Doing St. Andrews in grand style

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If the British are conservative, the Scots are even more so; if the British are traditional and inclined to prefer things as they have always been, once again, the Scots have an even stronger preference for the status quo. This is neither a criticism of Scotland, nor the Scottish people, merely a statement of the way things are and likely to remain for as long as most of us are on this earth. This brief prelude is provided only to set the stage, not for a story of good over evil, but one in which good old Yankee persistence, determination and knowing what is best for the world, won the hearts and souls of the sometimes stubborn Scots.

Surrounded by the North Sea, St. Andrews and two championship courses, The Fairmont has it all

All the comforts of life - and then some, The Fairmont provides top golf in true style

Fairmont St. Andrews boasts a state-of-the-art, health and beauty spa

St. Andrews is so close, you can almost touch it

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When St. Andrews Bay Golf Resort first opened in the summer of 2001, it was not without its share of critics. Even though the resort's developers had won a hard fought battle over zoning regulations, carried out innumerable impact studies and adapted their original design more than once, to accommodate the wishes of the local St. Andrews citizenry, they were not welcomed with open arms.

Despite the fact that the resort was located a couple of miles along the coast from the ancient town of St. Andrews, it was considered to be an outsider, if not an outright imposter and an object that had no right to be there.

An American developer building an American styled, luxury resort, together with not one, but two brand new golf courses, all on the very doorstep of golf's birthplace, was almost too much for the locals to digest. But time is a marvelous healer of pride and egos, as well as open wounds and eight years on, things have changed dramatically.

The new kid on the block no more; the original St. Andrews Bay Resort has evolved into a permanent and very welcome fixture on the St. Andrews area landscape. A change of ownership and name, with the prestigious Canadian, Fairmont Group taking over the renamed, Fairmont St. Andrews, has changed everyone's heart. Visitors have learned that American innovations such as air-conditioning; spacious, stylishly decorated rooms, a state of the art Health Spa, excellent restaurants and true 5 star luxury and service, are conveniences to be appreciated.

As for the two golf courses, they may still be relatively young by St. Andrews' standards -- this is after all, the birthplace of the game - but each has earned the admiration and respect of what is undoubtedly the harshest group of golf critics known to man, the local St. Andrews populace. With St. Andrews Old Course as their gauge, no group would be as difficult to fool as this extremely golf-wise assembly. Practically to a man and woman, they acknowledge both Fairmont St. Andrews courses as being valuable additions to the Home of Golf's already impressive collection of championship layouts.

This should not come as a surprise, Fairmont is no newcomer to owning and operating world-class golf resorts. Their renowned properties in the Canadian Rockies, located in Jasper and Banff, boast courses ranked among North America's very best and Fairmont is determined to establish their St. Andrews acquisition as nothing less -- and it shows.

The completion of a recent refurbishment to the hotel reveals the care and attention the Canadian owners put into their properties, even with a young sprightly sparkler, like the Fairmont St. Andrews. Now shining brighter than ever, The Fairmont St. Andrews made it to the Top Twenty of Conde Nast Traveler Magazine's rankings of the World's Top 100 Golf Resorts. A hotel industry publication, Hotel Review Scotland, gave the hotel its Resort of the Year -- 2009 award with the same recognition coming from Golf Tourism Scotland, an industry association. The opinions are unanimous; The Fairmont St. Andrews has not only wowed the locals, but gained the highest marks from guests and travel professionals alike.

Golf International can only agree wholeheartedly, not only from our personal experiences, but more importantly, from our returning clients who have nothing but the highest praise for hotel and golf courses alike. For any who may be contemplating a trip to St. Andrews, The Fairmont will not disappoint. For a few suggestions of how you can include this very special golf resort in your itinerary, click here.

©2009 David Brice / Golf International, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

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