Hamilton Grand

The building originally opened as the Grand Hotel in 1895 at the time of a rapid expansion of St Andrews as a popular tourist destination. It was built by businessman Thomas Hamilton, to overshadow the Royal & Ancient Golf Clubhouse,{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/destinations/europe/united-kingdom/scotland/fife/st-andrews/hotels/old-course-hotel/|title=Old Course Hotel, St Andrews, Fife, Scotland |newspaper=The Telegraph |date=13 March 2018 |publisher=The Daily Telegraph |access-date=2020-11-23}} after reputedly being blackballed when he sought membership of the Club.{{cite news |url=http://www.scotsman.com/news/race-against-the-clock-to-rescue-st-andrews-golf-icon-1-794343 |title=Race against the clock to rescue St Andrews golf icon |work=The Scotsman |date=10 March 2010 |access-date=9 January 2016}} The Grand Hotel was in a prime location to take advantage of two of the city's attractions: golf and sea bathing. Indeed, the hotel soon became very successful and even managed to attract royal clientele in the early years of the twentieth century. However, the hotel was requisitioned by the armed forces during the Second World War and never reopened as a hotel. Following the end of the war, there was a proposal to sell the building to the Roman Catholic Church as a residence and seminary. This plan caused much alarm among the more traditional Presbyterians in the town and was soon abandoned.

The hotel was acquired by the University of St Andrews, was renamed Hamilton Hall after the Duke of Hamilton, then the Chancellor of the university, and was opened as a hall of residence in 1949. In 2004 the university announced that it was to sell the hall as the result of an unsolicited bid.{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/education/2004/jul/09/universityfunding.highereducation |title=St Andrews takes £20m for historic hall |first=Polly |last=Curtis |work=The Guardian |date=9 July 2004 |access-date=31 August 2015}} Consequently, the university session 2005−06 was the last year that Hamilton Hall was open as a hall of residence.{{cite web|url= http://www.hamiltongrand.co.uk/press-centre/press-release3.html|title=Hamilton Grand Fact Sheet|publisher=Hamilton Grand|date=January 2011|access-date=2 June 2013}} The building was sold for £20 million.{{cite web |url=http://www.ros.gov.uk/citizen/propsearch.html |title=Electronic Search Request |access-date=2006-10-05 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061004173625/http://www.ros.gov.uk/citizen/propsearch.html |archive-date=2006-10-04 }} In addition, it was decided that Eden Court—an annexe to the main hall—would also be sold. However, it was not bought by the same purchasers and has since become an annexe of McIntosh Hall, another student residence of the university.{{Citation needed|date=June 2024}}

Following refurbishment and renovation, the hall is planned to reopen as a number of private residences.

Wasserman Real Estate Capital obtained planning permission to convert the building into 23 luxury timeshare apartments.{{cite news |url=http://www.scotsman.com/news/st-andrews-landmark-unfairly-sold-1-780541 |title=St Andrews landmark 'unfairly sold' |work=The Scotsman |date=26 October 2009 |access-date=9 January 2016}}

In July 2006, work began on Hamilton Hall to convert it into a prestigious residence club, to be called The St Andrews Grand. While many options were considered for Hamilton Hall, a residence club bringing like-minded people together to preserve the Victorian building was considered the best option. Membership prices are between $1.3 and $3.3 million{{clarify|date=September 2012}} dependent upon the size of the flat, its view and its position within the building. Services were to include butlers, housekeeping, chefs, private and communal dining, spa and treatments for men and women, club/library, games/billiards room and courtesy cars.

By October 2008, Hamilton Hall had seen no renovation work and was in a state of disrepair. Several windows were broken or gone, leaving the inside open to the perils of Scottish weather, and the facade of the building was deteriorating. Many local residents have moved for the sale of Hamilton Hall from the owners and developers of the St. Andrews Grand, Wasserman Real Estate Capital, LLC{{clarify|date=September 2012}}.

In early 2009 a Scottish-based property development company took on the project management. A significantly revised plan (which included keeping the name 'Hamilton Hall') was to result in the development of 12 large and very luxurious apartments, in keeping with the history and traditions of St Andrews. A public announcement of the revised plan was expected in the spring of 2009.

The development did not take place. Having been repossessed by the bank, the property was to be put up for sale again. Jones Lang LaSalle in Scotland was selected by the lender (Heritable Creditor) to place the property on the market beginning in June 2009.{{cite web |url=http://www.hotelinteractive.com/article.aspx?articleid=14083 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110712222232/http://www.hotelinteractive.com/article.aspx?articleid=14083 |archive-date=2011-07-12 |title=Scotland's Hamilton Hall of Famed St. Andrews Golf Course Up For Sale}}

In December 2009 Hamilton Hall was acquired by US businessman Herb Kohler who intended to restore the building.{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/edinburgh_and_east/8395123.stm |title=US magnate buys historic St Andrews building |work=BBC News |date=4 December 2009}} In January 2011, Kohler announced that the building is renamed Hamilton Grand and presented the plan to convert it into 26 luxury apartments. The building opened in May 2013 and included Hams Hame, a basement pub and grill, open to the public. By the following month half of the apartments had been sold.{{cite news |url=http://www.scotsman.com/news/st-andrews-home-of-golf-is-nation-s-most-expensive-1-3000886 |title=St Andrews: Home of golf is nation's most expensive |first=Nicholas |last=Christian |work=The Scotsman |date=13 July 2013 |access-date=11 December 2016}}

File:Scores Hotel and Hamilton Grand 5025848 465eb259 1024x1024.jpg|The northern end: Scores Hotel (left), Hamilton Grand (right)

File:St Andrews golf club - geograph.org.uk - 10139.jpg|Hamilton Grand (right), the Royal and Ancient Golf clubhouse (left)

File:The Hamilton Grand, St Andrews 3569412 d75e4e76.jpg|The western end

File:Golf Place - geograph.org.uk - 1190949.jpg|The eastern end

{{Reflist}}

• [http://www.hamiltongrand.co.uk Hamilton Grand website]
• {{Commons category-inline|Hamilton Grand}}

{{St Andrews}}

Category:1895 establishments in Scotland

Category:St Andrews

Category:Category B listed buildings in Fife

Category:Defunct hotels in Scotland

Category:Hotels established in 1895

Category:Hotels disestablished in 1949

Category:Apartment buildings in the United Kingdom

Category:Hotel buildings completed in 1895

Category:Listed hotels in Scotland