The Fife Arms in the Scottish Highlands – Little Traveler's Notebook

Ever since a stay at this special hotel, which has since been awarded two Michelin keys, I find myself referencing it to friends in conversations about travel, hotels… even whisky. The latter because there is even a gorgeous jewel-box of a bar here solely devoted to Scotch complete with a sommelier to help determine one’s personal preference.

For me, The Fife Arms hit so many sweet spots: luxurious interiors; active pursuits including bespoke Highland experiences; several dining and drinking venues, all with unique personalities; a highly proficient yet unpretentious staff; and finally a location situated in the heart of a quaint village surrounded by the Cairngorms National Park.

The hotel was built in the mid 1800s in the village of Braemar, home to the Highland Games which the Royal Family usually attends every fall. Husband/wife art dealer couple Ivan and Manuela Wirth acquired the former coaching inn back in 2016 and spent 3 years creating a space for both visitors and locals to enjoy. They hired local artists and artisans to help bring their vision to life.

The pub within the hotel, The Flying Stag, celebrates those talented locals with illustrations, paintings, and photographs, some by Steve Rennie who was our personal ghillie, or guide, in the countryside. The owners specifically wanted the pub to become an integral part of the village life, and according to Steve, it truly is, with villagers often accounting for the majority of the clientele.

The hotel interiors evoke a sense of both Highland grandeur and humour. Very Scottish Hunting Lodge — think tartan, tweeds, antlers — but adeptly blended with modern art, whimsical decor, and femininity. Hopefully the photos will help you imagine what I am attempting to describe better than my words. The public spaces are inviting with plenty of comfortable seating areas and fireplaces to ward off the exterior chill. However, the plethora of taxidermy will either enthrall or repel depending on your taste. For me, it was pure delight.

: Picasso in the drawing room

: Love love love

: A drawing by Queen Victoria

The 46 rooms are all individually and lavishly decorated. Rich fabrics, original artworks, antiques, William Morris wallpapers, and opulent bathrooms often with both a shower and beautiful clawfoot tub. We stayed in one of the Scottish Culture rooms. The bath toiletries, Albamhor, were created specifically for the hotel, with lovely scents of the highlands: myrtle, heather, thyme, and juniper.

Now let’s talk about activities, both at the hotel and the surrounds. There is a little something for everyone. Spa, hiking, golf, historical sites (Balmoral castle is minutes away by car), art and creative writing workshops, hunting, tennis, biking, snow sports including skiing, distillery tours, wildlife viewing, and clay pigeon shooting. And in the fall, walking distance to the historic Braemar Gathering, the Highland games event which Queen Elizabeth loved so much. Here is a link to their Experiences page: https://thefifearms.com/experience/

: The ghillie desk

: Balmoral

: Braemar village

We did the Off-Road tour with Steve. The Land Rover Defenders have interiors retrofitted with the hotel’s signature tweed and tartan. Such a beautiful outing. Steve showed us the wildlife, spoke to us about the flora and fauna, hunting practices as a tool for wildlife and land management, even stories of HRH King Charles and his deep love of the land here… as well, his sense of humour… who knew?! At the top of a mountain, we enjoyed the view with a wee bit of whisky. Steve took a photo of our small group with his professional camera with the highlands backdrop, then later delivered a beautiful matted print for us to take home. Such a special touch.

: Photo by Katie DeVries

We also booked time at Bertie’s Bar with the whisky sommelier. FABULOUS!! Our sommelier guided us individually to discover our whisky preferences. The bar is gorgeous, lined floor to ceiling with over 400 Scottish whisky bottles. As the sommelier determines likes and dislikes, the choices narrow to three before making a final selection. So. Much. Fun.

Now for the food… a feast at every meal! We dined in every venue during our stay except for their latest option, Fish Shop. Both a lunch and dinner at The Flying Stag where I thoroughly enjoyed the fish and chips. Oh, and that bread… so good. Breakfast was served in The Clunie Dining Room, and we also dined here for our final dinner, feasting on a perfectly cooked Beef Wellington.

The dining and bar areas are a visual delight as well. The Flying Stag and The Clunie both bring the wildlife indoors in a dramatic fashion. Elsa’s Bar decor nods to the glamour of both the art deco and disco eras in soft pink hues which come alive at night with fuschia lighting and the overhead mirror ball.

: The Flying Stag

: Clunie’s Dining Room

: Elsa’s Bar

: Elsa’s by night

Even the gift shop here is thoughtfully curated. I brought home a tweed dog coat for my Cluney but wished I had room for more. Whisky, clothing, the hotel’s signature tartan and tweed, silver and crystal, the toiletries that smell so amazing…so many wonderful gift ideas, plus they will ship abroad. There were also some very lovely shops within the village where I picked up a warm wool throw plus an antler and forged steel cheese knife.

Jamie and I hope to get back here one day. It’s definitely a place that we would return to solely on the merit of the hotel, not just the location. The nearest airport is Aberdeen at just over an hour. Edinburgh and Glasgow are doable as well. The hotel can help arrange transportation if you don’t want to rent a car.