St Andrews Hotel Names Room After Top Scottish Golfer
As the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship gets into full swing, the Macdonald Rusacks Hotel in St Andrews has announced it is to honour one of Scotland’s leading golfers, Stephen Gallacher, by renaming his favourite hotel suite in his honour.
The Ryder Cup player and golf ambassador for Macdonald Hotels & Resorts is among the stars from Europe’s 2014 Ryder Cup victory returning to play at the Old Course, Carnoustie and Kingsbarns this week. Gallacher is just one of the many famous golfers who choose to stay at the luxury hotel which is a sand wedge from the 18th hole, and where, only this summer, 2013 U.S. Open winner Justin Rose described his suite as ‘the best room in golf’.
Kristian Campbell, General Manager of the Macdonald Rusacks Hotel, said: “Stephen has been a special guest of ours for a number of years and we look forward to welcoming him for the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship. Stephen is among the most popular players on Tour – among his fellow pros as well as fans all over the world – so we thought it fitting to rename his favourite room ‘The Stephen Gallacher Suite’ in his honour.”
The Stephen Gallacher Suite is one of the hotel’s classic suites with a separate kitchen and lounge area with views across the historic Old Course and West Sands. The room is subtly decorated and will now display images from Gallacher’s illustrious career.
Macdonald Hotels & Resorts’ relationship with Gallacher began when the family-owned company began supporting the Stephen Gallacher Foundation. This initiative aims to offer children from as young as four years old an introduction to golf, with more than 2,500 children having benefited from the Foundation since its inception in 2013.
Gallacher said: “The Macdonald Rusacks Hotel is a special place for me and my family. We have been staying at the hotel in the same room for years and it is a real honour to now have my name on the door. It’s actually quite humbling when you have a look around the hotel and see some of the legendary names of the other suites including Jack Nicklaus and Nick Faldo so it’s a real treat for me.
“The view from the hotel is the best in golf – hopefully this gesture by Macdonald Hotels & Resorts will bring me a wee bit of luck every time I come to St Andrews!”
This announcement follows news that planning permission has been given for a £7m extension to the hotel, which will include 44 new suites, a rooftop restaurant for 145 diners, bar and terrace, as well as glass-fronted suites allowing visitors to witness up-close the grandeur of golf’s most historic course. The design has been chosen to carefully blend the iconic location with the most luxuriously-appointed accommodation, additions which the company is confident will achieve ‘5 Red Star’ status for the Macdonald Rusacks Hotel. Work is anticipated to begin during 2016.
For more information, visit: www.MacdonaldHotels.co.uk