Stuart Forster visits SCHLOSS Roxburghe hotel and spa at Heiton near Kelso and reports on the experience of staying at the luxury resort in the Scottish Borders.
Disclosure: Stuart was invited to stay at SCHLOSS Roxburghe as a guest of the property and report on the estate’s one- and two-bedroom self-catering cottages, which opened in 2024. Some of the links below and banners are affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.
The morning air feels eerily still and seems to accentuate the chirping and warbling of birds. Knee-high strips of mist hang above the greens and fairways of Roxburghe Golf Club’s highly-rated 18-hole Championship course. Randomly, I’m reminded of fog scenes in the cartoon Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!
Staying in one of the 51 self-catering cottages that opened in 2024 on the country estate in the Scottish Borders means I’m ideally placed for a brisk start-of-day stroll on the course Dave Thomas designed. Before setting out, I poured myself an espresso from the Smeg coffeemaker in the dining room of my two-bedroom cottage.
Getting ready to take a shot, I take my stance, get a comfortable grip and steady my breathing. Instead of a golf club, it’s a camera I hold. Thanks to the morning mist, the interplay of shadow and light on trees plus golden shafts of low sunlight filtering between branches makes for a compelling image.
Country sports at SCHLOSS Roxburghe
The sun burns away the mist as it rises, revealing a view of the Roxburgh Viaduct spanning the River Teviot. On the far bank of the babbling river, an angler readies his equipment. Fly fishing on a private stretch of the river is one of the country sports available to guests staying at SCHLOSS Roxburghe.
Yesterday, myself and a small group of fellow guests had an introductory lesson in clay pigeon shooting. Afterwards, we fired arrows at targets on the lawn behind the 18th-century manor house that holds SCHLOSS Roxburghe’s reception. The experience brought out our competitive spirit and proved enjoyable.
Discover more about the property by watching this short video about SCHLOSS Roxburghe hotel and spa near Kelso in Scotland:
Golf at SCHLOSS Roxburghe
It’s been a long while since I played a round of golf, so I declined the opportunity to play the beautifully maintained course.
However, I enjoy spending time on the driving range, which is equipped with Toptracer technology that tracks the flight of balls smashed out from the SCHLOSS Roxburghe’s eight covered bays.
The technology makes it possible to simulate playing some of the world’s best-known courses or play games that encourage golfers to focus on their accuracy.
Relaxing in the SCHLOSS Spa
The spa at SCHLOSS Roxburghe has four treatment rooms, a heated outdoor pool plus cabins on the terrace holding an aromatherapy sauna and a Finnish sauna.
As sweat dripped the conversation flowed in the Finnish sauna. I chatted with day guests and locally based spa members, and the talking continued as we moved as a group to the hot tub after a bracing dip in the plunge pool.
Dining at SCHLOSS Roxburghe
Fully equipped kitchens in the estate’s self-catering cottages give guests the option of cooking for themselves. A £25 daily voucher is provided and can be redeemed at the Estate Market for breakfast. The shop sells food and drinks as well as items of clothing such as wool sweaters and tweed produced in the Scottish Borders.
Guests staying in one of the 20 rooms and suites within the manor house or one of the 58 rooms in its Estate House extension can enjoy breakfast in Charlie’s. In addition to an expansive buffet featuring cooked and cold items, freshly prepared dishes such as Eggs Benedict are available.
Charlie’s opens for breakfast, lunch and dinner, serving attractively presented seasonal dishes that are prepared with ingredients from the estate and surrounding region. That philosophy also underpins the sourcing of the majority of ingredients for Sunlaws, a fine-dining restaurant offering a la carte and tasting menus from Wednesday to Sunday.
I selected venison as my main course in both restaurants. In Charlie’s, loin was served with braised red cabbage, parsnip and an intense jus. In Sunlaws, it was presented with black truffle, white turnip, kale and jus.
Light bites are also served in the State Room Lounge, which is ideal for a pre- or post-dinner drink. My preferred choice of location for a nightcap was Bar 1745, a whisky and gin bar in the high-ceilinged room that formerly served as the manor house’s library.
Whisky tastings in Bar 1745
One of my favourite aspects of staying at SCHLOSS Roxburghe was participating in a whisky tasting led by Carrie-Anne Jones. A whisky ambassador, Carrie-Anne spoke knowledgeably and passionately about whisky’s heritage, Scotland’s whisky-producing regions and why she had chosen the three whiskies that we sampled in Bar 1745: a limited edition Sauternes wine cask finish 12-year-old from Speyside’s The GlenAllachie distillery, a dram of 18-year Bowmore and a tequila cask finished 15-year-old malt from Deanston.
Map of SCHLOSS Roxburghe
SCHLOSS Roxburghe is at Heiton, approximately four miles southwest of Kelso in the Scottish Borders. Enter the postcode TD5 8JZ to find the hotel.
Driving there from Edinburgh takes around 90 minutes while the journey north from Newcastle upon Tyne takes roughly one hour 40 minutes. Ample onsite parking is available at SCHLOSS Roxburghe.
Zoom out of the map to see SCHLOSS Roxburghe’s location between Edinburgh and Newcastle.
SCHLOSS Roxburghe
See the SCHLOSS Roxburghe website for further information about the hotel and spa. This Destination by Hyatt property is a five-star hotel owned by a company based in Germany. In German, ‘Schloss’ means ‘palace’.
Overall, I found the staff welcoming, helpful and willing to do that little bit extra to satisfy guests.
Electric buggies are available on the estate to transport luggage and guests between the cottages and the manor house.
Kio House of Kids, a children’s club providing entertainment for four to 12-year-olds, was added in 2024.
Further information
Stuart Forster, the author of this post, is an award-winning travel writer. He is based in northeast England and writes for a range of publications, including The Business Travel Magazine, which was named Best Travel Trade Publication – Online at the 2024 Travel Media Awards.
Thanks for reading this post about SCHLOSS Roxburghe hotel and spa near Kelso. If you enjoy hiking, you may also enjoy this post about the Scottish Borders Walking Festival.
Photos illustrating this post are by Why Eye Photography.
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