Rothes Glen
Sleeps 28 / From £12,685, two night stay
This magnificent Scots Baronial mansion has been given a new lease of life to provide a luxury, exclusive use experience in the heart of Speyside… whisky country. The wonderful team at Rothes Glen will ensure your stay is a memorable one, with the best of Scots hospitality, offering fully catered accommodation for up to 28 guests.
A memorable and unique experience awaits you at Rothes Glen!
Rothes Glen is a luxury castle perfect for larger groups wanting to enjoy Speyside with its wealth of famous whisky distilleries and salmon fishing on the River Spey. The castle is surrounded by beautiful countryside offering a wealth of opportunities for outdoor pursuits including walking, cycling, salmon fishing, stalking, and shooting.
Rothes Glen has 14 king-size en suite bedrooms sleeping up to 28 guests, a stunning drawing room and dining room, breakfast room, library, snooker room, tasting room, whisky vault and tower room. Set within 11 acres of grounds and an idyllic lochan, there are outdoor terraces, heated kennels and sporting rooms to ensure you can enjoy the best of Speyside’s magnificent scenery.
On arrival you receive a dram of the house whisky, and each bedroom contains a decanter and set of Glencairn glasses to enjoy during your stay. The team are on hand to ensure your stay is a memorable one, and the castle manager is available to plan itineraries, book activities and assist you with any enquiries.
Dinner is a wonderful affair, with the in-house private chef sourcing the very best of ingredients from Scotland’s abundant larder. The dining room, with its richly decorated plaster ceiling, is the perfect setting for a memorable dining experience.
After dinner, head to the drawing room with its baby grand piano, and adjoining library for a post dinner “dram” or enjoy a game of snooker on the full-sized table. Or climb the stairs to the whisky observatory in the tower, who knows you may even spot the Northern Lights! With wood fires in all the public rooms, a warm welcome awaits.
For those wishing to explore the many whisky experiences in the area, Rothes Glen is in the heart of the region. The owner of Rothes Glen founded Scotland Magazine and Whisky Magazine, so you can expect Scottish heritage and a great whisky range throughout the castle. With its own whisky tasting room, the castle is prepared to deliver the very best whisky experience. The attentive team at Rothes Glen can assist with organising unique whisky tours, including food-pairing tastings, as well as access to closed distilleries who do not normally open their doors to the public, with whisky personalities, blenders, ambassadors, and distillery managers.
The 11 acres of picturesque gardens and grounds includes a patio area with a firepit, as well as a private lochan with rowing boat, and a selection of outdoor games to be enjoyed. There is a helicopter landing area in the front meadow.
Exclusive Use
Extensively refurbished during 2020 and 2021, Rothes Glen is a luxury, exclusive use castle with accommodation for 28 guests and traditional Highland hospitality.
To discuss your individual requirements or particular dates please contact us.
Castle Prices
Exclusive use rentals include the following:
• 14 king-size bedrooms with en suite bathrooms with underfloor heating and heated towel rails. The ground floor bedroom is an accessible suite with a large sitting room.
• Welcome tea or dram on arrival.
• Daily full Scottish breakfast, and afternoon tea.
• Daily housekeeping.
• Internationally renowned Rothes Glen chef available for all meals.
• Rothes Glen castle manager available to plan itineraries, book activities and assist guests with any enquiries.
• Personal service to buy drinks from the house whisky collection, served by the dram or in 100ml decanters.
• Rothes Glen personal gifts for each suite.
2024 Rates
Low Season: 2 nights from £12,685, 3 nights from £19,030, 4 nights from £24,100
Mid Season: 2 nights from £14,600, 3 nights from £21,880, 4 nights from £27,720
High Season: 2 nights from £18,250, 3 nights from £27,350, 4 nights from £34,650
Christmas 2024 & Hogmanay 2024/25: minimum 4 night stay, from £41,580.
Rothes Glen is available for a minimum of two nights for exclusive use of the whole castle. Prices for up to four nights are listed above; please request rate for a longer stay.
Subject to availability, Rothes Glen can accommodate single night stays, dinners, day meetings and filming.
Small wedding groups (up to 28 guests, in 14 rooms) are welcome.
A range of menus are available; 2 course lunch from £60 per head, 3 course dinner from £115 per head and 5 course dinner from £159 per head.
Rothes Glen offer an extensive range of spirits, wines, beers, Champagne and soft drinks. Guests can purchase whisky from the house whisky collection, served by the dram or in 100ml decanters.
Rothes Glen is situated just to the north of Rothes, in the heart of the Spey Valley. Inverness Airport is 40 miles (1 hour) to the west, and Aberdeen airport 58 miles (1 hour 15 minutes) to the east. Aviemore train station, with direct connections to Edinburgh and on to London, is 43 miles (1 hour). There is a private helicopter pad and unlimited parking with electric car charging points.
Accommodation
Extensively refurbished during 2020 and 2021, Rothes Glen is a luxury, exclusive use castle with accommodation for up to 28 guests complete with traditional Highland hospitality.
There are real fires and stoves in four ground floor reception rooms; Wi-Fi in all rooms; and replumbing and rewiring of the whole property. There is a wide selection of indoor and outdoor games which can be enjoyed throughout the gardens and grounds which extend to 11 acres and include a private lochan with rowing boat, rose terrace and fountain terrace. There is a helicopter landing area in the front meadow.
There are 14 king-size en suite bedrooms. All have large bathrooms and under floor heating, heated towel rails, showers and baths. The dining room, drawing room (with baby grand piano), library, ballroom (with full size snooker table) and tasting room have all been redecorated and refurnished, and their fine panelled ceilings and fireplaces all restored.
There is an inner courtyard with table tennis and barbecue, kennels, walk-in cold room, woodshed, golf, fishing and gun rooms.
The gardens and grounds at Rothes Glen are extensive and private. The castle is approached by a cherry tree lined driveway, and on the western side of the house is a formal lawn, terrace and rose garden. In the meadow are some stunning specimen trees, which lead down to the private lochan accessed by a bridge. The property is surrounded by beautiful countryside offering a wealth of opportunities for outdoor pursuits including walking, cycling, salmon fishing, stalking and shooting.
History
Duncan Dunbar, became, during his lifetime (1849-1891), the biggest private ship-owner in the world. He left his vast wealth to his sister, Phoebe, who with her husband Edward Dunbar-Dunbar, bought the Birchfield Estate in 1870. Birchfield House suffered a devastating fire in 1891 and the Dunbar-Dunbars rebuilt the house in 1893, renaming it Glen of Rothes. They only occupied it during the summer months for shooting and entertaining while spending the winter in Forres and Kinloss.
In 1892 the young architect the Dunbar-Dunbars chose to design their grand and imposing summer villa was Charles Chree Doig, the pioneer of the iconic Chinese-style pagoda-shaped Doig ventilator and moderniser of more than fifty-six of Scotland’s leading malt whisky distilleries.
Encouraged by the arrival of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert at Balmoral in Aberdeenshire in 1848, the country houses and castles of the Highlands of Scotland came into their own during the months of August and September. It was considered fashionable to escape from London, and so began the Scottish Season. Among those who took the sporting lease was H.H. Asquith, the statesman and, from 1908, the British Prime Minister.
During the second world war the castle was requisitioned by the Army, and in 1948 the family decided to sell their home, asking for its name to be changed to Rothes Glen. It became a thriving hotel known throughout the Highlands until in 1998 it became a private home once again.
Activities
The property is surrounded by beautiful countryside offering a wealth of opportunities for outdoor pursuits.
There are a range of additional outdoor adventures Rothes Glen can arrange including:
Helicopter sight seeing tours
Off road quad adventures
Canoeing, kayaking and paddle boarding
White water rafting
Clay pigeon and rifle shooting
Archery
Shooting / stalking on local estates
Trout fishing
Fishing on the River Spey, Findhorn and Arn
Sea fishing
Interactive falconry displays
Gun dog training performance
Golf
Mountain biking
Horse riding
Skiing
Walking and wildlife safaris
Mini Highland Games challenges
Walk with the reindeer
Red deer feeding experience
Whisky experiences for enthusiasts and trade guests are available. As are packages for those passionate about fishing, shooting, golf, cycling & wildlife.
Speyside and the Moray Firth
With Elgin 3 miles to the north, steeped in history with its 13th century cathedral, it has an impressive range of shops, and the Moray Firth is nearby with sandy beaches, bird watching on the estuaries of the Spey and the Lossie, and sea fishing, dolphin watching and yachting anchorages. The Cairngorms and ski slopes of Aviemore and the Lecht are within easy reach.
Sporting
Trout and salmon fishing, stalking and shooting can all be arranged on the nearby estates and within the sporting season.
Clay shooting can also be arranged on the estate. Please let us know your ideal sporting requirements and Rothes Glen can help put together your tailored made sporting week or long weekend.
Where to find Rothes Glen
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