Open less than 18 months, St Andrews Bay Golf Resort & Spa, has achieved unprecedented honors despite its rather recent emergence on the Scottish landscape. The latest accolade, a Five Star International Status fromVisitScotland (formally the Scottish Tourist Board). The $80 million, 520 acre international flagship property of ChÌ¢teau Ì?lan Hotels & Resorts, becomes one of only four hotels in Scotland to achieve 5 star status.

Immediately prior to the Five Star award, Stephen Carter, General Manager was awarded the coveted Silver Thistle award, Scottish tourism`s highest honor for hoteliers.

Described by VisitScotland as “The ultimate conference and leisure destination in Scotland,” St Andrews Bay is visually and physically spectacular.”

The 209 room hotel and its two tournament quality golf courses are sited atop the tall cliffs above the North Sea in East Scotland. Guests are treated to sweeping views of the historic town of St Andrews and its 1,000 year old University, St Andrews Cathedral and Rule Tower, the venerable “Old Course” the spiritual birthplace of golf and across the Tay Estuary to Carnoustie, site of the 1999 British Open.

The volcanic cliffs around St Andrews have born silent witness for countless millennia of evolution and history making epochs, none so exciting perhaps to modern day golf enthusiasts, conference, and incentive planners as St Andrews Bay.

“Links Magazine (March 2002) in describing St Andrews Bay stated, “It is impossible to imagine such a property outside Pebble Beach or next to Kapalua, but here it was, just a stone`s throw from the Old Course.” Corporate Meetings & Incentives (April 2002) named St Andrews Bay “Editors Choice” describing the property “.... luxurious, spacious and airy, purpose built for corporate business, cliff-edge golf holes and majestic panoramas. Until St Andrews Bay, staging a business meeting or incentive has been a frustrating exercise. Not any more.”

American Airlines Celebrated Living magazine, (Summer 2002) a publication for their premium class passengers, ranked St Andrews Bay seventh among the worlds greatest golf resorts.

A $3.5 million golf club house opened in November 2002. Perched on a cliff to above the North Sea, it features a well-stocked pro shop, PGA training facilities a
3,000 square foot sea view restaurant and bar with a fully-decked balcony. St Andrews Bay also has The Squire a bistro style restaurant serving wonderful seafood, European and regional Scottish dishes, Kittocks Den, a spirited bar and lounge, a full-service health spa, gym, 18 meter heated indoor pool, lobby cocktail bar, 15,000 square feet of conference center with ballroom, two boardrooms, 106 seat auditorium, two 4, 000 sq. ft manor homes and 17 suites among its 209 generous sized hotel rooms.

St Andrews Bay`s boasts two championship golf layouts. The Torrance, a stunning par 72 track designed by golfing legend Gene Sarazen and winning European Ryder Cup captain Sam Torrance. This 7,037 yard course is a more traditional links-style, course, walking only, with artful Scottish touches such as a burn winding through it and small stone arched bridges. It will fulfill American expectation with its wide open, sometimes windswept fairways, separated by thick rough one generally associates with the Old Course. Meandering its way around the hotel to the cliff edges, The Torrance offers dramatic sea views at every turn providing golfers with the perfect mix of challenging holes and breathtaking settings.

The Devlin course designed by Aussie Bruce Devlin at 7,049 yards sweeps its way along the rugged coastal landscape with undulating fairways, dramatic elevation changes, elaborate low stone walls, and a handful of beautifully sculpted double greens. crafted onto the cliff edges. Further strengthening the Scottish flavor is its location above the rocky cliffs, directly across the bay from Carnoustie. The Devlin offers both walking and carts and caddies are available for both courses.

St Andrews Bay has the largest conference facilities of any hotel in Scotland. The meeting space includes a 15,000 sq. ft. conference center with high speed telecom systems, videoconferencing and internet and satellite links. The conference center can accommodate up to 1,000 attendees, has two boardrooms, nine meeting rooms and a 106 seat auditorium. A sharp professional staff will tailor imaginatively themed pursuits for delegates or spouse programs such as Home of Golf Tours, Highland Safari,
Castle Tours, distillery tours, clay pigeon shooting, falconry, salmon and trout fishing.

St Andrews is about a 50 minute drive from Edinburgh`s international airport, an hour and a half from Glasgow and 20 minutes from the Leuchars Train station. The resort acts as a hub for golf enthusiasts travels around the Scottish countryside to the Old Course, and other legendary courses such as Muirfield, Turnberry, Troon, Prestwick, Gleneagles, Royal Dornoch and Carnoustie.

St Andrews Bay is a member of Preferred Hotels & Resorts, Worldwide. The resort, which opened in June 2001, is now in integral part of the rich tapestry of Scotland`s travel, conference and tourism canvas and well on its way toward becoming its newest masterpiece.

For more information about St Andrews Bay or Chateau Élan Hotels & Resorts call 44(0) 1334 837000 or log onto www.standrewsbay.com or www.chateauelan.com.

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