Meet the Makers at The Carnegie Club at Skibo Castle

In Walpole’s special portfolio of essays and images for the Book of British Luxury 2025/2026, we celebrate the people behind the design of the products and services that have become a global calling card for British luxury excellence. From sparkling jewels and diaries of delicate blue paper to world- class whisky getaways, we speak with the highly skilled individuals who pour their passion into their respective crafts to create new British icons.

“We’re blessed with space, nature, attentive staff undertaking so many different and interesting experiences, all supported by exceptional food, an exclusive selection of wine and a genuinely warm welcome,” says Gruber.

There is a personal touch at Skibo that goes above and beyond most expectations. ‘No’ is a word that simply isn’t in the staff’s vocabulary, as Assistant Front of House Manager Marcus Chisholm attests. “It’s the finer details that really make the Skibo experience. We want our members and guests to feel they’ve come home,” he says. “They could be anywhere else in the world if they wanted to be, but they are choosing to be here, so we try and capture everything from the moment they come in. If they mention something then we take it in, and we remember when they return.”

This could mean their favourite drink waiting for them upon arrival, or having their favourite linen in the room (there are 21 guest rooms within the castle as well as 13 lodges at different locations around the grounds), so each member’s experience is truly personal, ensuring they feel seen, valued and part of something exceptional. But it goes far deeper than that. Chisholm recalls arranging for a private dinner inside the castle’s original elevator. “That was special,” he chuckles. “It’s pretty quirky. And then we think, okay, what do we do to exceed that?”

It’s fair to say that Executive Chef Craig Rowland’s working environment isn’t confined to the kitchens and the dining room. “I was cycling across the golf course last week to deliver ice cream and Champagne to members,” he says. His team have recently added a new outdoor dining experience to the Treehouse at Overskibo, as well as a new outdoor dining Horsebox, which means staff can deliver the luxury dining experience anywhere on the estate. “Often our members will come to Skibo with their children and their grandchildren, whether it’s to celebrate a momentous occasion or simply enjoy a family get-together, and so we can offer a beautiful picnic to be enjoyed in the woodland at Overskibo, or serve some delicious food on the decking of the Treehouse. We’re always pulling things out of the hat! At short notice we can do magical things.”

The no-stone-unturned approach extends to having Skibo’s own in-house bakery to ensure it can make its own artisan bread and patisserie as good as any its discerning audience have tasted. “We had the pleasure of hosting five well-known chefs recently who were all complimentary of our offering and in-house capabilities, and they all said, ‘Oh my god, your croissants are something else!’ So that for me was a rubber stamp,” adds Rowland.

It also means the knowledge and expertise stays in the building, providing – as Rowland puts it – a “cooking school for future talent”. And that approach applies also to Skibo’s own team of stonemasons and carpenters – something Gruber notes becomes an added attraction for members, who will often stop to discuss the handiwork with the skilled craftspeople as they carry out on-site repairs and renovations. It also means they can develop apprenticeship schemes and offer their services to the wider local community.

There’s no doubt the atmosphere within Skibo is utterly unique. The relationship between staff and members being something those on both sides comment on. “A lot of the gestures we do are very discreet, but actually mean so much to the members, because it’s not all about extravagance, it’s really the finer details they appreciate,” says Chisholm. “And I think that’s what transforms good service into something unforgettable – and separates the club from anywhere else.”

Photography by Sam Walton