This Victorian coaching inn located in the riverside village of Braemar, Scotland, was in much need of repair when Swiss powerhouse art couple Iwan and Manuela Wirth (of Hauser and Wirth fame) purchased the property in 2014. Despite the challenges at hand, the couple were drawn to the rugged and wildly romantic Southern Highlands (also home to Balmoral Castle, the Royal Family’s summer palace) because it reminded them of the Alpine valleys of their native Switzerland. Today the former sleepy B&B is an opulent 46-room property featuring a spectacular collection of contemporary art (Lucian Freud, Picasso and Man Ray to name a few) antique furnishings and no shortage of nods to Scottish heritage— from tartan plaids to herd and herds of stag heads.
The Check In
The hotel has always been the village’s center of gravity and the Wirths wanted to continue that tradition by welcoming the local community in to grab a pint at the Flying Stag bar or enjoy an afternoon tea in the lobby area which is chock-a-block with art, objects and curios. The lobby area is comprised of two public spaces: the main parlor which features several showstoppers including an elaborately carved mahogany fireplace which depicts scenes from the works of Robert Burns, the celebrated Scottish poet as well as a bleached out, self-playing Steinway— the result of a collaboration between Los Angeles artist Mark Bradford and composer Robert Glasper. The more formal drawing room, clad in custom tartan fabric (the same pattern is found in the uniforms worn by the incredibly friendly staff) is a tranquil perch to linger over one of the many art books underneath Picasso’s “Femme assise dans un fauteuil” painting.
The Look
Stained glass windows, patterned wallpapers, custom tartans and tweeds, tassels galore, curiosity cabinets, taxidermy everywhere. The Wirths have traded in the white cube aesthetic of their galleries for a more is more look. Walking through each room is like walking into another mini exhibit— unfolding yet another chapter of the Wirths’ vibrant storytelling.The sumptuous interiors hold over 14,000 objects including a series of watercolors by Prince Charles, mammoth tusks, and giant stuffed stag greeting guests at the entrance of the Clunie Dining Room. In addition to their own art collection, the Wirths commissioned artists to create site-specific installations within the space as well. Los Angeles artist Richard Jackson created a massive chandelier made up of colorful glass antlers which hangs over the grand staircase in the lobby while Argentinian artist Guillermo Kuitca painted a cubistoid style mural for the dining room inspired by the rushing waters of the Clunie River and the colors of the surrounding hills and village rooftops.
The Rooms
Each of the 46 rooms, from the ornate Royal Suites to the cozier Croft Rooms (with traditional cabin-style beds) is named after a notable Scot or an aspect of Scottish culture like “Nature and Poetry” (lots of twigs and tweeds) or “Highland Music and Dance” (the headboard is made from headboards and dancing shoes). Though the rooms are far from minimalist, the rooms are tastefully curated— there’s not a moment of kitsch. The handsome Lord Byron room (his mother comes from the region) is filled with tasseled lamps, heavy wooden furniture and antiques including proper china for a cup of tea. On the writing desk, guests will find a small blue notebook that details the different rooms and how they are “a mini history of cultural Scotland told through people, places, poems and more.” The bathrooms are also appointed with antiques, a large soaking style tub and custom made Albamhor bath products made with a blend of local plants like myrtle, bell heather, thyme and juniper.
Food and Drink
The village of Braemar is quite tiny so Fife Arms provides much of the dining options in the area. The Flying Stag pub is a popular local hang out— so much so that the Wirths commissioned an artist to draw portraits of the regulars which now line the walls of the room. In the afternoon you’ll find workmen ordering a pint or a dram of whiskey and at night the place fills up with families gathering at the wooden tables for Scottish staples like haggis, pork sausage mash and sticky toffee pudding. On certain weekend evenings there’s live folk music to add to the convivial atmosphere. The Clunie Dining Room offers a more formal experience with a menu specializing in wood-fired cuisine and seasonal Scottish produce including John Dory, salt-baked turnips, and Highland Beef Filet Wellington. This is also where guests can start their day with a hearty breakfast like black pudding or kipper and poached eggs from a nearby organic farm. The Elsa bar, the hotel’s jewel-box sized bar is named after Else Schiaparelli, who spent some time in the region. The bartenders here prepare an excellent cocktail (no easy feat in the pub-loving UK) cheekily served on a Surrealist-style lobster coasters. For whiskey lovers, there’s now Bertie’s Whiskey Bar, named in honor of King Edward VII, the royal bon vivant. In this library-like setting, guests can choose from 365 bottles (arranged by flavor profile: fragrant, fruity, rick, smoky) which are lined up like books on shelves.
Check Out
Fife Arms is located in Cairngorms, Britain’s largest national park so there’s plenty of opportunities for sport: fishing, stag and grouse hunting or just taking a leisurely trek among the moors, where wildlife abounds including red squirrels, black grouse, deer and the occasional golden eagle.The hotel has boot, drying and gun rooms and a resident ghillie (a fishing and hunting guide) can arrange activities for guests. For royal enthusiasts, there’s Balmoral Castle which is only nine miles away. (Though you can’t see much of the interiors since this is the Queen’s summer home, the gardens are a cottage core fantasy come to life.) Still one could easily spend the day on the property taking in all the art in the hotel— it’s worth requesting a tour. While the annual Braemar Royal Highland Gathering, a venerable competition of caber tossing and tug of war, was held last week, the Fife Arms will host a literary festival with authors including Ian Rankin this October.
