Seaton House sits on the St Andrews seafront overlooking the windswept West Sands, a short putter from the Old Course and mediaeval cathedral ruins.
Planes
It’s 50 miles from Edinburgh Airport, about a 90-minute drive over the dramatic Forth Road Bridge and up through scenic rural Fife.
Trains
There’s a train station at Leuchars, six miles from the hotel, for connections to Edinburgh and Aberdeen.
Automobiles
St Andrews’ compact centre is best explored on foot (or with one of the hotel’s free bikes). But you might want to consider a car for forays further afield to Dundee and the postcard-worthy East Neuk. There’s free valet parking at the hotel.
Other
A-list arrivals can fly private jets into nearby Leuchars.
Worth getting out of bed for
It’s easy to get lost along the labyrinthine lanes and courtyards of mediaeval St Andrews, which is an adventure in itself. But a guided walking tour will help you get fully under the skin of the place, taking in the atmospheric (and much photographed) 12th-century cathedral ruins, the cursed cobblestones outside St Salvator’s Chapel, and an ancient hawthorn tree said to have been planted by Mary, Queen of Scots.
Once you’ve scratched that Chariots of Fire itch with a jog in the West Sands shallows, Vangelis soundtrack blasting through your earpods, it’s time to go full immersion mode — literally. Clench those teeth firmly together and brace yourself for a guided wild-swimming adventure: stone-cold classics include both the East and West Sands, plus impossibly scenic tidal pools in the colourful fishing villages of Anstruther and St Monans, south along the Fife Coastal Path. Or, if you prefer your life-giving liquid to be served in a glass, book a whisky masterclass at Kingsbarns Distillery. This spirited session lets you craft — and sample — your own unique blend. And in case you haven’t heard, there’s apparently also a rather good golf course just across the street from Seaton House.
Local restaurants
Surf, turf and gin cocktails are the order of the day at in-vogue Rogue, a steak-and-seafood joint with its own gin still, located by the monumental 16th-century West Port Gate. Prop up the bar with a pear and cucumber gimlet, or find a foliage-filled corner to share a chateaubriand or St Andrews Bay lobster.
Just across the street, The Saint Bar & Kitchen is a laidback diner-style affair with exposed brick walls, a beer garden and a menu crammed with Scottish comfort food classics: cullen skink, three cheese mac, and burgers topped with haggis.
Local cafés
St Andrews students swear by the Northpoint Cafe, said to be where Wills first courted Kate over espresso macchiatos and haggis burritos. Hey, if it’s good enough for our future king and queen…
Jannettas Gelateria on South Street has near-legendary status, serving scoops of frozen deliciousness here for well over a century now: flavours that run the gamut from strawberry to chocolate, to Scottish tablet, and wild cherry.
Local bars
One of several ‘19th holes’ along North Street, the Golfers Corner lounge bar at the Dunvegan Hotel is a St Andrews institution. Order a pint and peruse walls (and ceilings) festooned with snaps of famous golfers who have frequented the bar in years gone by.
For a more modern take on St Andrews bar culture, try cocktails at The Adamson over on South Street. Star of the menu here is the signature ‘cocktail tree’, which comes with not one but nine expertly mixed drinks, best shared out among friends.
