It’s got beautiful grounds, a spa, loads of activities and even its own distillery. No wonder this Borders hotel is such a favourite
(Photo: Chic Photo by Jacqui)
Peebles Hydro is probably one of the best-known hotels in Scotland, and has long been a magnet for couples looking to marry in the beautiful Borders, so I was thrilled when I got to spend the night there and find out all about its wedding offering.
As we pulled into the driveway, we saw the hotel’s impressive façade emerging from the trees. It’s a big place, with 132 bedrooms, and much to our delight we discovered we’d been booked into the Cademuir Suite.
Being a bridal suite, there’s loads of room for getting ready for a wedding with a spacious bedroom, a double-sink bathroom, a cosy sitting area with comfy chairs and lots of natural light, plus tons of clothes-hanging space and a full-length mirror.
Once we’d settled in, we got straight into our tour of the hotel with wedding coordinator Lauren. It’s her friendly face that couples get to know as they embark on their planning journey as she leads them from initial enquiry right through to the big day itself.
There’s a lot of history to unpack, as we discovered on our tour. Built in 1881, the hotel started as a water therapy facility (hence the ‘hydro’ name), before it burnt down and was rebuilt in the early 1900s. It even became home to the Scottish Lawn Tennis Championships for a time in the 1930s. The place still holds a lot of that history within its walls, but has also had a major makeover since then, and now boasts beautiful wedding spaces.
We started in the Regency Room, a popular choice for ceremonies, thanks to its size, natural light and appealing original features. Down the hall is the Bannockburn Room – it has instant wow-factor, with
tartan decor, traditional fireplaces and a giant mural of the Battle of Bannockburn. If you’re planning a larger do, there’s the Edinburgh Suite or the fairylight-adorned Ballroom.
Whichever room or package you choose, you’ll be in safe hands with John, the master of ceremonies, who keeps things running smoothly on the day. He joined us as we toured each room, sharing his tips and tricks, and it was clear that he has thought of every detail to make each wedding here very special indeed.
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Lauren, likewise, will be there on the day to make sure things go off without a hitch. She thinks nothing of going above and beyond for her couples – she has even used her calligraphy skills for place cards and brought out the newlyweds’ dogs for post-ceremony photos. How sweet!
The venue now has some four-legged friends of its own, and my day was made when I got to meet the resident alpacas: Nigel, Barry and Steve. Much to my delight, they were happy to be petted and pose for photos. As I got acquainted with my new fluffy friends, Lauren explained that the alpacas are available for trekking as well as photos with newlyweds.
The hotel's activity team brought out the alpacas to say 'hello'
Adventuring with alpacas is just one of the many things on offer here, which should be good news for anyone planning a weekend-long wedding, a couple’s retreat, or a stag or hen do.
We got a taste of this during our exploration of the 30 acres of grounds, stopping by the tennis courts for a game, and following this up with a round of mini golf and game of giant chess (no need to divulge who won these games).
It was a lot to pack into one afternoon, but we woke up the next day feeling well rested and ready to have a go at another activity. We had the choice of axe throwing, archery or air rifles, and chose the latter. After a careful demo from activity instructor Sam, Isaac and I got our fingers on the trigger – and I was pleasantly surprised when I actually hit the targets!
Hazel and Isaac were pretty pleased with their air rifle results
Peebles Hydro has another card up its sleeve: it is home to the 1881 Distillery. Guests can tour it and even try their hand at making their own gin. Throw in a barbecue on the grounds, treatments in the PURE Spa, a trip to the escape room and a fancy afternoon tea, and you can see how easy it would be to fill a few days away.
If you decide to marry here, you’ll be invited to a menu tasting and to meet the chef six months ahead of the wedding. We got to sample the food for ourselves when we dined in the hotel’s Grill Room restaurant. We took in the grandeur of the high ceilings and cornicing and gazed out at the views as we tucked into a delicious three-course meal.
Having met the team and explored all the venue has to offer, I can tell you that anyone marrying at Peebles Hydro will have a warm welcome, a memorable day and a touch of something different to look forward to.
(Photo: Karolina Kotkiewicz Photography)
There are three packages to choose from depending on your guestlist and which extras you’d like to include.
The team are happy to accommodate other elements to make your day special. Prices start from £79pp (from £84pp in 2025).
The hotel welcomes intimate weddings as well as large gatherings and has suites of various sizes to match all guest-lists. The Regency Room boasts natural light and amazing views over the Tweed valley. Here you can have up to 85 for a ceremony, 60 for a wedding breakfast and a further 40 guests for the evening reception.
The historic Bannockburn Room is part of the original building, with timber panelling and tartan fixtures as well as that dramatic mural. It can host 60 people for the ceremony and 70 for a meal.
The bright and airy Edinburgh Suite can accommodate a ceremony for up to 150 guests and an evening reception for 80.
The Ballroom is the largest space, and is a grand room with a built-in stage and bar as well as a skylight roof and wooden dancefloor. You can celebrate with up to 200 for the ceremony, 180 for the meal and 220 at the evening reception.
Gin tours and gin-making are a popular draw at the hotel, with several couples even making their own bespoke gin ahead of their big day.
With lots of ingredients to choose from and a fully equipped distilling space, couples can make a signature gin to give out in mini bottles as wedding favours or create a larger bottle to be enjoyed on their anniversary.
There are plenty of ready-made gins to try too, each with their own story behind the flavour, name and artwork on the label.
