Gleneagles: The Strathearn, the 1924 dining room and its trolleys

The Strathearn is the room Gleneagles opened with in 1924, and in over a century it has changed little: dinner is by candlelight, with live piano music. The cooking is modern Scottish, and part of the meal comes from the guéridon trolleys, served beside the table.

Updated 24 October 20264 min readHow we write the guide

The Strathearn laid for dinner: round tables in white cloths, blue velvet banquettes, fringed lamps and a large vase of flowers between the dark columns.

The choice, in short

Why choose Gleneagles

Children get a menu of their own, 3 courses for £35, and a sweetie trolley just for them: fine dining at Gleneagles made for families too.

At the table

When to look elsewhere

Starred cooking is at Restaurant Andrew Fairlie, in the same hotel, with 2 Michelin stars; The Strathearn is not in the MICHELIN Guide.

The caviar

From 1924 to now

In 1924 a newspaper reported that the room seated about 400 guests at small tables. A menu from 1931 offered thick tomato soup, braised celery and “fancy biscuits”, and a dessert spelt wrong: Pears Dame Blanch for Dame Blanche.⁵

The 2019 renovation drew on the golden age of railway travel, adding a mosaic-floored orangery with views of the estate and the Ochil Hills, and a stage for music.⁶ The gilded columns, the original fireplace and the candlelight remain; the powder blue banquettes are a later touch.⁵

Among the evening starters are scallop with pancetta, ceps and cauliflower, Scottish lobster with barley, girolles and apple, and partridge with brioche, red cabbage and bread sauce; among the mains, turbot with leeks, cockles and gremolata, and venison with celeriac, bergamot and cocoa jus.²

Before and after dinner

The seafood tower
Before the starters you can order the Seafood Tower: Scottish lobster, Marrbury cured salmon, West Coast crab, scallop tartare, surf clam and Oscietra caviar, at a £165 supplement.²
The American Bar
The nightcap is at The American Bar, Art Deco in inspiration, with Scotland’s whiskies, signature cocktails and Champagne.¹ Ripped denim, trainers, baseball caps, collarless T-shirts and shorts are out there.³
Lunch
The lunch menu has roast Tweed Valley sirloin with Yorkshire pudding, parsnip, cauliflower cheese and roast potatoes, and a dessert trolley.²

Gleneagles

Loading map…

The other trolleys

What comes to the table

Smoked salmon 2 ways: Gleneagles & Co Marrbury, smoked in whisky barrels, and George Campbell & Sons, oak smoked
Artisan cheeses from the trolley, at a £15 supplement
Sticky toffee flambé with whisky, vanilla and pecan, at a £10 supplement

Where it is

Address	The Gleneagles Hotel, Auchterarder, Perthshire, PH3 1NF.¹

Rooms at the hotel

A Manor Room with a trunk at the foot of the bed and a fireplace

Rooms and staying here

Caviar, at a supplement

It comes with blinis, egg, shallots, chives and sour cream.²

Caviar	Quantity	Supplement
Oscietra	30g	£150
Golden Oscietra	30g	£195
Beluga	30g	£360
Epicurean Tasting Experience: Oscietra, Golden, Platinum Oscietra and Beluga	4 of 30g	£600

Before booking

Are there offers that include dinner at The Strathearn?

A Strathearn Soirée starts at £725: one night, the 3-course dinner at The Strathearn, breakfast and access to the health and fitness facilities, thermal journey included. The price is for 2 sharing a Country Room, VAT included, and the first night is charged as a non-refundable deposit when you book.⁴

Should I book before I arrive?

Yes: Gleneagles recommends booking dining and activities before arrival, to avoid disappointment.³

Can I bring my dog?

No, dogs are not allowed in the restaurants and bars. The estate has kennels at £40 a night for one dog or £60 for 2 sharing.³

Is there parking at the hotel?

Yes, parking is free for residents and visitors: follow the signs from the main gate.³

When is breakfast served?

From 7am to 10.30am Tuesday to Friday and to 11am Saturday to Monday, and it comes with every room rate. Breakfast cannot be booked, and the room is fullest between 9 and 10am.³

The restaurant’s page

The Strathearn

We wrote this on our own: Gleneagles reads it as you do. We sell no rooms: the links go where we read it.

Where we read it