Mar Hall

{{Infobox building

| name = Earl of Mar Hotel

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| former_names = Erskine House

| alternate_names = Mar Hall

| etymology =

| status = open

| image = File:Mar Hall Hotel.jpeg

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| building_type = Baronial Mansion

| architectural_style = Gothic

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| cost = £50,000

| ren_cost = £15M for hotel conversion

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| affiliation = Erskine Hospital

| number_of_suites =

| number_of_restaurants = 2

| number_of_bars = 1

| facilities = gym, spa, swimming pool, conference suites, 18 hole golf course, wedding facilities, free wi-fi

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| location =

| address = Earl of Mar Estate, Mar Hall Avenue

| location_town = Bishopton

| location_country = Scotland

| coordinates = {{coord|55.9209|-4.4786|format=dms|type:landmark|display=title,inline}}

| groundbreaking_date =

| start_date = 1828

| completion_date = 1845

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| floor_count = 3

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| elevator_count = 1

| grounds_area = {{convert|240|acre|ha|-1}}

| architect = Sir Robert Smirke

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| awards = TripAdvisor Travellers' Choice Luxury Hotel Award

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| rooms = 53

| parking = available

| website = http://www.marhall.com/

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}}

Mar Hall is a 5-star hotel and golf resort in Bishopton, Renfrewshire.{{cite web|url=http://www.marhall.com/ |title=Luxury 4 Star Hotel Glasgow – Scottish Golf & Spa Resort |publisher=Mar Hall |date= |accessdate=20 June 2014}} It is situated in Erskine House, a category A listed building. Formerly the building was the Erskine Hospital.{{cite web |url=http://www.rememberingscotlandatwar.org.uk/Accessible/Exhibition/170/The-history-of-Erskine |title=The history of Erskine |publisher=Rememberingscotlandatwar.org.uk |accessdate=20 June 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304194753/http://www.rememberingscotlandatwar.org.uk/Accessible/Exhibition/170/The-history-of-Erskine |archive-date=4 March 2016 |url-status=dead |df=dmy-all }}{{cite web|url=http://www.clydewaterfront.com/clyde-heritage/erskine/erskine-house |title=History of Erskine House: Former World War 1 hospital, now 5-star Mar Hall Hotel - Clyde Waterfront Heritage |publisher=Clydewaterfront.com |date= |accessdate=20 June 2014}}

History

The Lords Blantyre came into ownership of the Erskine Estate and Erskine House during the early 18th century. In 1828 Major General Robert Walter Stuart, the 11th Lord Blantyre commissioned the present house. The latest Erskine House was constructed between 1828 and 1845 at a cost of £50,000. It was designed by Sir Robert Smirke, the architect of the British Museum. Sir Charles Barry designed the fountain & garden lay-out.{{cite web|url=http://canmore.rcahms.gov.uk/en/site/43262/details/erskine+house/|title=Site Record for Erskine Hospital & War Memorial|publisher=Canmore.rcahms.gov.uk |date=1951-02-27 |accessdate=2014-06-26}} A nearby quarry (now disused) provided the stone required for construction. The oak interior was imported from Quebec, Canada.{{cite web|url=http://www.scottish-places.info/features/featurefirst11967.html |title=Overview of Mar Hall |publisher=Scottish-places.info |date= |accessdate=2014-07-09}} The building lay empty as the peerage of the Lords Blantyre ended in 1900. It was then renovated and opened as the Princess Louise Scottish Hospital for Limbless Sailors and Soldiers in 1916. This was to treat soldiers returning from the First World War. A nearby monument commemorates the original owner of Erskine House. It is called Blantyre Monument.

Hotel

A £15m re-fit converted the building into a 5-star hotel which opened in 2004. The official name of the hotel is Earl of Mar; however, locally it is known as Mar Hall. The name recalls the Erskine Estate's former ownership by the Earl of Mar. The hotel has a swimming pool, gym and 18-hole golf course which hosts Pro-Am tournaments throughout the year.{{cite web|url=http://europro.bluegolf.com/bluegolf/europro12/event/europro1232/index.htm |title=MarHall.com Scottish Classic Pro-Am Tournament Information Page |publisher=Europro.bluegolf.com |date=7 August 2012 |accessdate=20 June 2014}}

The hotel was the winner of a TripAdvisor Travellers' Choice Luxury Hotels Award in 2012.{{cite web|url=http://www.marhall.com/hotel/latest-news/trip-advisor-award.aspx |title=Winner of Trip Advisor Luxury Hotels Award |publisher=Marhall.com |accessdate=20 June 2014}} Numerous celebrities and well known sports teams have stayed at the hotel, including Kylie Minogue, One Direction, Harry Styles, Neil Diamond, Rangers FC, Scotland men's national football team, Katy Perry, Robbie Williams, Beyoncé, Coldplay, Oasis, Take That, Bob Dylan, Mike Tyson, Marisa Tomei and Brad Pitt.{{cite web|url=http://www.image.ie/Competitions/Mar-Hall/ |title=Mar Hall |publisher=image.ie |date=18 May 2014 |accessdate=20 June 2014}}{{cite web|url=https://www.scribd.com/doc/201663413/Mar-Hall-in-Writing-and-Scottish-Memories-magazines |title=Mar Hall in Writing and Scottish Memories magazines |publisher=Scribd.com |date=23 January 2014 |accessdate=20 June 2014}}