Pulling up to Crossbasket Castle, I feel a world away from Glasgow – the city I left only about 20 minutes before. The sun is splitting the sky and a whisper of old-school glamour dances in the countryside breeze. Call it the Crossbasket effect.

With 40 bedrooms and two five-bedroom eco-friendly lodges, this five-star destination certainly does offer pure, unbridled escapism. Every element has been fine tuned, from the handcrafted furniture to the ever-changing entertainment programme at Trocadero’s restaurant and cocktail bar.

Ensconced in a lush, landscaped garden, you’d never guess that this impressive establishment was once on the brink of ruin. Now lovingly restored by owners Alison and Steve Timoney, Crossbasket has entered a whole new era of old-school glamour with the addition of another hotel, part of a 20-million-pound ongoing expansion project.

“When guests walk through the door, we want them to leave their world behind and journey back in time to a place where indulgence, glamour and sophistication were truly celebrated,” says Alison.

Nestled to the right of the original Crossbasket, the new hotel is sleek and modern in design, a relatively modest looking building compared to its stately neighbour. Inside, every corner unveils old-school glamour and something else to be dazzled by. I’m shown around by director of business development Sarah-Jane and head of marketing Laura, who both seem as thrilled by the opulence as I am.

“Alison has thought about every aspect of the design,” says Sarah-Jane. “Everything is meticulously considered to offer guests the ultimate experience.” That much is abundantly clear. To bring her vision to life, Alison worked closely with local design business, OCCA.

An impressive entryway is illuminated by a bespoke lighting feature by Chantelle Lighting. Even the bathrooms are staggering in luxurious black veined marble. Next to the sink, hand towels are neatly folded and positioned diagonally across each other in a basket – a literal cross basket. This level of attention to detail – especially the elevation of old-school glamour – prevails throughout both properties.

The real showstopper is Trocadero’s restaurant and cocktail bar, which is the beating heart of the hotel, designed to deliver a fresh golden age of fine dining overseen by celebrity chef Michel Roux Jr. The space is concealed behind an old-school heavy velvet curtain. We tentatively pull back the drapes and step into pure theatre.

Dark timber panelling and plush velvet booths lend a speakeasy feel to the bar, which is enhanced when sequined flapper girls emerge and begin shimmying between tables. They make slightly awkward eye contact with delighted diners as they tuck into Royal Osecietra caviar and Loch Crenan oysters topped with frozen bloody Mary, pickled cucumber and lovage oil.

Tables on the dining-come-dancefloor face the stage where live music plays late into the evening. “We wanted to create a fully immersive experience,” says Alison. She credits Tom at Elkis Lighting Design for executing her vision, deploying backlit mirrors to dramatic effect.

As for the dinner itself, my partner and I are blown away. “Where champagne flows and anything goes” is Trocadero’s tagline, and it seems that the staff are trained in indulgence. At every turn, we’re encouraged to go large, to fully embrace the decadence.

So, we do. Shetland crab, beef short-rib and a whole West Coast lobster arrive at the table in steady succession. Plump, pillowy rolls are on hand to mop up the sauces, which we do enthusiastically. A dessert trolley trundles round the room, depositing tiramisus-to-share, banana soufflés and entremets on tables.

With full bellies, we decide to retire to our room. As we wind our way through the tables, I’m entertained by the scene of revelry. Couples tuck into oysters, a lady in a fabulous headpiece heaps caviar onto crispbread, and people savour nightcaps at the bar. It’s a Fitzgeraldian scene, plucked straight from the pages of The Beautiful and Damned. The occasional flash of a camera phone serves as a reminder that this is not, in fact, 1920’s Manhattan.

The newly designed Crossbasket redefines elegance for the modern age, drawing on the best of the past to offer guests something brand new – and truly spectacular.

Crossbasket Castle

Stoneymeadow road

East Kilbride

Glasgow

G72 9UE

e. info@crossbasketcastle.com | t. 01698 829461