Five Star Abbotsford Gets Its Just Reward

It is a property that has featured prominently in our blogs and news items over the last year, and it is perhaps only right that Abbotsford House, former home to the celebrated Scots author and poet Sir Walter Scott, should save its best news for when the old year is coming to an end.

Despite the fact that it only reopened to the public on the 3rd July, the attraction has been awarded five star status by VisitScotland, whose regional director, Paula MacDonald said a site had to "exceed expectations" in order to achieve its five-star rating.

Following a multi-million pound restoration, Abbotsford House near Melrose was opened by the Queen at the beginning of July. More than £12m has been spent on the restoration and refurbishment work to "preserve and protect" the property.

Five star Abbotsford

Ms. McDonald continued on the theme of what “exceeded expectations” really meant. "That is quite a broad statement but it means every single element of the attraction that touches a visitor has to go above and beyond," she said. "So it has to have excellent customer service, fantastic retail, really exceptional food, brilliant volunteers - and Abbotsford really has nailed it on every single element of the criteria for the five-star programme."

Abbotsford's marketing manager Beverley Rutherford said the award was testimony to the work which had been put in and the support received. "We are planning ahead, we are planning events," she added. We want to keep the site fresh and we want visitors to experience Scott in so many different ways."

                                                      Enjoy the Abbotsford Experience