Hole in Don-ard: The hotel brand focusing on golf

Hotel brand Marine and Lawn announced in August that it was set to open two new hotels, Dornoch Station in Scotland and Slieve Donard in Northern Ireland. With the two openings the brand has continued its unique selling point, hotel offerings focussing on the golf experience.

The Dornoch Station hotel has been renovated and reopened by the company and sits just a short walk from the first fairway of Royal Dornoch Golf Club. The same can be said of the Slieve Donard which lies by the Royal County Down golf course alongside the Mourne Mountains.

The brand officially launched in 2021 with Rusacks St Andrews and Marine North Berwick in Scotland. The modus operandi of the company is to refurbish existing hotels, often next to golf courses.

The company owns five hotels in the UK, with four in Scotland and Slieve Donard its first in Northern Ireland. The company also purchased the Adelphi hotel in Portrush in December 2022 which will become its second Northern Irish hotel, right next to Royal Portrush golf course. Royal Portrush will host the Open Championship in 2025, which will provide a “huge boost” to the company.

“One of our main pillars at Marine and Lawn is that we refurbish storied, much-loved hotels to higher standards for a more discerning type of guest. The grand hotels located next to golf courses have wonderful views of the surrounding seas and landscapes, allowing us to offer a unique hospitality experience that intertwines lifestyle, exceptional culinary offerings, and wellness,” says Phillip Allen, president of Marine and Lawn.

Having hotels by golf courses is a strategy that is unique to Marine and Lawn and opens the brand up to a certain clientele. The benefit of this is that golf is not a weather dependent sport so the hotel will always have a steady stream of guests wishing to play 18 holes.

“Our hotels are located next to world-famous courses, such as The Old Course (Rusacks St Andrews) and Royal Dornoch Golf Club), that are terrifically cherished by golf enthusiasts from around the world. As many people say, ‘it never rains on a golf course’ and dedicated players will travel all year round to play. This means we are never short of guests,” Allen explains.

Allen explains how this meant that the Slieve Donard hotel was the perfect fit for the Marine and Lawn brand. The hotel will celebrate its 125th year of service this year.

Allen states that because Northern Ireland sees a lot of golf tourism it is a market that Marine and Lawn can thrive in. According to Tourism NI there were 762,575 bookings made by visitors at the 75 golf clubs in Northern Ireland in 2022, an increase of 30% on the 587,199 bookings made in 2019.

“Positioned just next to the renowned Royal County Down Golf Club, Slieve Donard was a natural addition. The property’s historic architecture and coastal location were also key attractions for us.

“The hotel, built by the Belfast and County Down Railway in 1898, has welcomed various icons over the years including Charlie Chaplin, Tiger Woods, Catherine Zeta Jones, King Leopold (of Belgium), Dame Judi Dench and many more. The famed Polar Express will also remain on property as a family-favourite activity,” Allen says.

More than a golf hotel

It is not just golf that draws guests into the Marine and Lawn hotels. Slieve Donard is situated by the Slieve Donard Mountain which is part of the Mourne Mountain range and Dornoch Station is up in the Highlands. This means that the hotels are able to draw in guests even when the golf traffic is slow.

“Dornoch Station is much more than a golf hotel, and the Highlands much more than a golf destination. The Highlands are known for a coastal location and awe-inspiring views. Guests can enjoy walking, swimming, and exploring the surrounding area, including the distilleries and historic castles that surround the property,” says Robert Rodgers, general manager of Dornoch Station.

Furthermore, it is not just the external offerings that Marine and Lawn is using to draw in guests. The company is also prioritising its food and beverage offerings to draw in tourists and locals alike.

“Our aim is to offer restaurants and bars that are a destination in themselves, for locals as well as our hotel guests, and that emphasise in-season and local ingredients and local suppliers, for an authentic taste of the Highlands.

“Hospitality-led regeneration supports local economies by offering more jobs and training across local communities. We expect it to be a far busier and vibrant space than before, resulting in the potential for us to increase the employee headcount,” states Rodgers.

So while the attraction of golf courses remains a USP for Marine and Lawn the company is still attempting to cater for all kinds of guests. This can help the brand nail down the golfing demographic, there will always be people wanting to golf on famous courses, but also allows the company to host people not interested in golf.