Published in Scotland Magazine Issue 30 on 01/12/2006.

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The first resort (St Andews)

An ideal family winter break? Kate Patrick thinks she may have discovered it, and right on her doorstep too

If you are reading this from Miami or Santa Monica you might be only marginally interested in our nation’s winter holiday predicament. You have Baja and the Caribbean on your doorsteps, complete with miles of virgin white sand and as much midwinter fun and sunshine as you need. For those of us who live in chilly Scotland, on the other hand, the downtime between Boxing Day and New Year can get a little dreich.

So my family and I found ourselves with time off, and the opportunity to get away.

Europe? Well, cultural winter city breaks with their parents don’t much appeal to children aged 13, 11 and nine. Skiing? Too cold for wimps. Cyprus? Not open yet.

How about EuroDisney? You won’t like the long, cold queues, said a friend who had suffered them with his three children.

Longhaul to Dubai? Like a building site with expensive designer shops, said another jaded sophisticate.

It hit us over a fine dram of the Glenrothes late one evening that the answer was a lot closer to home: St Andrews. Or, more specifically, the Fairmont St Andrews, the shiny American resort (formerly St Andrews Bay), on the cliffs just outside the historic town. Which, of course, begs the question: why would you go to such a charming, idiosyncratic corner of Fife and stay at a hotel that wouldn’t be out of place in, say, South Carolina – with its barn-like proportions, identikit rooms and two beautifully sited but absolutely freezing (at this time of year) golf courses?

Well, because, with the possible .....

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By Kate Patrick

Section : Best of Scotland

Page number : 44