EXPERIENCE THE BEST

Conceived as an artistic place, The Fife Arms hotel, in the heart of the Highlands, offers a kaleidoscopic view of Scotland, celebrated by many.

- DELPHINE VALLOIRE

“My heart is in the Highlands, from here it is far away.’’ It is impossible to leave the Fife Arms without feeling these eternal verses of poet Robert Burns. The magnificent hotel is the highlight of Braemar, the village it is located in. The property is nestled in the middle of the Cairngorms Highlands Natural Park along the Dee, a thunderous gray-blue mineral river. The odd mixture of adventure and peace that one experiences during the stay here, attracts visitors from across the globe. Designed with the idea of uniting Scottish legacy, craftsmanship and culture with world-class contemporary art, the venue offers a ‘dream come true’ experience to tourists in terms of nature, art and food.

Making of the dream

It began life as a hunting lodge belonging to the Duke of Fife, built at the end of the 19th century by a Scottish architect Alexander Marshall Mackenzie. But over the decades, the Fife Arms has gone through a somewhat archaic enlargement. The Wirths (the owners) saw in this place a whole world to reinvent. They entrusted the architectural work to the Moxon Architects, and the interior decoration was led by Russell Sage, who was well known in those times. After four years of crazy renovations and pursuits of perfectionism, the result is a holistic vision of Scotland and its culture, along with ancient and contemporary art. During the entire process, the protection of the surrounding nature, local crafts and products was of utmost concern.

Unique in its own way