SCOTTISH sporting hero Andy Murray and his wife Kim took home two top awards at Scotland's hospitality awards for their five-star hotel.
The Cromlix Hotel near Dunblane, which the couple has owned since 2013, won the prestigious award for Independent Hotel of the Year, beating Killiecrankie House in Perthshire, at the Scottish Excellence Awards.
Presented at the Sheraton Grand Hotel and Spa in Edinburgh on Thursday, the awards are billed as “the ultimate accolade for businesses and individuals working in Scottish hospitality, food service and tourism”.
Responding to the win, Kim Murray said: “The hotel has had a remarkable 12 months, and the team has worked incredibly hard to continue delivering an outstanding experience for our guests.
“I’m so proud we’ve been recognised with this amazing award. We’re excited for the future of Cromlix and hope we can continue to offer Scottish excellence to every guest.”
The Cromlix (pictured below) took home a second win as the venue’s executive head chef Darin Campbell was voted Chef of the Year.
Finalists in the Chef of the Year category included Kevin Dalgleish of Aberdeen’s Amuse Restaurant, which was a runner-up in the Restaurant Newcomer section, Lorna McNee of Cail Bruich in Glasgow, last year’s Restaurant of the Year champion, Calum Montgomery of Edinbane Lodge on the Isle of Skye, and Dean Parker of Celentano’s, Glasgow.
Killiecrankie House took another of the night’s main awards, Restaurant of the Year.
READ MORE: Andy Murray's Cromlix hotel named most dog friendly in Scotland
After quitting their jobs in finance and advertising in London to take over the renowned establishment near Pitlochry in 2022, Tom Tsappis and Matilda Ruffle began renovating Killiecrankie and its restaurant.
Their respective Greek-Cypriot and half-Japanese roots are now said to be evident throughout their menus.
Highly commended in the category was The Globe Inn in Dumfries, where Robert Burns is said to have “eaten, drank, recited, slept and otherwise entertained ‘affairs of the heart’" before his death in 1796 .
Head of cuisine, Jonathan Brett, said: “The Globe Inn has been around for well over 400 years but it has really only been in the past two or three years that we have seen the investment and transformation that have made it into what we believe is one of the finest casual fine dining restaurants in Scotland.”
READ MORE: The best Scottish hotels to stay at for under £150 revealed
Group Hotel of the Year was won by the 240-bedroom Waldorf Astoria Edinburgh - The Caledonian, with close competition from Apex Waterloo Place and Duisdale House on the Isle of Skye, which was the winner of the category in 2018.
Glasgow favourites Celentano’s were voted Restaurant Newcomer of the Year, as Edinburgh Street Food, a grouping of 10 independent traders in Leith Street, took the Highly Commended rating.
Rachel and Graham Bucknall’s Ship Inn overlooking Elie Bay took the Pub Excellence Award ahead of the Highly Commended Boar’s Head in Auchtermuchty, and McLarens on the Corner in Edinburgh’s Morningside.
Rachel Bucknall said: "We’re absolutely delighted to accept the award on behalf of our team.
“They work tirelessly to give our customers wonderful service and great food in a fabulous location, always with smiles on their faces.
“This is a testament to their hard work.”
For a full list of this year’s winners, click here.
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here