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. 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 Ugadale Hotel in Machrihanish is the newest of luxury the accommodations offered at The Village at Machrihanish Dunes,” said David Southworth, President and CEO of Southworth Development LLC. “We are thrilled with the results of the painstaking restoration process and look forward to celebrating the return of this iconic, turn-of-the-century hotel, which will bring a new standard of accommodation to the region."
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.
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.
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.
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)
Douglas Cowan, Highlands & Islands Enterprise Area Manager for Argyll & the Islands, added: “The opening of the fully restored Ugadale Hotel marks the completion of the latest phase of investment by Southworth, building on the success of the internationally acclaimed Machrihanish Dunes golf course. The development is playing a key role in repositioning the local economy providing a high quality tourism product to attract new, high spending visitors from around the world. HIE approved £2.2million, including £886,000 from the European Regional Development Fund, to support the redevelopment of the Ugadale and Royal hotels as part of our commitment to the revival of the Kintyre economy, bringing more than £3million to the economy annually. The commitment and investment by Southworth Europe is having a major impact on both the economy and confidence on the Kintyre peninsula and the opening of the Ugadale hotel marks a significant step forward for the area.”
About Southworth
Machrihanish Dunes Golf Club and the luxury accommodations in both Machrihanish and Campbeltown, Scotland are managed by Southworth Europe Limited. Southworth Europe Limited is an affiliate of Southworth Development LLC, a privately held company based in Newton, Massachusetts, specializing in the development of residential resort & hospitality branded real estate communities. Through its affiliated companies, Southworth Development is extremely active in the international golf industry.
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.
