The Fife Arms on a Good Friday

Ever since Prince Charles officially re-opened the restored Fife Arms Hotel in Braemar on January 11th 2019, I have been wanting to visit. I bemoaned this shortfall to a friend at Balintore yesterday, and she said "Why don't we just visit tomorrow?". As today is Good Friday, there was no excuse and we set off on an expedition northwards via Glen Isla; then via Glenshee and snow-topped mountains, to the beautiful Highland village of Braemar.

entrance lobby with Freud

What is so special about the Fife Arms is that that the word "restoration" doesn't begin to address what has been achieved there. The owners, Iwan and Manuela Wirth, have given a sumptuous Scottish Baronial re-interpretation to this 1856 coaching inn, which was originally build for people who wanted to holiday in the same part of the country as Queen Victoria. So while parts of make-over could be called historically authentic; other parts would not look out of place in a fantasy film; and yet other parts could be called Scandi-Scot - a decorative style which is one of my bêtes-noirs. 

reclaim fireplace from house in Fife

The initial photographs I saw were astonishing, because the look was incredibly close to my vision for Balintore. It is rare to see a restoration of a building that tries to capture the mood of the past, all too often commercial concerns and associated Philistinism, result in inappropriate replacement with modern interiors. The only difference between the Fife Arms and Balintore Castle projects is budget :-). My understanding is that £40m was spent at the Fife Arms. Iwan and Manuela are incredibly successful and rich art dealers, and the walls of the hotel are covered with museum quality works of art. The Lucien Freud in the entrance lobby jumped out at me immediately.

taxidermy Capercaillie in restaurant

I have long wondered how I would respond to seeing the Fife Arms "in the flesh": modern art in historic interiors can jar, and as for Scandi-Scot, well, it can make me feel quite ill. :-) 

taxidermy Haggis in restaurant

However, I need not have worried. The interior of the Fife Arms is pitch perfect. It's eclectic but seamlessly blended, and the atmosphere is welcoming, warm, relaxing and there is a sense of joy created by the adventurous yet tasteful décor which you can immediately pick up from the other guests.

fireplace in restaurant

The front of house staff are universally friendly and efficient, and I realised that a high end establishment (the best suites are £2500/night in high season - other rooms are available) does not have to be intimidating, and indeed most are probably the very opposite of intimidating. It was a learning visit.

bedroom corridor with art

It helped that I had already danced with some of the staff at a Ceilidh in Dalwhinnie and indeed had cooked for them, but that's a whole other story! :-)

Victorian toilet porn

The use of bespoke fabrics for upholstery and as wall coverings; the use of richly patterned reproduction Victorian wallpapers and high end Victorian artworks and taxidermy made me somewhat envious. I would love to do this at Balintore, but budget precludes. I have to improvise instead with bargain auction items, and I have wondered if there might be a second decorative pass at Balintore if it ever could justify the extra expenditure.

bedroom interior

But all establishments are of themselves reflecting the story of their lineage of owners. Balintore is a remote private shooting lodge that hosted a small number of guests in some style and comfort. The Braemar Arms is a large commercial  coaching inn in the middle of town that would have seen a much greater foot-fall and turnaround.

taxidermy wall

taxidermy wall and sofa

hunting trophy ceiling and staircase

bedroom

From the lunch menu, I chose Haggis, Neeps and Tatties for mains and Scottish Goats Cheese Curd Mousse for dessert: the latter as I am a promoter of dessert diversify and I had not seen this pudding before. The combination of flavours: ginger, fennel pollen and rhubarb, was novel and delicious. The secret to the most delicious neeps I had ever tasted, was that the Braemar roasts it in the oven first. My friend nobbled a staff member to tell all.

lunch menu