Those in the know have always flocked to the UK’s northernmost reaches, drawn by the call of the Highlands, world-class Scotch, and a proud history that includes seeing off Roman conquest. Now, one of its finest hotels is giving discerning travellers another reason to visit.
Keen golfers will be familiar with the name, of course. Gleneagles is famed for its championship courses; world leaders, sporting pros, and Hollywood legends have strolled across its greens. Even Justin Bieber came on a boys’ golfing trip last October. “Impeccably behaved”, I’m told.
The 850-acre resort also offers a spa, a curriculum of outdoor pursuits (post-lunch falconry, anyone?), wellness experiences, and a Highlands safari to meet the thick-fringed bovine locals. Sling in Michelin-starred fine dining, and it’s easy to understand why it calls itself ‘The Glorious Playground’.
Gleneagles may have a 102-year legacy, but it refuses to rest on its laurels. The latest offering? A premium dining experience in partnership with Dom Pérignon, in which the Maison’s vintages are paired with an expertly crafted five-course menu for just 12 lucky souls, set in a chic subterranean space.
Launched in June 2026, I was invited to The Cellar x Dom Pérignon’s ribbon-cutting moment. Only a fool would refuse.
A short flight from London’s City Airport gets me to Edinburgh, from where I weave my way north past Stirling to Gleneagles. The final leg takes a little under an hour, and is the most spoiling. My chauffeur furnishes me with a piping hot brew alongside freshly baked shortbread to nibble on as the verdant countryside flashes past. First impressions are everything, and this five-star hotel does not miss the mark.
The drive has parallels with Gleneagles’ very first guests, who journeyed over a century ago. Seeking respite from summer heat, a train would deliver them to the platform – Gleneagles has a designated railway station – while cargo cars peeled off to the hotel grounds, stopping directly at the cellar door for seamless offloading. That door, sealed to the public, has now been reimagined as The Cellar x Dom Pérignon.
The collab is a canny one: both are legacy brands that reflect harmony and aspirations of luxury.
Descending down a curved staircase, things kick off with a King's Golden Oscietra Caviar canapé reception. It's served on mini bao buns, crème fraîche keeping the tiny salty orbs steady. Diners can serve themselves or DIY their own buns; a silver tray holds shredded egg yolk, egg whites, shallots, chives, and curiously, bright pink radish halves, their green stems still attached for easy handling.
The radishes turn out to be a fabulously refreshing vehicle for caviar; so good I just know it’s going to trigger a costly new fixation. Purists can spoon caviar directly onto the back of their hands for a taste of unhindered indulgence.
The reception takes place in a low-lit space lined with temperature-controlled wine cabinets, shelves filled with more bottles of Dom Pérignon than most of us will ever see in one space. More than 40 Dom Pérignon rarities sit neatly arranged and begging for an uncorking, which my host is only too happy to oblige.
For a Champagne connoisseur, few sights are more pleasing. Should a nuclear apocalypse ever come to pass, I know which bunker I’m heading for first.
My group troops through a low-lit path to the heart of the cellar, passing shelves stacked with even more premium wine and spirits. Under warm lighting sits a magnificent oval-shaped travertine stone table, inspired by the Abbey of Hautvillers in Epernay, Dom Pérignon’s birthplace. Its proportions are so astonishing that I can’t help but wonder how it was navigated down through the tight, awkward turns of the cellar (“in two pieces, with cranes”, it turns out). Gleneagles’ efforts have paid off – it’s the perfect setting for the gastronomic spectacle to follow.
Courses crafted with the best of Scotland’s bounty are ferried over by staff with gentle Scottish burrs. Tumblers sit beside flutes gleaming in anticipation for Dom Pérignon cuvées. Glassware rapidly accumulates around each of us as a new vintage is poured, rising in line with the chatter around the table.
Langoustine plucked from the west coast is washed down with a 2015 vintage, while a full-bodied Dom Pérignon Vintage 2008 Plénitude 2 is partnered with turbot swimming in a Champagne sauce, its silky mousse tickling my lips. The only rosé of the meal (2008) arrives beside perfectly pink Borders lamb.
It is decadent. It is fabulous. This isn't just dinner: it's an event. Two legacy brands uniting for a stellar dining experience, each shining in what they do best. The evening stretches towards midnight, and we relocate to the American Bar for a nightcap, shelling out heartfelt thanks to staff we spy ‘backstage’. The Maison has found a happy home at this hotel.
Prices begin at £150pp, up to £695pp for The Dom Pérignon Experience. Guests must pre-book the full dining experience at least three weeks in advance, while tastings can be reserved up to three days ahead. gleneagles.com
