DVD library
which, when played on the house’s surround sound
TV, meant we could kick back on the sofa and have
that cinema experience.
And the 23-year-old business is not afraid to
move with the times, offering a touchscreen with
101 suggested activities in the main reception
and even introducing the COOK range around
18 months ago which means visitors who fancy
something more exciting for their evening meal
can check out a wide range of deli meals.
But the most impressive element was the fact
that the family have still kept those little touches
which make the experience such as having your
own basket in the main reception, where visitors
can post their orders for essentials such as the resort’s free range eggs and the morning paper which
are then popped into the basket for you to collect
in the morning.
It’s these details which make your stay hassle-
free with the resort attracting families and couples
from as far as London and with a repeat booking
rate at 75 per cent they are clearly doing something
right. It’s also dog-friendly, which is another bonus,
and keen walkers can use the resort’s nature trails,
while they also cater for fitness fanatics, putting
on bootcamps and activity breaks as well as being
the perfect location for corporate events and only a
stone’s throw away from Kingsbarns Golf Links.
All in all this is definitely an experience I would
recommend for all the family whether it’s for a
weekend getaway or a longer relaxing stay.
l For more information visit www.pitmilly.
co.uk