Fairmont St Andrews

First time at the hotel, it is a really nice hotel with very helpful and well mannered young staff, only criticism I would have is basically the cost of drink, 1 Pint & Wine £21, 1 Vodka & Coke & a Wine £26, is pretty expensive. Now I know alot of People went into St Andrews as I did, just because the drink prices, why doesn't the hotel make them slightly cheaper and I can guarantee most drinkers wouldn't leave the hotel, me for one.

What a beautiful place. Entering and just seeing the inside is beautiful. Our room 3046 was just perfect. If to be picky it could have done with another chair and stool just to relax on. Room was spotless. Lovely big bathroom. Pillows were a bit lumpy but I still managed to sleep well. Sadly people going along the corridor at 1am were very noisy but not hotels fault. We had dinner in the Kittocks bar. It was nice. A bit pricey at £171 as they added on a £13 tip. Sadly I didn’t notice and also left a £20 tip. This was for two steaks one with pepper sauce plus a veg dish cheese and cracked an a bottle of wine. Service was good. But one lady cleared the veg before it was finished and while we were still eating, which I didn’t think was necessary. The pool is beautiful. Plenty towels and was clean. Breakfast was great. Plenty choice. Plenty staff on hand.

This was our second time to visit Fairmont St Andrews between Christmas and New Year with family. The main areas and spa are great. We wanted to return as it's such a Christmassy place with a large tree and lovely decorations. A couple of years ago there were many nice activities for kids so it was disappointing to hear on arrival that there were none this year (previously there were cookie and pizza making etc which kids loved). There was cinema that was meant to follow a schedule but in real life it didn't have a schedule, it ended up playing on repeat the first film from morning as nobody changed it to the next one. The play room was great too when we finally found it as on the first night we asked staff who said they didn't have a play room anymore as it was now Santa's grotto. Second day we did find it in one of the meeting rooms and it was great and actually bigger than previously. Some of the negatives - the main one being the pricing in the bars and restaurants. So so very overpriced that it took the enjoyment out of having drinks and food in the hotel. A double gin and tonic was £28! And they add a service charge on everything, even when you order and pick up your drink from the bar. The Italian restaurant on site was so expensive too, the decor is very average, almost like a canteen and food was fine but definitely didn't warrant the prices. Kids pizzas were so tiny that they had to order a second one each. Just very bad value for money overall. On 28th Dec morning, the breakfast service was an absolute chaos. The queue to get in to breakfast was 20+ minutes and when you finally got a table, there was hardly any food left. They had ran out of bread, yogurt, jam, smoothie, oat milk etc - all the basics. Some of those they got someone to go out to buy that arrived 30+ minutes later and some they just said they won't have that day at all. Breakfast food ordered from table took ages and came out cold. There were so many staff but everyone looked lost. It was so badly organised. Customers definitely didn't have a 5 star breakfast or service. Because of the very high prices and experience at breakfast, we unfortunately won't come back as you don't get anymore what you pay for.

LACKS CHARM My husband, as a treat, booked a one night stay to celebrate my birthday. He booked a Deluxe King Room with a Sea View, so I was looking forward to an amazing 5* experience. Positives: • Stunning location • Reception Staff – very welcoming. Bar staff – very friendly. • Décor around Reception/Atrium area – luxurious • Our room very spacious, comfortable with a great view • I really appreciated the birthday card and cake which was waiting for me on arrival, a very nice touch. Negatives: • Pillows too soft, had to ask for a firmer pillow • Mini bar in room – prices extortionate – also chocolate, wine and nuts in cupboard, crazy prices • Only one armchair in room (booked for 2 people), plenty space in room for another armchair • We had internet issues with the TV in our room – thankfully Maintenance resolved these. • Felt more like an average 4* hotel – re maintenance/housekeeping issues in our room, looking a bit tired in places • Some areas of hotel not available to us because of the time of year and the fact that the hotel was very quiet, so that was very disappointing. Sports Bar closed. Felt restricted as to which areas we could relax in at night. Evening ambience was non-existent. • Disappointing 5* dinner experience (Kitttock’s Den). Booked a table for 7.30pm. We received our Main Courses at 9pm. We didn’t have starters, apart from some bread – a ridiculous amount of time to wait, so I did complain. My main tasted fine, but not 5*. The staff were very apologetic and took full responsibility. We were given a free drink each. I don’t drink, so I was given a lovely cake. • Breakfast ….. so disappointing. Friends had told me to expect an amazing buffet breakfast with great choices, so I was really looking forward to it. Sadly there was no buffet service, apart from pastries and bread. I ordered a ham omelette, when it arrived the waiter said that there was some cheese in the omelette. I didn’t ask for cheese, so returned omelette. Chef was apologetic and my ham omelette was lovely. Overall: I feel we will return one day – but definitely not in January, hotel just too quiet so lacked atmosphere. We didn’t use the Spa, so can’t comment, perhaps another time.

Stayed an overnight fabulous hotel but bar prices are too expensive topped up with a service charge means I only buy ONE drink not 2 or 3 .if price was reasonable ,sell it for a .fair price and you will sell more. Staff are great and breakfast is great