Built in the 19th century, The Fife Arms Hotel is a Braemar landmark and is a category B listed building. Its size is evidence of the popularity of Braemar in the wake of Queen Victoria’s visits and her purchase of Balmoral. The plans of the hotel by Alexander Marshall Mackenzie, who remodelled the original building, are held by the National Archive of Scotland. Mackenzie was an architect of national repute whose fame grew after royal patronage.

HISTORY
For a small village of 400 residents, Braemar has been witness to key moments in Scottish history. Most famous for its association with Queen Victoria, its historical significance extends back much further to both the first and second Jacobite rebellions.

The village is home to two castles, Braemar Castle and the ruin of Kindrochit Castle, while Balmoral, the Scottish residence to the Royal Family, is situated just 9 miles away. The hotel can arrange history tours of the area as well as guided walking tours through Braemar itself where visitors can learn about the Games Park, local architecture and see the house that Robert Louis Stevenson occupied whilst writing Treasure Island. Please consult our Ghillie team to organise tours and to find out more information.

Throughout Scotland many different castles can be found with varying architecture, landscapes and stories. Braemar is home to two castles, Braemar Castle and Kindrochit Castle (ruin). Dating as far back as 1628, Braemar Castle has a colourful history including the first and second Jacobite Uprising. Balmoral Castle is situated just 9 miles away. Known as the Scottish home to the Royal Family, it was originally purchased by Prince Albert for Queen Victoria in 1852.

FIFE ARMS GUEST ROOMS

Royal Suites
Inspired by some of Braemar’s most noble visitors, the five-star Royal Suites are richly furnished with antiques, artworks and even objects that once belonged to these historic figures. With views over the surrounding landscape, the rooms also feature freestanding copper bath, rain shower, double bed and separate sitting room. For families a sofa bed and interconnecting rooms are available.

Victoriana Suites
The Victoriana Suites reflect the hotel’s history as a 19th century coaching inn. Richly decorated with antique furnishings, period wallpaper and original artwork, the suites offer stunning views over Braemar and the surrounding landscape. For families a sofa bed and interconnecting rooms are available.

Scottish Culture Rooms
From literature and astronomy to engineering and exploration, Scotland has produced leading figures in fields such as science and the arts. These names and stories have inspired the Scottish Culture Rooms which are situated throughout the hotel. Interconnecting rooms are available.

Nature & Poetry Rooms
The grandeur of the Scottish natural landscape has inspired countless writers and poets. The Nature and Poetry Rooms feature artwork and objects made from natural materials such as heather, horn and tweed. The rooms feature beautiful wooden headboards with words by Scottish poet, Alec Finlay, carved into them. Interconnecting rooms are available.

Croft Rooms
Inspired by a traditional Scottish croft house, these are the cosiest rooms which feature a charming traditional cabin bed that’s spacious for one or snug for two. Each bed has been hand-painted by artists with some featuring scenes of the surrounding Scottish landscape, which these rooms overlook.

Artist's Studio
The Artist’s Studio is a one-off accommodation that offers stunning views over the surrounding landscape of the Cairngorms National Park. Inspired by The Bloomsbury Group and the interiors they created at Charleston House, the room features hand-painted walls in the bedroom and bathroom. With a cabin bed, the studio provides an artistic escape.

Family Rooms
The Majestic Family Suite offers a combination of a Royal and Victoriana suite. With their rich colours and furnishings, two living areas and elegant bathrooms with freestanding baths, this is our most luxurious family option.

FIFE ARMS EATING & DRINKING

The Flying Stag
It was said that if you were looking for someone in Braemar, the first place you should look was the public bar at The Fife Arms. Newly christened The Flying Stag, the public bar continues to be the social centre of the village. With regulars rubbing shoulders with visitors, the bar has a vibrant atmosphere with animated conversation and live entertainment. The bar offers local beers, Scottish whiskies and spirits accompanied by a menu of bar snacks and hearty Scottish dishes.

The Flying Stag was created by the renowned artist, James Prosek, who is known for his paintings of unique, hybrid animals. The animal is a union of a ptarmigan’s wings (a bird that lives on the highest peaks of the Cairngorms) and a stag (commonly found in the forested Dee Valley).

The Clunie Dining Room
The interior of the restaurant has been transformed by Argentinian artist, Guillermo Kuitca. The work, titled The Clunie River Mural, has been painted in his distinctive cubistoid style that masterfully reconciles abstraction with an illusionist form of figuration. Kuitca was in residence in Braemar for several weeks while he created this work especially for The Fife Arms and this work is his response to the hotel and its dramatic location in the heart of the Cairngorms.

The Drawing Room
The Drawing Room brings together art and history. The walls are covered in The Fife Arms tartan, which was designed specially for the hotel and the room is richly furnished with Scottish art and antiques. The room is a place to relax and unwind over coffee, afternoon tea or a drink at cocktail hour.

The room’s ceiling was commissioned from renowned Chinese artist, Zhang Enli, who is renowned for painting directly onto the walls or ceiling of a room to create an immersive, nostalgic environment. For ‘Ancient Quartz’ Zhang took inspiration from cross sections of Scottish agates, whose deceptively simple exteriors conceal a dazzling array of colour and texture.

Elsa's Bar
An exquisite jewel box of a bar, Elsa’s brings Art Deco glamour to the Highlands. Inspired by fashion designer Elsa Schiaparelli’s signature style, love of shocking pink and “bon mots”, this bijou bar offers champagne and hand-crafted cocktails that are beautifully presented. The perfect spot for a pre-prandial aperitif or a late-night digestif, the bar showcases Scottish spirits and elixirs.

THE FIFE ARMS SPA

Manicures & Pedicures
Classic but luxurious nail treatments and polishes

Signature Facials
Using natural ingredients, our signature facials will brighten, revitalise and invigorate.

Massage
From Hot Cairngorm Stones to Deep Tissue Acupressure, our massage offerings will use a variety of techniques and methods to ease, calm and transform.

FIFE ARMS ART
The Fife Arms contains over 16,000 antiques, artworks and curios including several site-specific works by world-renowned contemporary artists. We offer special art tours for our guests, which allow you to experience the world class art which can be found throughout the hotel, from Pablo Picasso, Lucian Freud, Gerhard Richter and Bruegel to site specific commissions from contemporary art stars and water colours by Queen Victoria and Prince Charles.

FAMILY ROOM
The Fife Arms Family Room is a treasure trove of fun for children of all ages. With board games, books and table football plus a play kitchen, DVD player and Xbox with an array of different games, this is the perfect hangout for your little ones. Don’t miss the red squirrels hidden throughout the room, all knitted by the ‘Deeside Knitwits’. Also available from reception is a treasure hunt around the hotel. Each young guest will receive a set of instructions which ask them to find certain treasures located throughout the hotel. Once completed the hotel will share a prize with each successful treasure hunter!

Learn the art of navigation with Braemar Highland Experience. This practical, hands on course teaches the basics of map reading including using features, contours and grid references. You will discover how to plan your journey through the Cairngorms National Park and use a compass to take and follow a route which will direct you to hidden treasure.

MURMURING FOREST
Uncover the mysteries of the forest and meet some of its wild inhabitants. Guided by the experts at Braemar Highland Experience, you will learn secret stories about some of Scotland’s most native trees, as well as their past and present uses. We’ll explore the sounds of the forest and the lives of the animals that live in it. To finish off, you’ll learn how to make a bird feeder, allowing you to feed the birds in your own garden.

Go back in time to see how people of the past lived and worked in the remote glens surrounding the hotel. Guided by the experts at Braemar Highland Experience, you’ll explore the ruins of a remote village and learn about the lives of its inhabitants. With the extreme weather conditions and tricky terrain, how did they farm the land and build their homes? To finish off the trip, you’ll also make an ancient form of light, similar to one these inhabitants would have used.

FISHING
The River Dee is one of the most famous salmon rivers in the world and it runs just past the hotel. The hotel works with its Wild Resources team headed up by Ben Carter to offer guests the chance to fish in this exceptional location. The Salmon season starts early February and runs until the end of September. Sea trout is available during the summer months but Rainbow trout is available all year. The hotel has its own rod room for guests to store their equipment.

FORAGING
The Fife Arms has an in-house forager Natasha Lloyd, who is passionate about sharing her expert knowledge of the local plants and vegetation. Natasha leads tours of the surrounding areas, identifying, explaining and sharing the taste of plants that can be transformed into teas, tinctures, condiments or cosmetics. Both adults and children will love these guided walks.

LOCAL ATTRACTIONS
From whisky distilleries to winter sports and the annual Royal Highland Games, Braemar has plenty of local attractions to keep you busy during your stay. The local whisky distillery is ‘Royal Lochnagar’ at Crathie by Balmoral Castle. Further afield you will find Speyside and Highland distilleries, both boutique and established. For novice or beginners, Glenshee is 3,504 ft of mountain winter adventure that beckons skiers and snowboarders alike. The Braemar Gathering takes place annually on the first weekend in September and welcomes thousands of visitors. It’s the only Highland Games with a Royal Patron, HM Queen Elizabeth II, who attends every year to see the best of the best toss the caber, battle it out in tug o’ war or perform the traditional Highland fling.

NATURE
Surrounding the hotel and the village of Braemar is the extraordinary Cairngorms National Park. Visitors can walk out of the hotel and within 5 minutes be on walking trail which will lead you through historic forests of heather and Scot’s Pine before you emerge at the top to experience a panoramic view of the village and the Deeside valley below. Each season brings something new to see; autumn is the rutting season for stags where you can hear their roars across the hills; winter sees the native Ptarmigan change into their white camouflage while the Atlantic Salmon swim upstream along the River Dee; Spring brings promise of red squirrel dashing around the forest and with Summer comes the vibrant heather and its mix of pink and purple hues. There are many self-led trails requiring different degrees of stamina. Alternatively the hotel can arrange for a guide to lead you on various walks or hikes.

WALKING
There are 40 Munros accessible from Braemar, from Ben MacDui to Beinn Bhareac, offering a wealth of hill walking. The network of local paths and tracks are suitable for all abilities, including Morrone Birkwood and Creag Choinnich. This is also the perfect opportunity to experience the wonderful native flora and fauna of Upper Deeside, including red squirrels, ptarmigan, osprey and red deer.