What’s the story?
Built as a hunting lodge
in the 1850s when
Queen Victoria’s interest
in the area, and purchase
of Balmoral nine miles
down the road, brought
the great and the good
to the Cairngorms,
Fife Arms has quite the
pedigree. Its more recent
history was less illustrious
(it served as a stop-off
for coach tours) until
Swiss art dealers Iwan
and Manuela Wirth
bought the property and
embarked on a three-
year renovation project.
The hotel reopened its
doors earlier this year
(thefifearms.com).
What did they do?
‘What didn’t they do?’
is a better question. The
couple brought in teams
of star architects and
designers to transform
the hotel, taking it back
to its former glory, and
way beyond. The style
is one of playful Scottish
Victoriana: sumptuous,
dark, tassled and
intriguing, though the
attention to detail and
sense of fun means
it never descends into
pastiche. That’s but one
side of this particular
design coin though; the
Wirths’ background
shows through in the
paintings commissioned
by a team of artists-in-
residence, and in the
artwork throughout the
building – yes, that is a
Picasso hanging in the
lounge, and a Louise
Bourgeois spider
sculpture in the courtyard.
Have I drunk too
much Scotch or did
I just bump into
Queen Victoria?
No need to put down that
tumbler of whisky – that is
indeed Queen Victoria
sitting in the library. The
rather austere model,
brought in from Madame
Tussauds, is one of
many quirks you’ll
discover as you roam the
hotel. Guests are actively
encouraged by the
enthusiastic and friendly
staff to poke into rooms
and peer into the cabinets
of curiosities dotted
about the social areas
and corridors. There
are many taxidermied
creatures on show, from
Scottish wildlife such as
capercaillie to made-up
creatures including a
winged stag in the pub.Where do I sleep?
There are six room types,
ranging from small
Croft Rooms with cosy
built-in beds (from £250)
right up to the deep
opulence of the Royal
Suites, with separate
sitting areas (from £795).
If you want to know what
it feels like to sleep in
a work of art, opt for the
Artist’s Studio (pictured).
Each continues with
the Victoriana styling,
with antiques, paintings,
old books, odd trinkets
and Scottish motifs
aplenty. Once you’ve
finished picking things up
and putting them down
again, the mattresses,
handmade in Aberdeen,
will ensure you get
a grand night’s sleep.Fife Arms, Braemar
HOTEL SPY
Where do I eat?
Have dinner in the Clunie
Dining Room, with
murals painted by an
Argentinian artist,
inspired by the rocks in
the river flowing outside.
Wood-fired cooking is
the speciality, giving a
rich smokiness to dishes
such as asparagus with
fried nettles and birch-
smoked Highland beef.
For something less formal
but no less delicious,
head to the Flying Stag
pub, for upscale burgers,
fish ‘n’ chips and the like.
Either way, perch under
the giant disco ball in
Elsa’s Bar for a pre-meal
cocktail, and flop in one
of several lounge areas
to recover afterwards.How do I get here?
You’ll want a car to get
to Braemar, deep in the
Cairngorms. If you’re
coming from southern
England, start your trip
on the newly refurbished
Caledonian Sleeper train
and clacketty-clack your
way to the Highlands.
Trains depart from
London to Edinburgh and
Aberdeen just before
midnight. (It’s respectively
two and a half hours or
90 minutes to drive to
Fife Arms in the morning.)
Every ounce of space is
utilised in the cabins,
which have a sink and
twin or doubles; club
rooms also come with an
en-suite shower. Beds are
comfy, if a tight squeeze
for above-average frames
(seat £45; classic twin
cabin £140; club room
£230; sleeper.scot).