Published on: 02 March 2023
Nestled discreetly overlooking the marina and the Firth of Clyde, an Ayrshire hotel is making waves in the hospitality sector just three years after opening.
Brand new hotels are rare nowadays. Hotels are normally refurbished, rebranded or redeveloped. But in the picturesque town of Troon, a new £1.5million boutique hotel is receiving critical acclaim.
The Salt Lodge lies on the banks of Troon Yacht Haven, with all ten rooms overlooking the marina to the Isle of Arran, the Firth of Clyde and beyond. Inside, it’s not a normal hotel; each room is an apartment, equipped with a lounge, balcony, kitchenette and en-suite bathroom.
“Not only did we want the building to be stunning in architecture and design, we wanted our hotel to offer a different type of experience,” explains marina director, Stephen Bennie. “The apart-hotel style appealed to a different audience from regular hotel-goers. We appeal to families, romantic getaways, dog-friendly staycations, the marine leisure market as well as the golfing tourism industry.”
Last year, The Salt Lodge reached new heights being awarded multiple industry prizes, much to the surprise of the hospitality market, many of whom were unfamiliar with The Salt Lodge’s presence.
“We opened in 2020 during a difficult pandemic trading period. As a result, our launch events were cancelled, PR activity reduced and we simply began quietly taking bookings online,” Bennie remembers.
The hotel has won the Traveller Review Award in back-to-back years since 2020, five Gold Anchor Accreditations and a Scottish Parliament Motion to Commend along with a visit from Siobhian Brown MSP.
“It is always fantastic to see a local business thriving. Everyone at Troon Yacht Haven and The Salt Lodge should be proud of their hard work in achieving five Gold Anchors, which places the venue amongst some of the best in the world,” Siobhan Brown MSP explains with regards to the Parliamentary Motion.
So what next for this Ayrshire hotel? “We’ve partnered with our neighbours at the award-winning bar and restaurant, Scotts Troon, so we can work together to create a great product in terms of a destination for food, drink and accommodation,” Bennie concludes. “But, moreover, we just want to continue building our reputation, offering a unique hotel option for those visiting Ayrshire.”
