St Andrews hotel gets a £9m makeover

On the stunning plains of Scotland's St Andrews, golf has always been the accepted obsession. But a highly anticipated building project is breaking the concentration of even the most faultless player. Roxanne Millar reports.

After more than 30 years of dereliction, a once stately home just a birdie away from the Duke's Course is being restored. Craigtoun House was built in

1903 by the Younger family and experienced its heyday in the 1900s.

The classic stone mansion ­ once known as Mount Melville House after a previous owner ­ suffered at the hands of public ownership for almost 50 years. Bought by Fife County Council for £25,000 in 1947, it was turned into a hospital in 1949.

Massive renovations saw the horrific addition of a boxy soviet-style maternity ward out the back and the destruction of historic fittings in favour of nurse call-bells and swinging emergency doors. It was abandoned in 1970 and fell into disrepair.

Enter reclusive and golf-mad US billionaire Herb Kohler. In 1992 in partnership with Golf Resorts International he snapped up the Old Course Hotel Golf Resort and Spa, giving him control over the iconic hotel, the Duke's Course and Craigtoun House.

"Something too beautiful to not be made use of," was how a Kohler Company spokeswoman judged Craigtoun House. And in fitting with that, Kohler has ordered the restoration of the building to convert it into 18 luxury apartments.

London-based Cornhill Interiors is overseeing the restoration. The firm has completed luxury fit-outs for clients including Harrods, the Dorchester and Louis Vuitton in Edinburgh.

Cornhill project manager Sean Theobold, working in conjunction with his wife Claire, has moved into a home just down the road from the project and says public interest is incredible. "When we first arrived here we just sat on a huge rock out the front and fell in love with the building.

"People knock on our door at home asking us what we're doing up there. A lot of our workers were either born or their parents were born in the hospital, so there is a lot of pride in the job. We see it as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and a real honour to work on. People turn up at work and just fall in love," says Theobold.

The team has been on site since April, securing the building and assessing what must go and what should be preserved. Cornhill Interiors director Norman Sell says the 1950s hospital refit was "sacrilege" and destroyed some of the home's best features. "We've got real catacomb areas where the hospital has put up walls to section tiny rooms up. It's insanity," he says.

Steel beams

Lots of walls are being ripped out to convert them into large, luxury spaces and supporting steelwork put in. "Dealing with the unknown and what we are finding is the big challenge," says Theobold. "We're finding steel beams in the most bizarre places and where you would expect them to be, they aren't there. Thankfully, internally it is a sound structure ­ it was obviously built with no expense spared in its time." The Cornhill team is taking a top- down approach, ripping out what doesn't work or isn't original and protecting what is. Jumbled among the sterile hospital fittings they've found some amazing original features. Hidden in a hideous former billiard room, they've found an original moulded fireplace ­ one of dozens dotted throughout the house.

The building's main marble staircase is also in mint condition, along with incredible leadlight and ornate ceilings. These original fittings will be restored, but other sections of the house must be demolished and redone due to their state of disrepair.

Master craftsmen have been sourced where local labour is not available. More than 20 windows need replacing or restoration, a job that will fall to Cotswold Windows from Stow-on- the-Wold. "We try to be as local as possible, but some firms don't exist here any more," says Theobold.

Outside, not much restoration work is necessary. Weathered grooves in the stonework from decades of wind will remain on the orders of Scottish Heritage. The ugly, black-brick maternity ward has been demolished and swinging entrance doors to the old addition will have to be replaced with original features. Currently the building is clad entirely in scaffolding as most of the internal stairs are not navigable ­ including the marble staircase, which is locked off-limits to protect it from steel-capped boots.

Ghostbusters

As with any historic refurbishment, there have been some strange quirks.

Convinced of potential paranormal activity, a group of ghostbusters is negotiating to survey the home. Meanwhile, staff are on the hunt for a little magical statue of cloven-hoofed Pan rumoured to be hidden somewhere in the overgrown grounds.

"There was also a sundial stolen years ago that we have found on eBay. We're working to recover it at the moment. The client wants those kind of original details retained. It is just really great to work with someone who has that enthusiasm. We have been given great direction," says Theobold.

When fit-out does begin, the materials used will be jaw-dropping. East Lothian interior designer Van Dijk Design is talking wood panel floors, marble ceramic floors, marble walls and natural stone. "This is six-star and quality has to be perfect," says Sell. "We are sourcing finishes from around the world." Due to be completed by August 2009, the home will undoubtedly find international fans. Kohler, who counts fellow golf obsessive Kevin Costner as a friend, has the might of his hospitality brand Destination Kohler behind him. St Andrew's locals are also happy to see the mansion given a second chance.

"This is a once-in-a-lifetime project. We are putting this magnificent building back to where it was," says Sell. "It has been here 120 years and it is going to be here another 100 years. You feel you are really contributing to heritage."

Project factfile

• Developer: Kohler Company
• Main contractor: Cornhill Interiors
• Contract value: £9.2m
• Architect: Unwin Jones Partnership
• Interior designer: Van Dijk Design
• Demolition contractor: Skene Group
• Scaffolding: Interserve Industrial Services
• Electrical: WWW Electrical Contractors
• Steelwork: RGL Contracts
• Start date: 24 April 2008
• End date: August 2009