Best for
This stay works for golfers and non-golfers traveling together: the links are beside the hotel, while St Andrews town is a short walk away.
Best for
This stay works for golfers and non-golfers traveling together: the links are beside the hotel, while St Andrews town is a short walk away.
What makes it special
At the Road Hole Restaurant, seasonal cuisine comes with views across the Old Course's 17th hole, keeping golf in sight over dinner.
Room to consider
If the Old Course view matters, ask for a room facing the links; not every room has that outlook, so confirm before booking.
Insider tip
Before booking, ask the golf concierge about Old Course tee-time options; a room overlooking the links does not secure a round.
Free membership gives you access to preferred rates, exclusive benefits and current promotions for your stay.
Old Course Hotel, Golf Resort & Spa stands beside the Road Hole, the 17th on the Old Course in St Andrews. From selected bedrooms and its upper-floor restaurants, the view runs across the links toward West Sands and the Fife coast. The hotel has 175 rooms and suites, including a penthouse, Kohler Waters Spa, and several places to eat and drink, including Road Hole Restaurant, Swilcan Loft, and the Jigger Inn. It is a golf address with the space and facilities to work just as well for a companion who never carries a club.
The course is central to the atmosphere, but it is not the hotel's own playing ground. The Old Course is managed by St Andrews Links Trust, and staying next to its 17th hole does not by itself secure a tee time. The hotel's course is The Duke's, set away from the waterfront. Understanding that distinction makes it easier to plan a golf trip and to appreciate the hotel for what it can reliably provide: proximity, remarkable views, and a substantial base in St Andrews.
Fabric-covered walls and a marble coffee table give the sitting area a rich finish. Windows run from floor to ceiling along one wall. Classic furniture continues into the bedroom.
In one interior, the headboard and footboard curve into a red sleigh-style frame. Glossy wood-toned edges surround the red padding. Red-and-cream striped curtains have a matching valance behind the bed. A burgundy patterned armchair sits near a round dark table by the broad glass opening. Geometric carpet runs beneath them.
Pale beige wall panels surround two round dark bedside tables in this setting. Two square mirrors above the tables have segmented metallic-tone frames. The gold-toned lamp stems branch beneath broad pale shades with pleated folds.
Fabric-covered walls and a marble coffee table give the sitting area a rich finish. Windows run from floor to ceiling along one wall. Classic furniture...
Fine striped walls and rich wood detailing give the room a classic character. Silk curtains and velvet furniture add softer textures beside antique-style lamps. Traditional images of St Andrews hang nearby, with a wool plaid throw by Jacques Garcia among the Scottish details.
In one bedroom, pale green curtains hang beside tall white sheers. Warm wood-toned drawers and a panel stand against the wall. A writing table has inlaid-look detailing, with a tall framed mirror beside a larger wall mirror above the work surface.
A second bedroom layout has a broad wood-toned headboard below a wall mirror. Green and pale padded armchairs stand near the glass doors. A lamp with an adjustable arm and pale shade sits beside the dark writing table. A cage-shaped ceiling light hangs over fine-pattern floor covering.
Fine striped walls and rich wood detailing give the room a classic character. Silk curtains and velvet furniture add softer textures beside antique-style lamps. Traditional...
The Millennium Wing suite has a lounge and dining area separate from the bedroom. A small kitchen and guest WC are in the living spaces. Tall glass patio doors run from floor to ceiling, while the bathroom has a bathtub and a separate shower.
One bedroom has warm wood-toned wall panels and fine grey striped wallpaper. Green curtains frame the glass doors. A cage-shaped light hangs above the bed. A grey tufted bench, round purple footstool and brown-grey armchair sit on patterned grey carpet.
In a pictured sitting area, brown padded armchairs have plaid cushions. A narrow floor lamp stands between them, with a pale shade and gold-toned stem. A round glass-top table has two tiers and sits beside the chairs. Green curtains and fine-pattern floor covering finish this space.
The Millennium Wing suite has a lounge and dining area separate from the bedroom. A small kitchen and guest WC are in the living spaces....
Soft striped walls and refined wood detailing give the interior its classic character. Silk curtains, velvet furniture and a wool plaid throw reflect Scottish textiles. Antique-style lamps and traditional golf prints add to the furnishings.
One bedroom has a warm wood-toned panel behind the bed. Green patterned curtains hang beside white sheers at the glass opening. A grey armchair with a floral cushion sits near a purple footstool. Grey drawers flank the bed, while geometric carpet and a purple throw add colour.
Another bedroom layout has tall wood-toned headboard panels. A narrow mirror stands between them above the bedside cabinet, with a cage-shaped light nearby. A high-backed grey chair has a pale floral cushion. Checked cushions and purple throws dress the beds in this pictured setting.
Soft striped walls and refined wood detailing give the interior its classic character. Silk curtains, velvet furniture and a wool plaid throw reflect Scottish textiles....
The generous lounge has a writing desk and a galley-style pantry. Tall windows run from floor to ceiling. Classic stripes, velvet sofas and silk curtains give the rooms a Scottish character, with a wool throw designed by Jacques Garcia.
In one sitting room, red patterned cushions rest on beige sofas. Striped padded armchairs sit beside a dark-framed coffee table with a glossy stone-pattern top. A round table and two chairs stand by broad glass doors, while books fill an arched dark cabinet. Red curtains and brass-toned lamps complete the room.
A bedroom layout has cream striped walls and a broad mirror behind a low curved padded headboard. Lamps with red shades stand nearby, and an open cage-style light hangs from the ceiling. Broad white-framed glass doors have a red curtain pelmet above them.
The generous lounge has a writing desk and a galley-style pantry. Tall windows run from floor to ceiling. Classic stripes, velvet sofas and silk curtains...
Large corner windows define the lounge and its dining area. Rich textures and heritage details carry through the interior. From the windows, the outlook reaches across the Old Course and West Sands.
The spacious bathroom has twin sinks, a separate bathtub and a walk-in shower. In one bathroom, a long pale counter stands above dark wood-look drawers and open towel shelves. Wide mirrors have bright strips of light. Shiny olive-green wall tiles have a rectangular shape; grey stone-look tiles cover the floor and tub surround. Clear glass panels enclose the shower.
In one corner sitting area, glass doors meet beside green curtains and white sheers. Two brown armchairs have plaid cushions, with a pale-shaded floor lamp between them. A round glass-top table has two tiers. Fine striped wallpaper meets the small square tiles around the dark hearth, while the floor covering has a chevron pattern.
Large corner windows define the lounge and its dining area. Rich textures and heritage details carry through the interior. From the windows, the outlook reaches...
The separate parlour brings a dining table and soft seating together around the fireplace. Large windows face the course and the beach.
A freestanding bathtub, twin vanities and a walk-in shower furnish the marble bathroom. The spacious bedroom and separate sitting area pair classic furniture with gentle colours. Textured fabrics add softer finishes.
In one dining-room layout, red panels cover the walls. The dark dining table has a glossy rectangular top, with striped padded chairs around it. Patterned fabric also covers the sides of their dark frames. White curtains have dark linked-line patterns beside broad glass doors. Pale and burgundy padded seats stand beyond the table, with decorative cushions. A dark floor lamp has a broad angular shade above the sitting area.
The separate parlour brings a dining table and soft seating together around the fireplace. Large windows face the course and the beach. A freestanding bathtub,...
A separate parlour holds the sitting and dining areas apart from the bedroom. Windows run from floor to ceiling above the 17th fairway, with the links and sea beyond. Soft fabrics and plush furniture give the rooms a layered finish.
The spacious bathroom has a freestanding bathtub, twin vanities and a walk-in shower. The bedroom uses gentle colours in its fabrics and decor.
One sitting room has taupe wall panels and arches around the doors, with warm wood-finished flooring. A patterned sofa stands between pale padded armchairs. Magenta cushions sit around a table with a glossy top, above a red patterned rug. Decorative dishes line the open shelves. Nearby, a chest of drawers stands below a mirror, and a chandelier hangs over the room.
A separate parlour holds the sitting and dining areas apart from the bedroom. Windows run from floor to ceiling above the 17th fairway, with the...
The penthouse can connect to an Eden Suite below.
A private lift or staircase leads to the fourth-floor penthouse. The open bedroom has a wall fireplace, with a freestanding bath facing the view. A separate dressing area and parquet floors carry through the interior.
The bathroom has two basins and a Kohler walk-in shower. Plush seating and a dining table for six furnish the living room, alongside custom furniture. Windows run from floor to ceiling, with an outlook across the Old Course, West Sands and Fife coastline.
In one lounge, warm wood-toned panels line the walls. A large pale-grey rug covers part of the patterned parquet floor. The sofa and blue-grey armchairs have nailhead-look trim. A round brown tufted ottoman sits between them, while white sheers frame broad glass doors. A gold-toned light hangs above the seating.
A private lift or staircase leads to the fourth-floor penthouse. The open bedroom has a wall fireplace, with a freestanding bath facing the view. A...
The setting gives the hotel an unusually clear sense of place. Golfers know the Road Hole for its demanding approach and the drama around the green; hotel guests can watch play unfold from rooms and dining spaces chosen for that outlook. West Sands adds a different landscape beyond the course, with room for a coastal walk when the weather invites it. St Andrews town brings university streets, shops, pubs, and historic buildings within reach of the hotel.
This combination matters even without a round scheduled. A couple can divide the day between the spa, a walk by the sea, and dinner overlooking the links. A golfer can use the hotel as a base for courses around St Andrews and Fife, then return to a place that still feels connected to the game after the clubs are put away. The town is not an afterthought: its cafés, restaurants, and streets keep the stay from being confined to a resort corridor.
The address is active rather than secluded. People come to St Andrews for golf, university life, and the coast, and the hotel's public rooms reflect that energy. Anyone seeking a remote Scottish country house should look elsewhere. Here, the appeal lies in being close to the course and the town, with West Sands widening the horizon.
The 175-room hotel has several distinct outlooks. Eden Rooms provide the classic entry to the property, while Old Course Rooms are the category to examine for an uninterrupted view across the links. Champions Old Course Rooms look over the course toward town, and the Double Double version gives families or friends two beds without abandoning that setting. Guests who care most about watching the 17th should choose a named course-facing room rather than assume that every room sees it.
Suites offer more living space and a wider range of perspectives. The Old Course Suite sits above the 17th green with a Juliet balcony and a lounge area. Fairway Suites separate sitting and sleeping areas and look toward West Sands; Deluxe Fairway Suites add more space and a corner outlook. The Royal and Ancient Suite and Penthouse occupy the upper end of the range, with large windows framing the course and coast. Specific views, balconies, and layouts should be matched to the chosen category.
A room with the right view can be more meaningful here than simply buying the most floor area. Watching the light change on the links between rounds, or seeing the coastline before breakfast, gives the stay a connection to St Andrews that a generic luxury room could not. Travelers who expect to spend long hours out on the courses may need less space; those bringing family or planning quieter afternoons may value a separate lounge.
Road Hole Restaurant is the formal dining address on the fourth floor, with a direct outlook across the 17th and West Sands. Its seasonal Scottish cooking and setting make it the place for a longer dinner rather than a quick post-round meal. The nearby Road Hole Bar provides another way to enjoy the view, with an extensive whisky selection that suits the town's golf-club conversations.
Swilcan Loft is also on the fourth floor but has a different mood. The seafood bar and chophouse puts shellfish and Scottish meat at the center of the menu. Its outlook over the Old Course and beach makes the table choice part of the experience; a window seat brings the landscape into dinner.
The Jigger Inn shifts everything down to ground level. Housed in a former stationmaster's lodge beside the course, it has pub food, Scottish beers, golfing memorabilia, and a beer garden overlooking the links. A pint there after a round feels different from dinner upstairs, and the contrast gives the hotel's dining range real use over several nights. St Andrews itself supplies further pubs and restaurants for guests who want to leave the property.
Kohler Waters Spa gives Old Course Hotel more than a golfer's timetable. Its water-focused facilities include a hydrotherapy suite, thermal pool, sauna, steam room, cold plunge, and treatment spaces. A separate fitness center has a gym and 20-metre lap pool. The spa is a considered reason to stay, particularly when one traveler is playing golf and another wants a different day.
Access requires attention. The hotel distinguishes spa admission from fitness and leisure-pool use, with separate charges and advance booking conditions for parts of the experience. Age rules also apply to the spa and children's swimming. Guests should arrange treatments and confirm the relevant access rather than assume that every wellness space is freely available with a room.
St Andrews weather can turn a planned beach walk into a short one. The spa, fitness pool, restaurants, and town give a stay other possibilities when wind or rain changes the mood outside. None competes with the Old Course view; they make it possible to enjoy the hotel without requiring golf to fill every hour.
The Duke's is the championship course associated with the hotel, a heathland round above St Andrews. The Old Course and other St Andrews Links courses are separate. Guests hoping to play the Old Course should investigate official allocation routes well before travel. An ordinary room reservation or course-facing view does not secure a tee time. The hotel's golf team can help with planning, but golfers should confirm each course reservation separately.
For a longer golf visit, St Andrews offers enough variety to make the hotel a base rather than the whole itinerary. A round at The Duke's, time on other links, and a day without golf can all sit comfortably together. Non-players have West Sands, the town, spa, and dining, so companions need not organize their days around the first tee.
Old Course Hotel is most compelling for travelers who want to wake beside golf history and still have a full-service hotel when play ends. It does not promise the Old Course itself, and it is not a small, quiet inn. Its strengths are specific: rooms and restaurants with course views, a pub that belongs to the golfing landscape, serious spa facilities, and St Andrews close enough to explore beyond the fairways.
The Jigger Inn occupies a former stationmaster's lodge beside the course, so a pint here comes with tangible St Andrews history.
Kohler Waters Spa combines hydrotherapy, sauna and snow cabin spaces, offering a substantial retreat after a round or coastal walk.
The Duke's, the resort's own offsite heathland course, gives golfers a contrasting round beyond the famous links beside the hotel.
Old Station Rd, St Andrews, KY16 9SP, United Kingdom
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Yes. Old Course Hotel is a top choice for travelers who want golf history, sea views, spa time, and St Andrews access. It suits golfers, couples, families, whisky lovers, and guests who want a luxury base in the Home of Golf.
Old Course Hotel is located in St Andrews, Scotland, beside the famous Old Course. The setting gives guests easy access to St Andrews town, West Sands Beach, the coastline, and classic Fife golf.
Old Course Hotel has 175 rooms and suites in a five-star St Andrews setting. Many rooms look toward the Old Course, the coastline, West Sands Beach, or the historic town.
Yes. Old Course Hotel overlooks the Old Course and is especially known for views near the Road Hole. This makes it one of the most recognizable hotel settings for golf travelers visiting St Andrews.
Yes. Old Course Hotel is one of the best luxury bases for a St Andrews golf trip. Guests can plan rounds, watch course life, visit nearby golf shops, and explore the wider Fife links scene.
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