The hotel had been begun in 1913 by James Miller, who won the limited competition, but construction was halted after the outbreak of war. When building resumed in 1920 or 1923, Miller was replaced by Matthew Adam of the Caledonian Railway Engineers\' Department (Divisional architect for the London Midland and Scottish Railway from 1924) after the Caledonian Railway took over the original partly-owned subsidiary company promoted by Donald Matheson in 1909. See Oliver Carter, British Railway Hotels 1838-1983, 1990.
Stuart Gray states that Matthew Adam completed Gleneagles and its staff houses from sketch plans provided by Miller, and gives the date of recommencement as 1920. Since it was partially opened in 1924, 1920 seems closer than 1923 or 1924 as the building stood without a roof during World War I and was not complete to the wallhead in places.
In April 1925 the Builder provided the following description of the newly opened hotel:
This hotel, which belongs to and is managed by the London Midland and Scottish Railway Company, is Georgian in style, and the decoration, finishing and furnishing is of the later period of the eighteenth century. The ground floor of the building contains all the public rooms as well as the kitchen offices, service, stores, boiler house, workshops, etc., special features being the sun lounge and the ballroom 70 feet by 40 feet, the floor of which is fitted with Mortonâs patent âValtorâ sprung dancing floor.
The first second and third floors contain 18 private sitting rooms, 216 bedrooms, 100 bathrooms, service rooms, etc., and provide accommodation for 300 guests, the plan being so arranged that private suites of rooms are provided. A swimming pool, with dressing rooms and spray and shower baths adjoining, is an interesting innovation; and behind the main building there is a garage having accommodation for about 100 cars, including 30 lock-up compartments, and a repair shop. The materials used for the exterior of the building were, for the main entrance doorway, semi-circular sun lounge oriel windows and other architectural features, blaxter stone; while the walls generally are of brick, rough-casted, and the floors throughout are of reinforced concrete. The interior of the reception hall and reception offices are finished in oak panelling, 12 feet high, with a richly decorated ceiling in plaster, and the cloak-room corridor has an oak panelled dado, with plaster panelled walls above. The public rooms, corridors, private sitting rooms and bedrooms are warmed by central heating on the low pressure steam heating system, while all the bedrooms have lavatory basins with hot and cold water supply. The building throughout is lit by electricity.
The contractors were as follows: Mason brickwork and steelwork, P & W Anderson Limited, London and Glasgow; joinrt, John Cochrane, Glasgow; plaster-work, George Rome and Son Limited, Glasgow; plumbing, William Anderson Limited, Glasgow, Hugh Twaddle and Son, Glasgow, Speirs and Sons Glasgow; rough-casting, P White and Company, Glasgow; slating W & D Mailer, Glasgow; painting south block, Guthrie and Wells, Glasgow; painting east wing, Bowie Fisher & Company, Glasgow; painting west wing, George Sellars and Sons, Glasgow; marble and tile work , Robert Brown & Son, Paisley and Allen & Son, Edinburgh; heating installation, Ashwell and Nesbit Limited, Glasgow; hot water supply, James Combe & Son Ltd, Glasgow; kitchen equipment Carron Company, Falkirk; grates, Carron Company, Falkirk.
Decoration of several of the public rooms and private sitting rooms was carried out by Mr Charles W Swanson, Edinburgh. Mr Matthew Adam LicRIBA, Glasgow was the architect.
[Builder 3 April 1925 p524]