Gaelic Charms

Boasting intricate craftsmanship using the finest local materials. The Fife Arms brings understated grandeur to Scotland’s hotel scene.

- Victoria Lim

For many years, The Fife Arms was a down-at-heel Victorian coaching hotel in Braemar catering to budget-conscious travellers. Although the property has a rich history, it is named after the Duke of Fife, who married the granddaughter of Queen Victoria - it was large, draughty and forgettable.

Still, Braemar has played host for the past 186 years to the Braemar Gathering, a Highland Games spectacular that the Queen attends from her nearby perch at Balmoral. Its history was precisely what drew Iwan and Manuela Wirth, the Swiss power couple behind renowned gallery Hauser & Wirth, to this humble inn. The duo bought the property in December 2014, closed it for four years of renovation, and finally reopened it in January.

From the outside, The Fife Arms still looks like something out of a Wes Anderson movie with its white and red gabled roof and gilded signage. Inside, it couldn’t be more different and shows off the creative vision of interior designer Russell Sage. Ninety rooms have been reduced to 46. A spa has been added alongside a library, playroom, garden and village bar, but that’s only part of the story.

Artists’ impressions