Checking In: Marine Troon
Great hotels near incredible golf courses. Appreciating Scotland's West Coast.
When I went to Scotland in the summer of 2017, I enjoyed it so much that I vowed to return every summer. Surprisingly, with the exception of 2020, I have made it back at least once a year. It’s been a great run, and I am lucky to have returned so many times. Throughout all of those adventures, I have learned that there are a few essential guidelines for a successful trip. Firstly, focus on one or two golf regions to avoid getting overwhelmed by too much driving around —all of that movement leads to an unsettled feeling. Building on that, my second rule relates to finding a good home base: nothing will make a greater difference in the enjoyment of a trip than choosing the right hotel.
This summer, while on the west coast of Scotland, we were fortunate to secure rooms at the Marine Troon, which is potentially the best-situated hotel in the golf world, being prominently placed on Royal Troon’s 18th hole. The Marine Troon experience reinforced the idea that a good hotel overindexes on a golf trip.
Marine & Lawn, as a group, has built an impressive collection of hotels near some of the most prestigious golf courses we all want to play. This includes the Rusacks St Andrews overlooking the Old Course, the phenomenal Slieve Donard, which is a short walk from my favorite golf course in the world, Royal County Down, Dornoch Station, the aforementioned Marine Troon, and a new hotel next to Royal Portrush in Northern Ireland. If you only ever played golf adjacent to the Marine & Lawn hotels, you would essentially be playing the best golf in the world. What else does one need in their life?
What makes the Marine hotels great is that they go beyond just offering nice things for golfers; these are great places to stay regardless of why you happen to be geographically situated between some of the most famous golf courses in the world. However, if you are there for the golf, then you are in the perfect place. This year has been all about finding new and great hotels, and this was another successful chapter in that journey.
My wishlist for a good hotel:
Engineered for sleep. Comfortable bed, quiet rooms, and the ability to make the bedroom (dark) dark.
A place to round the corners. A well-equipped common room or bar area with draft beer and a selection of proper cocktails is of critical importance. A hotel can’t be great without a comfortable common room.
The most important meal of the day. Solid breakfast options are non-negotiable. Marine Troon’s program was varied, efficient and delicious.
Personality, charm, and a human scale. No one wants to feel like a number in a hotel factory. One of the things I most enjoy about the Marine & Lawn hotels is their charm. The staff was genuinely friendly and always eager to help you get whatever you needed. Everything at the Marine Troon was on a scale that was easily enjoyed.
Intangibles. Not required but appreciated. Onsen, hot tubs, saunas, putting greens, dependable room service and a gym (if only to stretch). The fact that Marine Troon practically all of this, including a pool and hot tub, was a massive win. There are few things better than a good soak after playing golf and walking 6-12 miles.
The view from my room on the second floor of the Marine Troon hotel was of golfers starting and finishing their rounds at Royal Troon. It’s a delightful thing to see and I found myself pausing to watch players make their approach into the 18th green. We had a white port and tonic on the rocks one night, and we could watch the players complete what was probably a bucket list day for them. The sun was shining and the Scottish wind was blowing. It really made me stop and appreciate being in such a great place. I can’t wait to return, and I hope to finally make that walk at Troon myself. Maybe someone will be up on the second floor of the Marine Troon and feel the way I did this summer.
We earned a Tennents in the sunshine on the Marine Troon patio after some hard drone flying work.
These pictures are gorgeous, Michael.
Great piece Michael. I think what makes me happiest about reading this (and your other writing) is that you seem to be one of the few people I know living life on your terms. I’m sure there were a lot of challenges to get here. But you should be proud. It’s admirable.