Aurora Hotel Collection opens luxury hotel near Gleneagles, plans openings and acquisitions

By Peter Ruddick

- Last updated on GMT

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Aurora Hotel Collection has opened The Cairn Lodge & Hotel in Auchterarder, near Gleneagles, and said it plans more hotel openings and acquisitions
Aurora Hotel Collection has opened The Cairn Lodge & Hotel in Auchterarder, near Gleneagles, and said it plans more hotel openings and acquisitions
Aurora Hotel Collection, the portfolio run by hotelier Steven McLeod, has opened The Cairn Lodge & Hotel in Auchterarder, near Gleneagles, and said it plans several openings in the next 18 months and is still looking to acquire venues.

The luxury five-star hotel in Perthshire reopened after a six-month, multi-million pound refurbishment following a period where the venue lay empty.

After over £3m was spent on the acquisition and refurb, the Victorian property now contains 10 bedrooms, an outside terrace and a separate luxury 5-bedroom lodge house. The opening has also created more than 40 jobs in the local area.

The Grill Room

The dining offering on-site comes from The Grill Room featuring a Josper Grill. The restaurant is inspired by London grill rooms and will offer modern takes on grill classics using locally-sourced and seasonal ingredients.

Steven McLeod, chief executive of the Aurora Hotel Collection, said the hotel would significantly boost the local area. "The Cairn will add a new dimension to the accommodation and dining available in the area and is a great addition to the Aurora Hotel Collection."

“There is a market for hotels that offer a quality product and great service at an affordable price and this is why we are continuing to hold our own and build our business in these very challenging times," McLeod added.

Acquisition trail

The Cairn Lodge & Hotel is the sixth venue in the Aurora Hotel Collection which currently operates luxury hotels across Central Scotland including Airth Castle Hotel near Stirling, Glenbervie House & The Coach House near Falkirk and The Kenmore Hotel & Luxury Lodges on the River Tay. 

McLeod revealed the opening was the first of several planned openings with new acquisitions also possible in the coming months.

"The Cairn is the first of several ventures which we plan to open in the next 18 months and there will be at least two further additions to the Aurora Hotel Collection in the near future. The luxury Hotel Colessio will open in Stirling at the end of this year, and following an upgrade and refurbishment, the historic Kenmore Hotel, near Aberfeldy, will be re-launched along with our luxury lodge development at Kenmore."

"In total we expect to invest over £12m in these projects and create employment for over 100 people by the end of 2012; but we are also still on the acquisition trail and, if the right opportunity presents itself, other projects and developments may well come on-stream," McLeod added.

The Cairn Lodge & Hotel features interior decoration and furnishings by Andrew Martin, light fittings by Studio Italia and Philippe Starck bathrooms with the White Company amenities in all the bedrooms.

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