The Fife Arms

Braemar, Scotland

In the historical Scottish village of Braemar, The Fife Arms is a Victorian coaching inn that has been imaginatively restored as a celebration of Scottish heritage and art.

KEY FEATURES

46 bedrooms and suites
Two uniquely designed restaurants including The Flying Stag pub, renowned for it’s live performances of Scottish music and dancing

Featuring over 12,000 works of art (including a watercolour by Queen Victoria herself)
Treatment rooms offering everything from facials and massages to manicures

Located in pretty Braemar, surrounded by the Cairngorm mountains, The Fife Arms sits in an area famed for the Royal Highland games. The majestic landscape that surrounds the hotel is used as inspiration for inside, where every room is a celebration of Scotland’s rich heritage and craftsmanship.

Owned by the couple behind world-famous art gallery Hauser & Wirth, The Fife Arms perfectly balances traditional and contemporary art, with Queen Victoria’s watercolour of a stag’s head hanging next to Richard Jackson’s neon blown glass antler chandelier.

In total, there are 46 rooms and suites, each with its own theme – from ‘Scottish culture’ to ‘nature and poetry’ – with most dressed in tweed and oriental rugs, and featuring beautiful antiques. Large windows offer stunning views of the mountains outside, offering the chance to relax on your four-poster bed and gaze out at the landscape on your doorstep. But whichever room you choose, all are designed to make you feel instantly at home.

You’re in the heart of the Highlands, so make the most of the locale and head outdoors. As with every good sporting estate, there are boot, drying and gun rooms, with your dedicated ghillie arranging imaginative outdoor activities to put them to use. After a day exploring, recover in the Albamhor treatment rooms with a massage.

Dining at The Fife Arms is all about showcasing the finest seasonal produce. From fresh seafood and game to local whiskies, many ingredients are sourced from local gamekeepers and farmers. At The Clunie Dining Room, you can expect a fusion of fine dining with traditional Scottish fare. Or, head to the hotel pub The Flying Stag for less formal dining alongside a selection of over 180 whiskies, local ales, and live entertainment.

Why we love it

The hotel houses more than 14,000 pieces of art and antiques, carefully curated and displayed in the main reception rooms, bedrooms, and corridors. From a Picasso to a dramatic cuboid mural by Guillermo Kuitca, as well as plenty of taxidermies, The Fife Arms stands above any other “art” hotel thanks to its clever positioning of modern pieces alongside traditional work.