Youth Hostel, 3 Craigweil Road, Ayr

This is a Baronial-style house, originally designed in 1879 by John Murdoch and later used as a youth hostel. The main block is two storeys and has an attic, while a single-storey and attic service wing extends to one side. It is constructed of coursed sandstone with crowstepped gables. A prominent band course divides the first and attic floors, and a dentilled eaves course runs along the circular-plan stair tower. Pedimented dormers and finials adorn the conical-roof towers.

The south-east elevation, the main entrance front, features steps leading to a square-headed entrance set within a circular stair tower. A two-leaf timber door is topped by a stained-glass fanlight, and a blank panel sits beneath a stepped hoodmould. Windows are distributed across the floors, with some small arrowslit windows visible. A corner angle turret is present, and a plaque is set between two bays. The service wing to the left features a bipartite ground floor window and a recessed lean-to.

The north-west elevation includes a later addition at ground floor level and a crowstepped bay with a canted window extending over two floors. The rear of the main block has a more regular arrangement of windows. The single-storey wing on the right features recessed windows and a brick lean-to.

The north-east side elevation showcases a corner angle turret and a crowstepped bay with canted and bipartite windows. Later additions are visible.

The south-west elevation was not inspected in 1999.

Most windows are timber sash and case with plate glass. A slate roof is topped with ridge and gablehead stacks and circular cans. Cast-iron rainwater goods are also present. The interior was not inspected in 1999.

Iron gate piers, with pyramidal caps, mark the pedestrian and vehicular entrances. A coped boundary wall encloses the site.