The Cromlix Hotel near Dunblane was once a family home for a wealthy Victorian laird.
But April 1 marks 10 years since it reopened as a luxury get-away under tennis ace Andy Murray and his then-girlfiend Kim Sears.
The couple, who later celebrated their wedding at the venue, purchased the historic estate for a rumoured £1.8 million.
Following extensive refurbishment, they transformed the building into a 15-bedroom lodge, set in 34 acres of woodlands.
The Victorian mansion, built on land near Kinbuck, first became a hotel in 1981.
It was previously owned by the wealthy Drummond Hay family and local bishop James Chisolm.
To mark 10 years of ownership under Andy and Kim, The Courier has listed 10 quirky facts about the hotel.
1. The hotel has an official umpire’s chair
The umpire’s chair on the tennis court at the Cromlix is an official chair from Andy Murray’s exhibition match against Roger Federer on his first visit to Scotland in 2017.
The match was played at the Hydro arena in Glasgow in support of Unicef and other local charities.
2. It has welcomed royalty
A favourite among royalty, the Cromlix was once visited by King Edward VII and has welcomed a host of European royals in recent years.
The King visited the site when it was home to the Drummond Hay family in September 1908.
The hotel has only been visited by European monarchy since the Murrays took over.
3. There are 25 types of edible flowers grown in kitchen garden
The kitchen garden at Cromlix is home to 25 types of edible flowers, as well as 23 different fruits and vegetables and 18 types of herbs.
The garden is home to flowers such as roses, dahlias and honeysuckle, while produce includes courgettes, spring onion, mint, thyme, apples and plums.
The hotel rooms are also named after flowers that grow on the estate.
More than 5,000 bulbs and thousands of seeds are planted every year at Cromlix in the kitchen garden and private grounds.
4. Unusual requests include accommodation for a parrot
The most unusual request the hotel staff have received was when a guest asked if they could bring their pet parrot with them for a stay.
The hotel is dog-friendly and can provide beds, bowls and treats in rooms.
Dogs are also allowed in the drawing room areas but not the restaurant or bar.
The hotel offers a dog-friendly package so that visitors can make the most of surrounding woodland walks.
5. Hundreds of bowls of porridge are sold at Cromlix Hotel every year
The hotel serves up a total of around 1,300 bowls of porridge every year in its Glasshouse restaurant.
The kitchen is managed by Betty Kelly, from Stirling, during breakfast.
Head chef Darin Campbell is also celebrating 10 years at the hotel this year.
According to the Cromlix website the chef is a “passionate advocate” for using locally sourced produce.
The kitchen also featured on TV screens over the festive period after a visit by celebrity chef Mary Berry.
6. Bird-of-prey experience is a big hit
Cromlix’s grounds are home to a bird-of-prey experience run by Scottish Falconry.
Sessions are available for all ages (7+) and promise to be educational and fun.
Head falconer and top breeder Adrian Hallgarth previously introduced Courier reporter Gayle Ritchie to a range of birds involved.
The company boasts a staggering 170 raptors including hawks, eagles, eagle owls and buzzards.
7. Wildlife campaigners fought against hotel cabins
Last year, the hotel defeated wildlife campaigners who opposed the siting of nine woodland cabins on the hotel grounds.
Stirling Council approved the plans despite the Scottish Wildlife Trust claiming the scheme would affect breeding birds, frogs and toads.
The charity said the location of the cabins near a pond was inappropriate and claimed the peaceful environment for wildlife would be ruined by the development.
But the local authority gave the green light after the Murrays pledged to put wildlife mitigation measures in place.
The buildings are split across three categories – water-based, treetop and circular woodland cabins.
8. The grand building began life as a rustic cottage
Despite its current grandeur, the building started life as Cromlix Cottage, built by Captain Arthur Drummond in 1874.
Although regarded as a sizeable Victorian mansion today, the first iteration of the building as it now stands, Cromlix Cottage, was built in a rustic style with a lack of grand staircase.
But the original building was destroyed by fire just four years later, in 1878, and was rebuilt in 1880 in its original style.
Colonel Arthur Hay Drummond (nephew of Captain Arthur Drummond) became the laird of Cromlix just before the turn of the 20th-century.
He completed the enlargement of the house, and landscaped the gardens, employing up to 12 permanent gardeners to care for the magnificent grounds.
The house was converted from a private residence to a luxury country house hotel in 1981.
9. Cromlix Hotel has its own coffee blend that is selected by Andy Murray
The hotel’s coffee blend made by Alfie & Co was selected by Andy Murray himself.
However, the tennis ace only started drinking coffee in 2022.
He is now said to be a fan of the drink.
Alfie & Co was formed in Glasgow in 2024 with an aim to produce “ethical and healthy” coffee.
10. Cromlix Hotel has hosted three Murray weddings
The Cromlix has hosted three weddings within the Murray family.
Jamie Murray was the first to make use of the hotel in 2010, prior to his brother purchasing the venue, when he married his Colombian partner Alejandra Gutierrez.
Andy and Kim celebrated also their marriage there in 2015 after a ceremony at Dunblane Cathedral.
And the brothers’ dad, Will Murray, wed fiancee Sam Watson at the Cromlix a year later in 2016.
