PIERSLAND MANOR HOTEL

Standing proudly in its own private gardens and grounds on the edge of the delightful little Ayrshire town of Troon, and immediately surrounded by a glorious mixture of Scottish links golf courses, stunning coastal scenery, farmland and peaceful green rolling landscapes, Piersland House Hotel is a haven of peace and tranquillity in a wonderful part of Scotland.

Here at Piersland , the hospitality is very special indeed. Attentive staff take real pleasure in looking after you and helping with your holiday and short break plans. Attention to detail, friendly service and relaxation are the hallmarks of a stay at Piersland. And the kitchen is the heart and soul of the hotel. Menus in the lovely Redbowl Restaurant imaginatively use the finest, freshest local ingredients, for which the region is acclaimed throughout Scotland.

Arrive and you'll soon sense the appeal of the turn of the century manor - although strictly speaking it's Victorian, the style and feel is distinctly Edwardian

- A very atmospheric manor, with tasteful contemporary touches
- Delightful architectural and artistic details
- Tasty food very comprehensive in choice
- Wide range of superb accommodation
- Right next to Royal Troon golf links

Golf is truly ‘right on the doorstep' and within 30 minutes' drive - of a car, not a ball, we assume - you might find another 10 Championship courses including Turnberry, Old Prestwick and Western Gailes. Other attractions locally include magnificent Culzean Castle and Country Estate; the intriguing Electric Brae (watch your car freewheel uphill!); everything associated with Rabbie Burns, Scotland's national poet; beaches and country walks. Glasgow is half an hour away and connected by a much-enhanced road. Galloway with its Forest Park (the UK's largest), the National Book Town (Wigtown) and 'cradle of Christianity' (Whithorn) is not to be missed. Troon also has a marina, should you happen to arrive by sea!

ACCOMMODATIONS

Each room in the hotel has been lovingly maintained to preserve its original character and splendour with infinite care for recreating authentic period details, and tastefully blending them with lovely carpets, furnishings, colour schemes and fabrics. 30 rooms in all, arranged interestingly throughout the elegant building that helps create this remarkable hotel. Every room has its own unique character, but each has certain items in common.

Each of the bedrooms truly epitomises the ambience, and slight indulgence of a grand lodge in its Victorian heyday, but with all the latest creature comforts the discerning guest could wish for. The only ‘standardisation' here is the addition of extra comforts not very often standard in most hotels throughout the UK! And keeping to the whisky theme, each bedroom is based on a malt whisky distillery or family. All bedrooms have been fully updated while ensuring their original charm remains. Each room has full facilities and a room service menu is available.
One of Piersland's strongest cards is in the range and flexibility of accommodation on offer. In addition to the Double, Twin and Superior Rooms in the original building the hotel offers a selection of courtyard lodges or Cottage Suites. These surround the rear and garden of the hotel and are excellent, private and comfy facilities for families or groups. Décor here is light and smart.

All rooms include tea/coffee making facilities, direct-dial telephone from bedroom, Satellite TV, mini bar, free parking, and  night porter services

Expect a very flexible approach to your room requirements. Fluffy towels and extra bedding as standard. Family rooms complemented by childrens' menus although most of our discerning children prefer the adult menus! And the clear pure coatstal air here also helps to guarantee a great night's sleep.

We can arrange anything for you in your room, by prior request, from a lovely bottle of rose or sparkling champagne to enjoy on arrival, to chocolates and fresh flowers for the romantics.

And - ideal for business travel to the whole of Ayrshire - and Glasgow too. These days in a time-pressured, stressful world, more and more company representatives and executives, tired of the rather predictable, impersonal and ‘standardised' city centre ‘accommodation factory' hotel, seek solace from a busy work itinerary at a smaller, quieter, contemporary, caring, friendly ‘hostelry' within very easy reach of the city centres and main road and rail routes.

Piersland fits the bill perfectly. Warm hospitality, executive standard bedrooms, great breakfasts when you want them, all modern business services if you need them - and a caring approach to women travellers too.

DINING

The Piersland  dining rooms are overseen at all times by a highly dedicated and professional team of staff from Britain and all over Europe, bringing a wealth of experience of fine dining and hospitality to all those who work with them. To dine in our restaurant is an experience to savour for many reasons, not least for the discreet and courteous and attentive service, which perfectly compliments the exquisite cuisine.

Our talented Chef, John Rae heads an enthusiastic professional team, ensuring that dining at Piersland House Hotel is an opportunity to enjoy the wonderful, fresh, local ingredients for which this area is so well known.

Some of the world's finest beef, lamb and game are naturally-reared and matured on the hills and pastures around the hotel. Shellfish and fish come from the clear waters around the Ayrshire ports, salmon and sea trout from local lochs and rivers. All are cooked with flair and imagination.

We passionately believe in our food at Piersland House Hotel. We also believe and know that food alone is not the only reason why people enjoy a memorable dining experience so it's important to us that everything is done right and to the best of our ability. You need to feel good to enjoy a great dining experience to the full and we are sure that our delightful, informal, stylish yet easy friendly atmosphere and ambience will help make your whole dining experience complete.

We believe in our classic Scottish culinary product - complex twists and novelties too often distract from the final dish so we tend to avoid them. And our restaurant is all about making people welcome, comfortable and feeling at ease.

If you are coming to stay with us - we do encourage you to book dinner or supper in advance, as the hotel is so popular with local discerning diners!

GOLF

Our favourite golf courses in Ayrshire

Belleisle
Belleisle golf course is another course designed by the famous golf architect James Braid. Developed in 1927, Belleisle is a classic parkland course. In the middle of the woodlands of Belleisle Park in Ayr, it is one of the best public courses in Scotland, and host to a number of professional tournaments.

A course that is often missed by visiting golfers who favour its more famous neighbours, Belleisle is a long course which sets an enjoyable challenge. It uniquely opens with back-to-back par fives and there are only two par 4's under 400 yards on the entire course.
Hundreds of beech trees line the wide fairways and there are wonderful views of the Isle of Arran from the sixth and seven holes.

Kilmarnock Barassie
Established over a hundred years ago, Kilmarnock (Barassie) Golf Club offers not just 18 holes of excellent links golf, but also is home to what some consider the best nine hole course in Scotland.

The main Barassie course offers a challenging links layout. The course has narrow fairways, undulating greens and deep bunkers, and presents an excellent start to a week's golf in Ayrshire. An Open Championship Final Qualifying venue, the club has also played host to the British Amateur Championship, the European Youths and in 2004 has been the venue for the Junior Open.

Prestwick Old
Prestwick Golf Club was founded in 1851 and in 1860 hosted the first ever British Open Championship. Tom Morris Snr, the four times Open Champion was the first Keeper of the Green, Ball and Club Maker at the new club.

The course dips and winds amongst the sand dunes of the Ayrshire coast. The first hole presents a particularly challenging start, while the 17th is probably the course signature hole. Unchanged since the 1850s it has a blind second shot over a high ridge with the infamous 'Sahara' bunker waiting just in front of the green.

Prestwick St. Nicholas
This is an excellent links course with magnificent views over the Firth of Clyde to the Isle of Arran. The course is a challenging and tight traditional links with a sense of both history and tradition.

Due to the proximity of the shoreline, an almost ever-present wind ensures that the course provides a good test of golfing ability. Despite this, the shorter hitter of the ball will not suffer as few of the holes require long carries from the tee to reach the fairways.
There are a number of great holes - including the par-4 13th where you will have to contend with wind off the sea, and the par-4 8th, where water protects the approach to the sunken green.

Royal Troon
One of Scotland's most famous courses and an Open venue on 8 occasions to date, Royal Troon offers a classic links layout of 9 holes out and 9 holes back. The course is steeped in history and is a true test of your golfing skills. Not only do you have the wind to contend with, but deep rough interspersed with gorse and broom makes accurate shot making essential.

The course signature hole is the 8th, or Postage Stamp, which is usually played into the teeth of the wind. The inward nine holes are widely accepted as some of the most demanding on the Championship rota.

The Irvine Club, Bogside
Irvine Bogside is a traditional links course with narrow and undulating fairways. Established over 100 years ago, it owes much of its present day character to the design work of James Braid.

The ground rolls and bobs over ancient dune terrain, divided by gorse and heather between Irvine town, a racecourse and the River Irvine. Every hole has its own identity and the greens are fast and true.

The course presents a challenge to golfers of all abilities with its subtle changes in direction and demands accurate shot making. The Irvine Club, Bogside The Irvine Club, Bogside was one of the local Final Qualifying courses for the Open Championship in 2004.

Turnberry Ailsa
An Open Championship course which came to international prominence in 1977 due to the four day duel between Jack Nicklaus and Tom Watson which produced some exhilarating golf. The Ailsa course is regularly acknowledged as one of Britain's top three courses, with consistent rankings in the world top 20.

The average player off the medal tees might find the Ailsa quite generous with wide fairways and benevolent lies, but it demands their full respect when the wind comes into play. The 9th hole is probably one of the most photographed holes in golf, with the tee looking over Turnberry Bay and the famous lighthouse.

Colin Montgomerie has stated that "Turnberry offers the best Links golf in the world" while Sandy Lyle has described the Ailsa course as "easily one of the finest courses in the world."

Turnberry Kintyre
The Kintyre is the second course of the renowned Turnberry Hotel and Golf resort. This is the revamped former 'Arran' course which has been upgraded to championship standard with 11 entirely new holes. It will be one of the Final Qualifying courses for the 2004 Open Championship at Troon.

The Kintyre is links golf at its best. Undulating greens and glorious fairways all with stunning views of Kintyre, Arran, and the famous Turnberry Lighthouse.

Reviewed by a leading UK golf journalist as "an outstanding addition to the golfing links" the Kintyre course puts Turnberry in the enviable position of being one of the finest golfing destinations not just in Scotland, but in the world.

Western Gailes
Western Gailes is never other than an excellent test of links golf, but any change in the strength or direction of the wind provides new challenges. The undulating terrain requires even the best of players to produce a full range of shot making. It remains an enjoyable experience at all times, with superb sea views across the Firth of Clyde from almost every hole.

One of the Final Qualifying courses when the Open Championship is held at either Royal Troon or Turnberry, the course has also played host to the Curtis Cup, the PGA Championship, Seniors, Scottish Amateur and Boys Championships and the Ladies' Home Internationals.

Ayrshire is a coastal county boasting spectacular scenery and some of the world's most famous links golf courses. Home to two current Open Championship courses, Royal Troon and the Ailsa course at Turnberry, Ayrshire was also home to the first ever Open Championship, played at Prestwick in 1860, and is an ideal venue for a golf break or holiday in Scotland.

A history of golf in Ayrshire

1851 - Formation of Prestwick Golf Club. Club Professional is four times Open Champion, Tom Morris Senior
1860 - First Open Championship contested over 36 holes and won by Willie Park
1872 - First time the Claret Jug is played for at Prestwick
1923 - Open played at Troon and won by Arthur Havers
1925 - Open played at Prestwick for the last time and won by Jim Barnes
1950 - Bobby Lock wins the Open at Troon
1962 - Arnold Palmer defends his Open title at Troon
1973 - Tom Weiskopf wins his only major title at Troon
1977 - Tom Watson wins a famous duel at Turnberry, beating Jack Nicklaus by one shot
1982 - Tom Watson wins his fourth Open Championship at Royal Troon
1986 - Greg Norman wins his first major title at Turnberry
1989 - Mark Calcavechia wins a three way playoff at Royal Troon
1994 - Nick Price wins at Turnberry
1997 - Justin Leonard wins his first Open at Royal Troon
2004 - Todd Hamilton wins his first major at Royal Troon in a play off against Ernie Els