There is nothing to compare with it in the UK. With Peter at the helm (his credentials are suitably impressive: he counts Chewton Glen, the Savoy and St Andrew’s as hotels that have stood and prospered under his watch), Skibo is a one-off. Now it’s privately owned by another mega-rich American, who wants to remain low-key. It remained within the family until 1982, before being sold to hotelier Peter de Savary. In 1898, to have a foothold once more in Scotland, Carnegie bought Skibo and set about a multi-million pound renovation, in part as a legacy for his daughter. Carnegie was born in Dunfernline but his family moved to the United States when he was 13, to escape the economic depression of 1848. Skibo Castle was the home of one of the world’s richest men of his time, the steel magnate and philanthropist, Andrew Carnegie. During our brief weekend visit, we tasted a bit of what it would be like to be ‘in the club’, and, let me tell you, it’s knock out. And this place is definitely all about the 400-strong members (they’re looking to recruit more, so if you’re in the money…). They don’t often hold weddings, Peter Crome, managing director assures us during our visit, but they do try and pull out all the stops for their members. It was at Skibo, amongst its breathtakingly beautiful 7,000-plus acres of lochs, woods, pastures and golf course, nestled on the edge of Dornoch Firth, and the 20-bedroom castellated mansion that the Material Girl married British film director, Guy Ritchie, in a covert operation that MI5 would have been proud of. Say Skibo Castle and, most obviously, the doomed nuptials of the world’s biggest songstress, Madonna, spring to mind. Read her full review here for a peek into one of the most prestigious private clubs in the world, Skibo Castle… Skibo Castle: The Gem of the Scottish Highlands Lucy Cleland toasts the haggis and does an eightsome reel at the uber exclusive Carnegie Club in the eastern Highlands.
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