Macdonald Cardrona Hotel, Golf & Spa

Cardrona's 99 bedrooms are contemporary, spacious and built for comfort after a long day on the course. Soft fabrics, quality beds and modern ensuites are standard across the board, with views either out over the surrounding hills or directly onto the golf course itself. If you're the sort who can't quite switch off from golf, the Deluxe Rooms come with private patios that open straight onto the course, so you can step out with your morning coffee and watch the first groups tee off.

Check-in is straightforward and the staff know their golf, which always helps when you're asking about tee times or course conditions. There's plenty of parking on site, which matters when you're travelling with clubs and kit, and the hotel has a relaxed, welcoming feel rather than anything overly formal. Breakfast is included in most packages and it's a proper spread, the sort of fuel you'll want before heading out for 18 holes in the Borders air.

Room types range from standard doubles through to family rooms and suites, so whether you're here as a couple, a fourball or a larger group, there's something that'll work. The rooms facing the course are worth requesting if you can, especially in the evening when the light catches the hills and you can sit out with a drink and watch the last few groups finish up.

Food & Drink

Dining at Cardrona covers all bases. Renwicks Restaurant is the headline option, an award-winning spot serving refined dishes in a bright, airy space with panoramic views across the course and the Border hills beyond. It's the kind of place where you'll want to linger over dinner, especially if you've had a good round. The menu leans towards Scottish produce done well, nothing too fussy, just quality ingredients cooked properly.

For something more relaxed, Spikes Bar overlooks the 18th and does exactly what a golf club bar should: decent food, cold drinks and a terrace where you can sit out and dissect your round in the evening sun. It's the natural spot to end up after you've signed your card, and the atmosphere is exactly what you want, golfers swapping stories and settling bets.

The Lounge and Cocktail Bar offers a quieter alternative, ideal for sinking into a leather sofa with an afternoon tea or a well-earned drink while taking in the views. If you're here with a non-golfing partner, this is where they'll likely gravitate while you're out playing.

Leisure Facilities

The leisure side is genuinely first-class. The spa runs a full treatment menu, including facials and massages using ELEMIS products, ideal if you've overdone it on the course or simply want to unwind properly. There's an 18-metre pool, plus sauna and steam room, and a fully equipped gym for anyone who wants to keep their fitness routine ticking over.

I'll admit, it works well as a resort base. Non-golfers have plenty to do while you're out playing, which matters if you're trying to sell a golf trip to a partner who'd rather be anywhere but a driving range. The spa is a proper facility, not just a couple of treatment rooms tacked onto a hotel, and the pool area is spacious enough that it never feels crowded.

Macdonald Cardrona Hotel and Golf Club sits just east of Peebles, 25 miles south of Edinburgh and roughly 15 miles from Galashiels train station, making it straightforward to reach from either direction.

Address: Cardrona, Peebles, Scotland, EH45 9HX