Striking Gold in the Scottish Borders

A LUXURY restaurant with rooms situated in the heart of the Scottish Borders has achieved VisitScotland’s most prestigious Quality Assurance (QA) accolade.

Windlestraw, an Edwardian manor overlooking the Tweed Valley in Walkerburn, is home to an intimate restaurant, gardens and six bedrooms.

VisitScotland’s five star gold Quality Assurance Award recognises serviced accommodation businesses which achieve the highest levels of excellence. Businesses that achieve the award excel in areas of customer care and hospitality. Windlestraw is the only restaurant with rooms to hold the coveted five star gold in the Scottish Borders.

Set within two acres of landscaped grounds, Windlestraw was originally built in 1906 as a wedding gift for the future wife of the Scottish cashmere mill owner, John King Ballantyne. The establishment offers a unique venue for a variety of events, from corporate meetings to special celebrations or for guests seeking a romantic getaway.

The ‘restaurant with rooms’ was also crowned Most Hospitable Hotel for Lothian & Borders at the 2017/18 Regional Thistle Awards. Windlestraw boasts a Taste Our Best award for its use of local and quality Scottish produce.

John and Sylvia Matthews, owners of Windlestraw, said: “We are thrilled to have received this award. We are passionate about Windlestraw, Walkerburn and the Tweed Valley and we are absolutely delighted to reach this milestone and be recognised amongst the very best in Scotland. Full credit to our small team – head chef Stu and housekeepers Lizzy and Emily – who continue to raise the bar for hospitality in the region. We believe that the Borders is a ‘’must everything’’….visit, stay, do, dine, explore, return in any Scottish travel itinerary. Thank you to the Visit Scotland team for all their support.

Paula Ward, Regional Leadership Director of VisitScotland, said: “Congratulations to John and Sylvia on this fantastic achievement. Their restaurant with rooms is a shining example of the quality experience on offer in the Scottish Borders. It is great to see their hard work and commitment to providing a quality service being recognised firstly at the Scottish Thistle Awards and now with this prestigious award.

“Our Quality Assurance scheme helps businesses to reach their full potential and truly shine. The scheme is about more than just the ‘stars’ on the door - it’s about the entire visitor experience, about investing in your business, driving-up quality and creating jobs.

“Delivering a quality experience that meets, and exceeds, visitor expectations is crucial in making Scotland a must-visit, must-return destination.”

VisitScotland’s Quality Assurance schemes can open the door to new customers. It is a powerful marketing tool and works well with online review sites in using an independent perspective to measure visitor experience against tried and tested criteria, so visitors know exactly what to expect.

For more information, visit: www.windlestraw.co.uk

For more information on VisitScotland’s Quality Assurance scheme, please visit www.visitscotland.org/quality_assurance.aspx