Kinnettles Group Lists St Andrews Hotel, Mansion, and Forfar Castle for Sale

The St Andrews Kinnettles Hotel is on the market by the Kinnettles group, alongside the establishment’s two other properties in Forfar and Fife. The group owns and operates all three venues, with the castle and mansion available for private use. 

According to The Courier, the Bosses at the Kinnettles Group said that they intend to “test the market” by listing the properties at an undisclosed price. They added that there are no short-term plans to sell the company, and business will continue as usual. The respective properties are listed through business and property specialists Christie & Co. 

The hotel on North Street — available for freehold purchase — consists of fifteen suites, a boutique spa, and Gidi Grill. 

Kinnettles Mansion, the second property of the trio, is located just outside St Andrews in Guardbridge. According to the mansion’s website, the estate is let for private and exclusive use only, typically for larger groups visiting the area for weddings or golf outings. 

The mansion has eight large bedrooms, each of which has been restored to resemble the original decor from when the property was first built. The mansion also boasts a private cinema, a fully equipped traditional kitchen, and a Victorian summer house.

It was once the family home of Lord Douglas Haig of the Whisky family. In World War I, Lord Haig commanded the British forces on the Western Front and was Commander in the Battle of the Somme. He was also Lord Rector and later Chancellor of the University. 

The Forfar-located Kinnettles Castle is also available for private and exclusive rental. It holds fourteen large bedroom suites, which were refurbished in 2017; an additional eight rooms are located in the recently converted Stables. The castle also maintains the original wine cellar, snooker room, and blackjack room.

The castle sits on a 44-acre estate, offering sweeping views of the surrounding landscape from its turrets and towers. Its website describes the property as a “well-kept secret over time.”

The announcement of the sale of these properties comes amid an appeal submitted by the group after Fife Council rejected their retrospective application to install pergolas and a storage container behind their coffee kiosk in Greyfriars Gardens. The hotel set up the kiosk in March 2023 in a converted horse box. 

Fife councillors refused permission for the kiosk when the idea was proposed in 2023. At a meeting of the North East Planning Committee in Cupar on 8 March 2023, councillors cited concerns relating to the potential impact of noise levels and food smells on the surrounding area. 

Liberal Democrat councillor Jane Ann Liston told The Courier, following the committee’s rejection, that the box did not enhance the conservation area owned by Kinnettles Hotel, adding that the kiosk would be “like lipstick on a pig.”

The Scottish Government’s planning and environmental appeals decision reversed the refusal three months later. The hotel then set up four eight-foot pergolas and a storage container beside the kiosk before applying for retrospective permission in November 2025. A spokesperson told The Courier that rodents are a problem in the area, and that the storage box will provide protection from “the prevalent pest issue.” The application was refused by Fife Council on 11 December, 2025 because the conservation area would be disturbed.

The hotel is currently filing an appeal against the rejection. 

Photo by Alden Arnold