It’s 8 in the morning. A kilted girl plays the bagpipes walking around the walls, thus waking the guests of Skibo Castle. For sleepyheads, on the other hand, there is always Martin, who starts playing the 1904 organ near the great dark wooden staircase at 9 am. A delightful way to start the day, slowly opening the curtains and enjoying a magnificent view, with the sun peeking out, thus enticing the guest to get ready for breakfast in the large brocade dining room. Breakfast already puts you in a good mood with a selection of homemade muesli, honey from the Skibo apiary, smoked salmon from a nearby lake or croissants baked in the morning by the pastry chef. The service is that of a luxury hotel. In reality, however, it is Skibo Castle, a place that houses one of the most prestigious private clubs in the world: The Carnegie Club.
There are many private clubs in England and Scotland, from Annabel’s to White to the younger ones like Soho House, which has also recently opened in Rome, but this club is very different and unique. You don’t come here for a business lunch or an evening. People come here to be part of a family, to participate in the life of the castle, to live a truly unforgettable experience and it is therefore mandatory to stay there for at least a couple of nights. The magic begins from Inverness Airport, near the famous Lochness, where a chauffeur awaits club members. 20% of customers arrive by private jet, using an airstrip in Dornoch, while Inverness offers a full handling service for larger jets. Those arriving by helicopter can finally land on the estate’s heliport.
On the way there are no signs indicating the private club. At the entrance you can see only a small black bell, with the eagle, the symbol of Skibo Castle, indicated. A long tree-lined road frames a fairytale landscape, and here stands the castle in all its splendor. An English flag on one side, on the other American, indicates the union between the two countries. In fact, 40% of the members are American, another 40% are British. The Club, also known for being the location of Madonna and Guy Ritchie’s wedding in 2000, recently celebrated its 20th anniversary, with Chairman Peter Crome, General Manager Gary Gruber and owners Ellis and Eve Short, who have invested more than £ 20 million in a facility conservation program.
Chris Close
Membership in the Carnegie Club gives members access to one of the most extraordinary and luxurious residential clubs in the world, experiencing Carnegie’s “Heaven on Earth” every time they visit. The Club offers 21 castle rooms and 12 lodges scattered throughout the estate. The guest bedrooms within the castle each have their own distinct charm – some have four-poster beds, some original Edwardian finishes and accessories, others have balconies, and one even has a private library tucked away on a tower. The lodges, on the other hand, are perfect for larger groups, families with children under sixteen and members who prefer the privacy of their own home. Each lodge is unique and guests can enjoy large fireplaces, panoramic views of the Dornoch Firth from their private terrace or a game of croquet on their lawn. One even has direct access to the bathing lake, so loved by the little ones.
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One of the castle’s most exclusive rooms is the Carnegie Room: a huge bedroom with plush sofas and a desk, a balcony overlooking the estate, a large marble bathroom with clawfoot tub, and a room for changing and applying make-up. This was where Andrew Carnegie, one of the richest industrialists of the Victorian era and one of the greatest philanthropists in history, lived, came to Skibo in 1898. Andrew was born in Scotland, but had made his fortune in America and loved both equally. nations. That’s why he still flies a double-sided flag with the Union Jack on one side and the Stars and Stripes on the other. Andrew Carnegie was the richest man in the world and is remembered for having built one of the most powerful and influential steel companies in US history. He later became famous for his philanthropic activity. In fact, during his life he donated 350 million dollars for philanthropic works, 59 million were used to finance or co-finance the construction of 2,509 libraries, while the rest ended up in museums, universities and foundations such as the Carnegie Corporation, the Carnegie Foundation and the Carnegie. Endowment for International Peace. He bought Lord Acton’s library, consisting of 59,000 volumes, some with annotations of him, and made up of some rare manuscripts, and donated the whole to the University of Cambridge. Andrew and his wife Louise had a house in New York and went on vacation to Scotland every summer. After the birth of their daughter Margaret in 1897, they decided to buy property in Scotland so that her daughter would grow up feeling comfortable with her both in Scotland and in the United States. Thus the family arrived in Skibo in 1898. From then on, they split between New York and Skibo Castle, arriving in Scotland at the end of May and leaving at the end of September. The family was always surrounded by guests and friends who followed the daily routine: woken up early every morning by the bagpipe player – as still happens today -, they had breakfast in the large room before playing golf, riding a horse or participating in the thousands of activities of the Castle. Guests could also accompany Carnegie on a fishing or excursion on his Sea Breeze steam yacht. Every evening, everyone sat around the huge oak table in the dining room.
In fact, food is very important. Skibo executive chef Craig Rowland and castle head chef Lindsay Mackay are committed to sourcing most of the produce that enters their menus from the estate itself or the local area. But club members also come to relax. Located inside the former Victorian powerhouse of Carnegie, is Skibo’s Spa, which offers a haven of tranquility with all kinds of treatments: members can take a swim in the glass-roofed pool, located in a former lounge from dance, between a Turkish bath or a little gym, or explore the estate on foot, by bicycle, by Segway or on horseback. There is also a French clay tennis court, game and clay pigeon shooting, fishing, archery, falconry or golf on the world famous Carnegie Links course – an 18 hole course on the banks of the Dornoch Firth offering golfers. players 6,833 yards -.
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The property is so vast that guests can meet even at the end of the day, between a glass of champagne and a whiskey, singing the songs always played by the great Martin on the original Bechstein piano in the Drawing Room. This is where you realize you are part of a large extended family. There is no work, there are no meetings, there is no networking. There are friends who live from two different parts of the world and who decide to meet there, in their second home, sitting for dinner enjoying excellent food and wine.
Even families with children are welcome – of course, not inside the castle, which can only be accessed after the age of 16 and only after having made a request -. The Children’s Barn has everything a young member could ask for: batteries to make noise, colors, and an outdoor playground with swings, slides, and trampolines. For older children there are pool tables and game consoles. Falconry is available and kids of all ages love to visit the club’s alpacas, rabbits and turtles. For the more adventurous there are also options to try outdoor crafts and survival, gorge walks, rock climbing, and boat trips to spot birds, seals and dolphins. In the evening, parents can dine in the castle knowing that their little ones are being looked after by the club’s expert babysitting team. Family membership costs £ 9,500 per year plus a one-time membership fee of £ 30,000 all-inclusive. Prospective members are encouraged to stay for a trial visit before applying and are interviewed by the club’s membership committee for approval.
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