Cromlix, the five-star country house hotel near Dunblane owned by Andy and Kim Murray, is about to get its small-screen moment. Channel 4 has commissioned a three-part documentary, Our Scottish Hotel, airing in December, that follows the couple and their 80-strong team through a year of sweeping renovation at the Stirlingshire property.
The series captures what the channel calls the most ambitious chapter in the hotel's history: a major new wing, two brand-new restaurants and a five-month closure for the heaviest construction work. Channel 4 bills the overhaul as Kim and Andy's biggest financial gamble since they bought the place, with the couple returning at the end to see whether the upheaval produced the hotel they imagined. For Kim, who has led the project, it was also the first time the two had worked together professionally — something she describes as a learning curve worth documenting.
The Murrays opened Cromlix, near the village of Kinbuck, back in 2014, converting what was once a laird's private residence into a boutique retreat. That residential layout survives today: with only 20 rooms, it operates more like an overstuffed country manor than a conventional hotel, which is exactly its appeal. Expect original features, log fires, a chequered floor in the entrance hall and grounds designed with input from gardeners who knew the estate in another life.
The renovation isn't just cosmetic. Kim has steered the hotel towards a new direction in fine dining and wellness, and the series promises to reveal the personal stories and discoveries along the way — from the tradespeople on site to the staff keeping guests happy while the builders move in.
For travellers, the timing is handy. If the show sparks interest, Cromlix sits about 45 minutes from both Glasgow and Edinburgh, making it an easy countryside escape in central Scotland. Book early around the December broadcast: behind-the-scenes TV exposure tends to fill small hotels fast, and 20 rooms won't last long.
Whether you watch it as armchair television or as a scouting mission for a Scottish weekend away, Our Scottish Hotel offers a rare look at what it actually takes to run a luxury country house — and what happens when a tennis superstar and his wife bet big on hospitality.
