The Fife Arms Hotel Braemar, Scotland
This former Victorian inn enters a new art-driven era after a threeyear renovation.
In the heart of the Cairngorms National Park, a stretch of rugged mountains, rivers and picturesque villages in north east Scotland, a spectacularly renovated hotel will leave your curiosity piqued. The Fife Arms, formerly a Victorian coaching inn in the town of Braemar, is the project of famed Swiss art dealers Iwan and Manuela Wirth who enlisted renowned architects and designers to restore the property to its former glory.
From the moment you enter, there’s an acute sense of the area’s ongoing ties to the Royal Family. A welcoming plaque commemorates the official reopening in January 2019, attended by the Duke and Duchess of Rothesay (perhaps better known as Prince Charles and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall). It’s just one of the property’s regal attributes; others include a watercolour painting by Queen Victoria, who began the area’s longstanding royal affiliation following her purchase of
Balmoral Castle (which is 15 minutes down the road).
The Fife Arms lends itself to wandering. It’s near-impossible to not get caught up in perusing some of the 12,000 impressive artefacts collected over the course of the three-year renovation. The interiors, led by designer Russell Sage, strike a synergy between sharing the narratives of Braemar, while injecting the hotel with a modern, eclectic flair.
The Wirths’ admiration for contemporary art are evident in the numerous collectables. A portrait by Lucian Freud and a Steinway piano stained with bleach by American artist, Mark Bradford, welcome guests in the lobby; and in the Drawing Room, a Picasso hangs on a tartan-covered wall.
The 46 guestrooms are themed around a different cultural icon of the area. The Zoology room, where I happily spent my time, was inspired by Scottish naturalist and ornithologist, William MacGillivray. Colourful animal-themed wallpaper is the backdrop for various framed birds (Victorian taxidermy is a strong design element throughout the hotel), and the room features ornate antiques.
Signature pre-dinner cocktails are served at the charming 1920s-style Elsa’s. Dinner, served in the hotel’s magnificent Clunie Dining Room, gives a sense of Braemar’s strong gaming heritage, with red deer a prominent ingredient on the menu (and a rather large stag overseeing the tables). The luscious breakfast buffet teems with Scottish salmon and locally produced pastries, breads, cheeses and preserves.
The hotel ghillie (concierge) can organise private tours of Braemar Castle, day hikes around the Cairngorms and whisky tastings. There’s also the option of tucking away in the hotel library with a book (alongside a replica of Queen Victoria) and embracing the serenity of Scotland.
start from £329.22
(about A$611) per night.