Despite the deep Scottish roots of Mar Hall—the 180-year-old estate turned hotel and golf club just west of Glasgow—the only tartan seen is on the staff’s ankles. “Collectively, we said we’re never going to go down the tartan route,” says Jim Hamilton, creative director of local design firm Graven, who headed up the property’s recent $27 million renovation along with Lisa King, design director of Align Partners. “There’s an amazing old Scottish piece of architecture, and there’s some nice modern Scottish hospitality,” he continues, stressing the importance of balance between contemporary aesthetics and traditional motifs. Twenty minutes later, Hamilton points to the flash of red-and-black patterned socks peeking out from the cuff of a team member’s pants. “That’s our only bit of tartan we’ve got in the hotel,” he says with a laugh.
Once a social hub for Scotland’s elite, Mar Hall (built between 1828 and 1845) was envisioned by Major General Robert Walter Stuart, the 11th Lord Blantyre—a well-traveled aristocrat looking to create a welcoming home for friends and family. Designed by Sir Robert Smirke (the architect behind London’s British Museum), the manor became a hospital for amputees during World War I and eventually transitioned into a hotel in 2004. For the next two decades, Mar Hall was a destination for avid golfers, local weddings, and celebrities visiting or performing in Glasgow.
Hamilton, who had been to Mar Hall only a handful of times during its third act as a travel destination, describes its pre-renovation state as “quite traditional… one thing was obvious, that there was a real lack of color and pattern.” So the design team doubled down with ornate wallpaper from Scottish brand Timorous Beasties and bold paint in shades of coral, mossy green, and dusty blue. Upholstered, handcrafted furniture decorates the public areas in an effort to modernize the interiors while still respecting the hall’s history. “Wherever you could, we went local,” Hamilton says of products and suppliers. Florals are dominant, and a quatrefoil symbol, seen in the original stone- and woodwork, was used in textiles and carpentry as well as the hotel’s new logo.
Dating to the mid-19th century, the estate sits on the banks of the River Clyde and features a championship golf course.
Mar Hall Golf & Spa Resort
“I think Mar Hall’s in the hearts of a lot of people locally,” Hamilton says, noting that preservation efforts were important to retain the overall majestic countryside feel. This included hiring specialized artisans who “painstakingly sanded down all the woodwork by hand” and restored and repaired original coffered ceilings, dozens of fireplaces, and century-old chandeliers.
The procession from the entrance—up a series of brightly carpeted palm-lined stairs, through the lobby, gallery, and bar to the restaurant—is a striking succession of vignettes. From the lobby’s chessboard floor, dramatic ring-shaped chandelier, and sweeping burnt-orange-velvet sofa to the gallery’s new oblong bar (topped with dramatic red and cream Calacatta Viola marble), each updated space is a visual delight that unfolds further with each visit. “To me, it’s about modern Scotland, you know, a celebration of that,” says Hamilton, noting that the hotel’s robust art collection—more than 400 pieces—is a collaboration with Glasgow’s artpistol Gallery and features a range of works from just-graduated students to established studios.
There are various room types here, including the suites (located in the main part of the hall, with garden or river views), cozy bedrooms in the former nurses’ wing, and garden suites, each with an adjoining outdoor space, attached to the spa. Every accommodation zone has a different aesthetic, all of which nod to storied estate living while espousing modern appeal, with marble bathrooms and contemporary lighting and furniture. After the nine-month renovation, Mar Hall continues to evolve, with a kitchen garden and a pétanque court in the works and a forthcoming series of multiroom lodges, set to open next spring, tucked away on the 240-acre property to ensure maximum privacy.
For Hamilton, the project is a homecoming of sorts, but he remains humble, giving credit to the original architect for nailing Mar Hall’s scale, view framing, and circulation—elements he believes set his team up for success. “We’re not in here to make this into a modern masterpiece,” he says. “[We wanted to] bring it back alive.”
Top: A series of Tom Dixon lights hang over the moody bar at Mar Hall, where Timorous Beasties wallpaper adds glamour to many of the public spaces.