Old Course Hotel Named Spa Hotel of the Year and Awarded First Michelin Key

These distinctions for the St Andrews hotel recognises its exceptional design, service and guest experience.

The Old Course Hotel, St Andrews, is celebrating a major double success after being named Spa Hotel of the Year at the 2026 AA Hospitality Awards, alongside being awarded its first Michelin Key.

The prestigious AA award comes after the iconic Fife hotel was named the only Scottish finalist in the 2026 Spa Hotel of the Year category, competing alongside The Scarlet Hotel in Cornwall and Seaham Hall in Durham.

The win cements the Old Course Hotel among the country’s leading spa and hospitality destinations and provides further recognition for the hotel’s continued investment in its people, facilities and guest experience.

The AA Hospitality Awards recognise excellence across the UK hospitality industry, with the Old Course Hotel’s award highlighting its offering at Kohler Waters Spa, as well as the wider experience delivered across the resort.

The hotel’s Kohler Waters Spa has recently undergone significant investment and now features Scotland’s most advanced contrast-therapy thermal facilities, as part of an extensive programme of refurbishment across the resort. This has also included the main lobby and retail area and fourth-floor dining spaces.

Phyllis Wilkie, General Manager, Old Course Hotel, said:

“Winning Spa Hotel of the Year at the AA Hospitality Awards is a wonderful acknowledgment for the whole team and the care, commitment and attention to detail that goes into creating the experience at Old Course Hotel.

“To have been the only Scottish finalist and to now receive the award is a real honour. It reflects the continued investment we are making in our people, our spaces and our guest experience, and we are incredibly proud to be representing St Andrews and Scotland on the national hospitality stage.”

“The Michelin Key is another wonderful recognition of the attention to detail and care that our team brings to every guest experience, and it is a true milestone moment for the hotel.

“For us, exceptional hospitality is also about creating a strong sense of place. We are constantly striving to build an experience that feels intrinsically linked to St Andrews and Scotland, while delivering genuinely thoughtful and warm hospitality. To have those efforts recognised by the Michelin Guide is a great source of pride for us all.”

The AA recognition comes alongside another significant milestone for the hotel, which has been awarded its first Michelin Key by the Michelin Guide.

The Keys, which launched in 2023 as the hotel equivalent of the Michelin star, recognise outstanding places to stay. Hotels are assessed by Michelin’s inspectors across five criteria, including architecture and interior design, personality and character, quality and consistency of service, value, and contribution to the locality.

Overlooking the renowned Old Course and West Sands beach, the Old Course Hotel has built its reputation around contemporary luxury, warm Scottish hospitality and its unique connection to the home of golf.

The double recognition comes at an important time for the St Andrews venue, following a period of extensive refurbishment and the introduction of an expanded seasonal programme designed to further enhance the guest experience.

Recent highlights have included Champagne brunch picnics, specialised wellness retreats and masterclasses, alongside dining events featuring some of the country’s best-known culinary talent, including chefs Rachel Allen and Tom Kerridge.

The hotel’s smaller guest touches have also become part of its distinctive offering, from the Road Hole Bar’s daily 6 o’clock pour, when guests can enjoy a complimentary taster of a classic cocktail or fine wine, to its home comforts menu, offering everything from warm cookies and milk to yoga mats and recommended reads delivered directly to rooms.

The AA Hospitality Awards win and Michelin Key add to the Old Course Hotel’s growing list of accolades and further reinforce its position at the heart of the St Andrews visitor experience, combining its iconic setting with contemporary luxury, wellness and a distinctly Scottish sense of place.

For more information, visit www.oldcoursehotel.co.uk.