Dean Park owners unveil revamp as hotel reopens

But the huge investment at the Dean Park Hotel is only the first step, as upcoming plans aim to bring a full spa experience to the town.

Owners Colin and Margaret Smart say the refurbishment has been extensive, with all six bars redone at a collective cost of around £300,000.

Among the upgrades is a whole new kitchen, which even has a new chef in charge.

The opening on Thursday follows last week’s unveiling of the Kensington Terrace outdoor seating area, which welcomed those in search of food or refreshment.

Meanwhile the 33 bedrooms have also been given a lot of attention, though lockdown means they won’t take in visitors just yet, and there are even plans to expand capacity in the near future.

Colin said a great deal of work has gone into the refurbishment, with an exhaustive list of upgrades already completed in just under a year.

He said: “Not a surface in the hotel is untouched.

“The opening of the Kensington Terrace was roaring success.

“All the ground floor has been refurbished, and redecorated, with a brand new main kitchen.

“Five new boilers and seven new hot water cylinders.

“We also have a 12-bed extension to build.

“The outside has had a facelift as well.

“On the first floor there are 33 bedrooms which will be completely refurbished with the en suites retiled.

“It’s all new furniture and linen.”

The revamp is all part of a plan by the family to bring something to Kirkcaldy that customers may previously have gone to Edinburgh for.

A new dining menu is complimented by an expanded cocktail offering, something the couple put into place when they took over the Dean Park.

The change of ownership took place in July 2019, after the Smart family bought the hotel from then-owner Dean Melville.

It has been opened by Dean’s father Eddie in 1977.

The work began shortly after the handover last year, with a focus on upgrading every aspect of the Dean Park.

Key to the new era for the hotel is the new look, which has been carefully styled by Margaret.

She has taken the lead on updating the decor and modernising every part of the building.

She said: “A lot of work has gone into it, so it’ll be nice to see it open.

“I’ve thoroughly enjoyed it. It’s all coming together now and that’s the exciting bit.

“We’re looking to the future for Kirkcaldy and giving it a hotel it hasn’t had before.”

Colin added: “We’re the biggest hotel in Kirkcaldy at 33 bedrooms, we’re going to take that up to just under 50. Kirkcaldy doesn’t have anything like that.”

Plans for next year include an exciting new spa, which is subject to planning permission, with a 25 metre swimming pool, treatment rooms, ice rooms, saunas and lounges.”

Colin said that the spa should be submitted for planning within the next month.

“I think once we get the spa at the back it’s going to be huge,” he added, “because there’s nothing in the surrounding area like this.

“I think it’ll be a major boost to the town if it’s approved.”

Margaret said that some customers had already been asking about the future development.

“There are so many people who have said they hope we get permission for the spa because they have to go to Edinburgh or further afield if they want to get a spa day,” she said.

“Over the weekend we’ve had a lot of visitors to the hotel for lunches and tea, and they’ve been saying that they don’t need to go to Edinburgh now, they can come here.”

But she said that in the meantime, the doors open today (Thursday) so customers can see the work done so far.

“It’s going to be a positive place for people to go, that looks good, and feels good.

“We’ve got a great bunch of people working here who are all as excited as we are.

“It’s a place that everyone can use, not just the young.

“We will have high teas and afternoon teas.”

But with the completion of the latest phase, Margaret said that work will continue to make extensive improvements at the hotel.

She said: “We’re not finished, it’s an ongoing project.

“You do one area and then you move onto the next, but we’ve covered every end of the hotel.”