First Impressions
Luxury hotel group Fairmont has created a destination hotel in the home of golf, with access to two championship courses, breathtaking cliff-top views of the North Sea, delicious dining options and a spa. The coastal road to the hotel runs alongside one of the golf courses; the long driveway leads to an imposing modern building set within the 520-acre estate.
The reception area is grand and impressive, with a gigantic marble hearth; mirrors shine on either side, while huge sofas and armchairs fill the space. Enormous art adorns the walls.
The spa can be found just off the huge light-filled atrium on the floor below. Floating over this space is a 60-metre kinetic artwork called Zephyr, with twenty thousand metal discs resembling a cloud that twists and turns as the sun changes throughout the day. Step out of the lift and look left for the green mermaid-tailed spa sign.
What’s on offer?
The spa’s own reception is spacious and beautifully laid out. Wall cabinets display an array of spa products from ESPA and ishga; take a pew on the wooden bench or driftwood-backed stools. At the reception desk, friendly staff welcomed us and took us on a tour of the facilities. Robes and slippers are available, but most guests will find these in their bedrooms and can arrive en robe.
Spa goers will walk down a long, wide passageway - lined with wavy driftwood artwork in keeping with the coastal location - to reach the changing rooms. These have a distinctively health-club feel to them with banks of wooden L-shaped lockers lining the walls (it’s combination lock so don’t forget your code (like we did)). The three showers with frosted-glass doors are each stocked with ESPA body wash, shampoo and conditioner. There are banks of soft towels and two private cubicles to change in. The vanity stations have four hairdryers.
There’s lots of space around the 16-metre pool for plenty of loungers and sofas; along the length of the outside wall is a set of French doors that open onto the grounds. At one end there’s a bubbly hot tub on a ten-minute timer; the other a separate splash-pool for children.
The aromatherapy steam room and wooden sauna nearby seats four or five people comfortably and were nice and hot on our visit. Cool down between toasting with a bucket shower or cold-water experience shower.
Your therapist will collect you from the low-lit pre-treatment relaxation room - a calm space with green tones, funky prints on the wall and a selection of sofas or chairs. Help yourself to elderflower water, herbal teas and snacks; three small bowls of dried banana, seeds and raisins are ready for munching.
The post treatment relaxation room is comfortable, with four pale blue lounge chairs complete with foot stools and cosy blankets. Leaf-shaped wall lights and a glass lamp in the corner illuminate the room. Refreshments and snacks are available here, too.
The gym has a good range of equipment set out in front of full-length windows offering views of the stunning landscape.
The spa now partners with Wild Scottish Sauna to offer guests the opportunity to pair cold water swimming with a spot of beachside sauna-ing.
Tell us about the treatments
We tried a Spring Equinox Sunrise Swim and Sauna Experience (60 minutes, from £100) followed by the brand-new Tides of Change ishga treatment (90 minutes, £155).
We began our spa day at 6am with a chauffeur-driven transfer to West Beach for a cold-water wild swim and beachside sauna; Fairmont white robes, towels and grey slippers were conveniently pre-packed in the boot.
Our host, local lass Isla, met us at one of Wild Scottish Sauna’s newest hot boxes, positioned overlooking the (almost) two mile stretch of golden sands, made famous for its role in Chariots of Fire.
An absolute beauty of a morning presented minimal wind, uncharacteristically calm seas and the sun’s rays streaming through the clouds; we had the whole beach to ourselves.
Standing barefoot on the sand, Isla guided us through some breathing techniques to calm our nervous systems and ground us before we tip-toed into the icy cold water – a skin-prickingly cold five degrees. After braving a shoulder dunk, we retreated across the sand to the sauna on a euphoric high.
The sauna – heated to a toasty 90 degrees on our visit – thawed out our frozen appendages in no time. Isla offered us locally made oil blends to apply to our wrists and breathe in. We repeated the sea-dunk-then-sauna two more times, becoming braver – and more energised - each circuit.
Later that morning at the spa, it was time for my Tides of Change ishga treatment– a holistic and restorative massage/facial combo designed to balance masculine and feminine energies, soothe and calm the nervous system and reset the body. Particularly great for those going through the peri/menopause or experiencing hormonal imbalances.
Katherine, my therapist, led me to a treatment room and asked me to de-robe and get comfortable on the heated treatment bed, lying face down. After three deep inhalations of ishga’s signature oil, she stretched out my body and cleansed my feet.
The treatment began on the right side of my body (the masculine side, apparently). Katherine used a generous application of Muscles Recovery oil – blended with Hebridean seaweed extract for its cooling and anti-inflammatory properties, uplifting may chang, soothing peppermint, and hormone-balancing rose geranium - from the soles of my feet, up my legs and side of my body and back down my arm using long gliding movements to aid lymphatic drainage. She then repeated this on the left side of my body (the feminine side).
Asking me to turn over, Katherine slid a bolster under by knees and a pillow under my head for comfort. She then applied warmed oil to my abdomen and began a slow and gentle massage on my stomach. This, she explained, can help release energy and trauma stored in the body; it felt surprisingly soothing despite some gentle gurgling.
Moving onto the facial element, Katherine double cleansed my face in preparation for the Exfoliating Face Mask. Mask removed with a hot mitt, she applied face oil to my face, neck and decollette and performed a heavenly massage before using cold jade rollers to cool the skin and release lymph.
Thinking the treatment was coming to an end, Katherine surprised me by continuing the massage on the front of my arms and legs.
Allowing me to gentle come to, Katherine led me to the post-treatment relaxation room where I met up with my suitable-relaxed spa partner who had been for an ESPA Invigorating Back Massage with Karolina. We settled down, drank plenty of water and nibbled on dried fruit - a lovely end to our day of sea-based experiences.
The Fairmont Spa offers a range of treatments from ESPA and ishga. The treatment menu includes, results-driven facials, high performance body treatments, immersive massages and signature rituals, including one specifically for golfers and one that uses hot North Sea stones.
Food Facts
Most spa days include afternoon tea in the impressive Atrium Lounge with its double-height ceiling. Expect never-ending exquisitely made cakes and desserts (the chocolate orange creation was a firm favourite), finger sandwiches, and freshly baked scones with clotted cream and homemade compote - all served on beautiful William Edwards china adorned with kingfishers. Savoury treats include rare breed pork sausage roll and Arbroath smoked souffle tart. All washed down with a glass of Champagne (or two) and a cup of JING tea of your choice.
If you’re staying overnight, you have a choice of three restaurants: Squire Restaurant, named after golfing legend Gene ‘The Squire’ Sarazen; St Andrews Bar & Grill, featuring a seafood bar with fresh lobster from St Andrews Bay; or Italian eatery La Cucina.
On our first night we feasted at Squire where we opted for St Andrews Bay Lobster Bisque to start, followed by seasonal Rosshire Lamb Cutlets with Lyonnaise potato and heritage carrots.
Our second night, we retreated to La Cucina where we enjoyed a delightfully fresh Caprese for starter and Pappardele ai Funghi for main; our spa partner opted for the Gnocchi con Pancetta, followed by a Calzone of mammoth proportions. A glass of Prosecco was the perfect accompaniment.
We loved / we didn’t love
We loved
The location: the imposing hotel has been built in a wild and wonderful part of Scotland surrounded by golf course and golden sand beaches – it lends itself to a wellness break.
Our beach sauna and wild swim was an absolute highlight of our spa experience. Highly recommended.
The brand new isgha treatment left us feeling completely soothed and recentred.
We didn’t love
Plenty of families were enjoying the pool on our weekend visit and - with no adult-only swim times - it was livelier than we would have liked.
The lockers are a bit temperamental: we both needed assistance from staff with a key to get access to our belongings
Who do you think would like it?
Contrast Therapy aficionados will love the spa’s partnership with Wild Scottish Sauna.
Treatment junkies wishing to try something new.
Golfers or coastal walkers looking to warm up after a day in the elements.
What bubble rating did you give this spa?
We awarded Fairmont St Andrews a Good Spa Guide Bubble Rating of 4 Bubbles for its impressive setting, excellent customer service and creative treatments and partnerships to make the most of the surrounding beaches.
Scarlet Spy visited in March 2025 and awarded it 4 Bubbles.
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