Toto, I don’t think we’re in Glasgow anymore.
Ketsuda Phoutinane Spare Time Content Editor
16:53, 23 Dec 2025Updated 16:58, 23 Dec 2025
The concept of an airport hotel hotel hardly sets pulses racing. The airport and its surrounding area is usually just an obstacle to bypass between you and your actual destination.
Most travellers are enticed by the ‘Highlands-Loch-Ness-whisky’ version of Scotland — not Renfrewshire. However, as I discovered recently, just moments from the baggage carousel lies a breathtaking bit of countryside.
Situated on the outskirts of Scotland’s largest city stands the recently transformed Mar Hall Hotel and Resort. To clarify, this isn’t an ‘airport hotel’ as such, but rather a hotel that happens to be close to an airport. The five-star establishment has just completed a £20million renovation under new management, reports the Express.
This bit of countryside is just 10 minutes from Glasgow Airport(Image: Mar Hall)
Despite being no more than 25 minutes from my flat in Glasgow, it captures the essence of ‘holiday’ Scotland — the postcard-perfect countryside I rarely venture. Arriving at 3pm during the depths of winter, I’m greeted by golden sunlight alighting the Clyde and the rolling hills and woodland stretching beyond.
What the new Mar Hall is like
Mar Hall’s grand Gallery room (left) and staircase (right)(Image: Ketsuda Phoutinane)
At the venerable age of 180, Mar Hall has experienced several incarnations. Originally built by the 11th Lord Blantyre as the latest Erskine house estate, it was later transformed into a hospital for servicemen who had been amputated in World War 1.
Now in 2025, Mar Hall finds itself under fresh ownership once more. For locals like myself, an evening spent in such a grand historic residence offers a welcome escape from everyday life. For those travelling from further away, it provides an exceptionally lavish introduction to Scotland.
Whilst the hotel’s new proprietors are Dubai-based — and the property certainly photographs beautifully for social media — Mar Hall’s transformation feels authentically Scottish. As Jim Hamilton, who heads Graven, the interior design company behind the makeover, has local roots, shared with me, he’d grown up in the area and still stays just minutes away.
Mar Hall all decked out for Christmas(Image: Mar Hall)
The quintessentially Glaswegian design house Timorous Beasties provided wallpapers and textiles, while Artpistol, the city’s art gallery, sourced much of the artwork displayed throughout, including pieces from recent Glasgow School of Art graduates.
Observing Mar Hall’s journey from “home to hospital to hospitality”, Jim explains they aimed to continue that sense of homeyness and care in its current incarnation. He pointed out subtle tributes to its past that I wouldn’t have recognised as Victorian references.
The grand entrance hall, flanked by potted palm trees, harks back to an era when exotic flora signified worldliness. The Victorian influence is also evident in the architectural details, with four large paintings depicting Scotland’s seasons, commissioned from Scottish artist Nichol Wheatley, set into custom wall panelling, a popular design choice of the period.
The aesthetic is bold and bright — Victorian meets 2025. Its colours and patterns don’t overwhelm the star of the show, which is Mar Hall’s grand period features and lofty vaulted ceilings.
The rooms
The custom shelving and lighting of my dreams(Image: Ketsuda Phoutinane)
Although it’s a five-star hotel, the staff are relaxed and friendly, starting with the receptionist, who eagerly leads me to the Gallery, the hotel’s centrepiece. I braced myself to feign enthusiasm, but when the door swings open, I was genuinely taken aback. It was even more impressive in person than in the pictures.
Guests walk through the Gallery, a very grand long room with a cathedral-like vaulted ceiling, to reach their rooms. There’s plush seating throughout with fireplaces and a marble bar at its centre. And when I visit at the cusp of December, the hotel has just been decorated for Christmas to wonderful effect.
(Image: Ketsuda Phoutinane)
I am fortunate enough to spend the night in the Erskine grand suite, priced at £1,125 per night, complete with a lavish sitting room and grand piano, which I sadly cannot play. The sitting room and bathroom, featuring a rolltop bath, offer stunning views over the golf course, River Clyde and picturesque woodlands beyond.
The perfectly lit custom bookcases are so impressive that when I meet Jim, I can’t resist asking if he would consider designing my flat pro bono. To my delight, a Christmas tree sparkles in the lounge, accompanied by a handwritten note and a dish of treats welcoming me to Mar Hall. It’s enough to make me feel warm and fuzzy.
The Erskine suite(Image: Ketsuda Phoutinane)
The bedroom, boasting a luxurious four-poster bed and impeccably comfy hotel bedding, lures me into sleep shortly after I start watching a cheesy Netflix Christmas film.
It’s a shame I can’t stay awake to see what it’s like to live the high life. Despite only reopening in May this year, Mar Hall has already had Kylie Minogue as a guest in these suites twice.
The food
The Slàinte bar decked out for Christmas(Image: Ketsuda Phoutinane)
I enjoy a pre-meal drink in the Slàinte bar, a stylish spot complete with a crackling fireplace and Christmas tree.
The dinner menu offers three of my favourites: smoked salmon, beef, and sticky toffee pudding. The local smoked salmon, served with horseradish and a wafer-thin cracker, is a treat. The blade of beef is tender and pairs perfectly with dauphinoise potatoes and honey-roasted carrots.
A very Scottish dinner at Mar Hall(Image: Ketsuda Phoutinane)
The only critique would be that the pudding could have benefited from an extra serving of toffee sauce to pour over the dish. The service strikes a good balance between attentive and unobtrusive. Surprisingly, it’s their warm fig bread rolls I miss the most.
Breakfast is served in the Dining Room, offering a continental spread alongside a selection of hot dishes such as full Scottish breakfast, sausage egg roll, eggs Benedict, and porridge. I choose the ‘rise & shine crumpet’, a tasty combination of Argyll smoked salmon with scrambled eggs.
The ‘rise and shine’ smoked salmon breakfast(Image: Ketsuda Phoutinane)Location and facilities
Mar Hall, set within a 240-acre estate, is conveniently located just a 25-minute drive from Glasgow city centre or a mere 10 minutes from Glasgow Airport, although public transport options are limited.
The hotel’s facilities include the 18-hole Earl of Mar golf course, which offers stunning views of the River Clyde and the Kilpatrick Hills. The spa boasts a swimming pool, saunas, and steam rooms, while other amenities include a gym, games room, and private screening room.
Final thoughts
Mar Hall’s new proprietors have invested millions in the hotel with the ambition of transforming it into a world-class destination. Resort director Andy Roger has revealed plans for a clubhouse featuring a second restaurant and a state-of-the-art indoor-outdoor spa.
The local competition is fierce. This year, Mar Hall made it into the top 20 resorts in Europe as voted by readers of American luxury travel magazine Condé Nast Traveler. The number one spot? Gleneagles.
The iconic resort, just an hour away, is essentially a Scottish summer camp for the rich. It boasts seven restaurants, three golf courses, a spa, horse riding, shooting, fishing, off-roading and more amidst the Perthshire hills.
While it may not offer all the amenities of a millionaire’s playground, I’m already eager to return. Mar Hall tops my list for a luxe staycation with my husband or for afternoon tea with out-of-town guests. And once the spa is refurbished, it’ll be a hit with Glawedgians looking to treat themselves like myself.
The longer I stayed at Mar Hall, the less willing I was to leave — a sure sign of a quality hotel.
Booking
Bookings and packages can be made via Mar Hall’s website. Room prices start from £292.