Andy Murray's luxury hotel opens doors

Wimbledon champion Andy Murray's luxury hotel near to his home town of Dunblane in Scotland opened its doors to guests on Tuesday. The Scottish tennis star bought Cromlix House, a Victorian mansion built in 1874, in February last year and has transformed it into a 15-bedroom five-star retreat. The Perthshire residence, set in 34 acres of woodlands three miles from Dunblane, has undergone extensive refurbishment and tourism officials believe it will prove to be a big draw for visitors to the area. The hotel boasts a Chez Roux restaurant, overseen by renowned French chef Albert Roux, and will be managed on Murray's behalf by Inverlochy Castle Management International (ICMI). In a statement on the hotel's website, Murray said: "By re-establishing Cromlix as a leading luxury hotel at the heart of the Dunblane community we will be able to attract new visitors to the area, create a number of new jobs and focus on supporting other local businesses. "I'm pleased to be able to give something back to the community I grew up in." VisitScotland chairman Mike Cantlay said: "The revamped Cromlix is bound to be a huge draw for visitors from all over the world, generating the kind of excitement that Andy creates on court." Prices for double rooms during the summer start at 250 pounds and activities offered in the local area include hunting, fishing and golf. The former country house has been renovated to show off much of its original heritage, including a private chapel and fishing loch. The accommodation features 10 bedrooms and five suites which overlook manicured grounds and tennis courts. The hotel's opening takes place in time for the 2014 Ryder Cup, which is being staged a short distance away at Gleneagles in September. The new business will create up 40 jobs for the local community, Murray said in a statement on his website last year. Murray last year became the first British winner of the men's singles title at Wimbledon since Fred Perry in 1936.