How to survive 100 years: Gleneagles boss on celebrating a big birthday

How does the independent spirit of Gleneagles thrive within the wider Ennismore portfolio?  

A lot has changed at Gleneagles since the acquisition by Sharan Pasricha [founder of The Hoxton, now part of Ennismore] in 2015, very much for the better. The hotel has never looked so good, following a full refurbishment by Sharan, and the vision he has for Gleneagles is second to none.

He took it from a traditional golf resort and turned it into the modern lifestyle brand we know today. Gleneagles is a place steeped in history, and as guardians of this legendary estate, this will always inform the creative direction we take, however we also need to ensure the brand has longevity for the next 100 years. 

Gleneagles is more than just a hotel – how important is it to the local economy?

Gleneagles is a significant employer in the local area, with staffing levels exceeding 1,000 in peak season. We’re very proud to employ so many local people from in and around Perthshire, which only adds to the charm and character of Gleneagles.

We’re also happy that our staff retention and the number of long-serving staff we have is incredible too; hospitality is notorious for a high turnover workforce, however at Gleneagles we have many employees on 40+ years’ service and counting. Scotland is fortunate to welcome a high number of tourists every year, and it makes me very happy to be providing such a high level of service and hospitality in rural Scotland, which keeps us nicely busy.

How important are travel advisors for Gleneagles?

Representing about 15% of our business, travel agents are an important segment for Gleneagles. We work with travel agents both on an international and national level in several ways to ensure a seamless experience for their clients.

Firstly, our membership to key travel consortia including Virtuoso, Signature, Amex Fine Hotels & Resorts and Serendipians by Traveller Made. Membership allows us to have a global reach, attend industry events and tap into marketing opportunities.

Secondly, our dedicated sales team spreads awareness of Gleneagles among travel agents by regularly attending industry events, hosting agent fam trips and providing product training both in person and through webinars.

Thirdly, our Playground Planners are trained in working with travel agents to help build and quote itineraries for their clients, and finally dedicated sales collateral has been created to provide agents with the latest product knowledge, including brochures, itineraries and fact sheets. Our travel designer page online provides access to this collateral as well as third party content to use on their channels.

How does Glenmor work – can agents book their clients in there? 

Glenmor sits next to Gleneagles, and is a seasonal ownership village with seven-night or short break family lodges to buy or rent. With its own lochans (small lochs), woodland walks and cosy pub, Glenmor is ideal for groups or families that want more of a home from home.

With two, three or four en-suite bedrooms, each Glenmor home offers space, luxury and privacy, as well as all the advantages of a stay in what we call “the Glorious Playground”, including use of the Gleneagles’ facilities. Agents can indeed book their clients into Glenmor via our Playground Planners.

You branched out recently with Gleneagles Townhouse Edinburgh – how’s that going?

We’re incredibly proud of the positive reception that Gleneagles Townhouse has had since opening, and of the support we’ve had from the travel industry. The hotel represents an exciting evolution of the Gleneagles experience, allowing us to provide guests with the best of both “town and country”.

With Townhouse, the idea is to offer a truly 21st-century take on the traditional members club concept coupled with a five-star hotel, creating a hub for the city’s creatives complete with spaces to both work and play, including a rooftop bar overlooking the centuries’-old skyline, Lamplighters. Townhouse membership includes access to our wellness space, the Strong Rooms (so-named because it’s situated in the original vaults of the building, a former bank); grand members spaces; and a thriving members’ only events programme, connecting members to influential people throughout the city.

How important is sustainability to the business, and how are you going about it?

Gleneagles has pledged to reduce greenhouse gas emissions across its value chain in order to achieve net-zero by 2040. We’re striving to ensure our impact on the world is a positive one, by minimising our carbon footprint; preserving natural assets for future generations; and making a difference in our local community and beyond.

We’re proud of the hospitality and leisure experiences we’ve provided our guests for the past century, and grateful for Scotland’s breathtaking natural landscape which has directly contributed to our success. However, now it’s time to look forward and amplify our efforts to preserve these natural assets for future generations.

We are working with the Carbon Trust to establish our carbon emissions baseline, which is the first step for any business on its net-zero journey. This will lead to development of a robust roadmap of projects across our entire supply chain including transport, energy efficiency and renewables, and minimising food waste. Collaboration will be the key to the success of delivering our target.

We know we have a long way to go, and we are only at the start of that journey, but it’s a journey we’re proud to be taking. I feel our guests very much expect us to be doing all that we can to achieve a pledge like this.

What is your guest make-up and is it changing? 

We welcome guests from right across the globe, however a large proportion of our return guests are actually domestic visitors, which makes me very happy. The estate is hugely popular with guests from the likes of the US, for example. However, to know that guests from the UK remain a key market for us at Gleneagles is fantastic.

We see a high proportion of return guests year in, year out, but more recently, we’re also seeing an increase in first-time guests as a new generation is welcomed through the doors at Gleneagles.

How are you appealing to a younger demographic?

We call Gleneagles the Glorious Playground, which means something very different to each guest. While one couple may never leave the hotel during their stay, enjoying the fantastic restaurants and bars on offer at Gleneagles, another may be outside exploring for the majority of the day; there’s no “one-size-fits-all” approach.

Saying that, post-pandemic we’ve seen a lot of guests wanting to reconnect with the great outdoors, and Gleneagles is the ideal place in which to have a break from screen time. With young families in mind, we’ve worked hard on our children’s experience to ensure little ones have just as much of a memorable stay as the grownups.

Children are given a passport on arrival to track their country pursuits and lots of Gleneagles goodies to take with them on their adventures around the hotel. We also offer two hours a day of free childcare in our Little Glen – a sprawling den with a soft play, games and endless activities – allowing time for parents to enjoy all that Gleneagles has to offer without their little ones.

What’s on your to-do list for the next 12 months? 

There’s always something new on the horizon at Gleneagles as we look to upgrade and expand our offering. The next new launch for us will be our new Gleneagles Sporting Club, situated in what was previously our arena. It will house a state-of-the-art climbing wall, as well as indoor padel and tennis courts.

It will be an exciting addition to the top-notch facilities we have here at Gleneagles, especially as padel continues to grow in popularity. There aren’t any immediate plans on the horizon for any other Gleneagles hotels, however, never say never!