Overview

Having had to cancel a trip to Positano in Italy at short notice due to the change in Covid-19 travel restrictions, we decided to look for somewhere within the UK and opted for a two-centre short break between Gleneagles and The Fife Arms (you can read my full review on The Gleneagles Hotel here). We’d heard about the Fife Arms from friends (for those of you not familiar with Scotland and regions, be aware the hotel is not in Fife) who had polar opposite reviews - either extremely complimentary or quite disparaging, nothing much in between. After a two night stay (which I’d wished had been longer) I was definitely in the love it camp - what an incredible unique place.

There were clearly all Covid secure measures in place, like a temperature check and use of hand sanitizer on arrival, masks to be worn throughout unless seated in the bar or restaurant and a one-way system to navigate through the various lounges and rooms forming the restaurant area and the bars. It didn’t impact our enjoyment of the stay, but there were limitations on timing of restaurant opening hours and not being able to serve alcohol indoors. That said, in one of the outdoor courtyards there was seating set up so that you could enjoy an outside drink, with a roaring fire pit to keep you warm.

Hotel website: https://thefifearms.com

Would I stay here again?   Definitely in a second. It’s a wonderful location - still accessible yet feels so remote; and somewhere I want to visit again at any time of the year - summer or winter it would be a really special experience.

Location

Right in the centre of Braemar, the hotel was located about 65 miles from our previous stop of Gleneagles (just over a 90 minute drive, without stopping), and about 90 miles (just over a 2 hour drive) from Edinburgh Airport and only 55 miles (1 hour + drive) from Aberdeen Airport.

We drove from Edinburgh, via Gleneagles, with a 100% electric car, but although the Fife Arms does not have any charging points on site, only a few metres away (very short walk) there was a municipal car park with both DC and AC chargers. It’s a short drive away from the ski lifts and facilities at Glenshee and Braemar Castle is only about a 10 minute walk from the hotel or an even shorter drive.

Accommodation

There are seven categories of room and suite at The Fife Arms - from the entry level single/ultra compact Croft rooms and the eclectic one-off Artist’s Studio to the Victoriana and Royal Suites, there are many categories in between which all offer something different both in terms of size, features, location across the three floors of accommodation and outlook. Each room or suite has its own history including Nature & Poetry and Scottish Culture Rooms - placed right behind the reception desk is a wonderful display of all the key boxes. Each room or suite has its key presented to you in what looks like a large book but is indeed actually a storage box - this has the key itself, a booklet on the hotel as well as a separate book detailing the history of your room type.

I had booked a Nature & Poetry category room but was upgraded through Grand Luxury Hotels to Scottish Culture - our room was Philosophy on the second floor (#34) with windows to both the rear and side (overlooking) the water. There was a small entrance hall (where there was a decent sized fitted wardrobe, also containing in-room safe and tea/coffee making facilities - with delicious shortbread) then a large bedroom with supremely comfortable king-size bed, writing desk and two occasional chairs and table. 

The room was beautifully decorated and very well appointed, Victorian-styled with lots of original artwork and decorative items - the large en-suite was also full-on Victoriana (which to be honest I wouldn’t normally like as a style, but was so appropriate and fitting for the setting). There was a large tub, wooden framed and top with a good rain-shower over the bath. There was a single sink and WC, all spectacularly clean and shining, with the thickest whitest fluffiest towels I think I’ve seen, and full of refillable toiletries from 100 Acres - there was shampoo, conditioner and shower gel on the bath; as well as hand wash and hand lotion by the sink. Essential for Covid times, there was also a hand sanitizer from Persie Distillery, who would normally make gin.

I loved the contrast of tradition with modern in the room - as well as the (working) Victorian phone there was a vintage-looking DAB radio and a (non-vintage looking) flat-screen Samsung TV, with Chromecast and free movies on demand. This also had all information about the hotel so that nothing had to be printed.

Food & Drink

Breakfast and dinner were served in the main dining room (The Clunie) with meals and snacks throughout the day (as well as dinner too as an alternative) in the Flying Stag bar. As well as this bar and another (Elsa’s which was an art-deco) bar, there was also the Drawing Room for drinks and afternoon tea. When we visited, because of the Scottish Government alcohol restrictions Elsa’s Bar wasn’t operational, but we did enjoy trying various gins outside in the heated courtyard (as well as the fire pit there were also gas heaters too). We tend to love Caorunn Gin, and hadn’t appreciated that there was now a Caorunn Gin Scottish Raspberry version - we ordered two of those, but either it was too subtle to be noticed, or we were indeed served just the original version. Will need to get back there sometime to try out the raspberry version, and I’d love to go back again when it was allowed to serve cocktails inside too.

All meals we had there were just exceptional - from a full Scottish breakfast in the morning with traditional choices like porridge (with a unique optional twist of poached plums or a with a nip of Royal Lochnagar whisky) to a Ghillies full breakfast or vegetarian equivalent, (Katy’s) boiled eggs with soldiers or poached eggs on toasted muffins and hollandaise sauce as either Benedict, Royale or Florentine; we loved it all. 

Dinner in both the Clunie dining room and also the less formal Flying Stag bar were excellent too, as was an afternoon tea served in the Drawing Room in front of a roaring log fire. There was a full choice of fresh sandwiches (meat, fish and vegetarian options), plain and raisin scones with homemade jams and clotted cream, then followed by various sweet treats and served with a choice of tea and coffee. I’m more of a tea drinker than coffee, so it was fantastic to choose from black, oolong, green, white, rooibos, fruit and herbal. Being a big gin fan (and a very nice addition would have been a glass of champagne to go with the afternoon tea - Government inside alcohol restrictions!) I had to opt for the Isle of Harris gin tea. 

Facilities & Service

Service throughout, from being welcomed at the door to the meet and greet at reception, to being shown to our amazing room, and in the restaurant and bars was great - extremely attentive and professional, but very informal and friendly at the same time; many of the staff are employed from the local area and therefore very knowledgeable about what to do and the history of Braemar. The hotel was beautifully presented and kept exceptionally clean in all areas; if outdoor pursuits are your thing then there was a great boot room on the ground floor for cleaning and washing, and adjacent to this was a very well appointed gym. Art is key to the Fife Arms, and despite the overriding Victoriana-style, you’ll find pieces throughout from the 19th century right up to the present day and ultra-modern pieces. It sounds odd but it’s a wonderful, eclectic mix that really works. If it’s the art that interests you, you can find out what they have here.

If you’ve read any of my previous reviews (or my male spa reviews on This Man's Journal) you’ll know that I love a spa treatment, and if I wasn’t already impressed enough by The Fife Arms then the Spa would have swung it. In a separate building, but literally just in the rear garden connected to the main hotel with a covered walkway, is the (Albamhor) Spa building. On the upper level is the reception area and treatment rooms, but go down a level (either outside access from the garden) or it’s a surprise if you go down in the “hidden” lift to find a huge bespoke sauna (with a view through huge windows onto the garden), power showers, lockers and a relaxation area. Everything was beautifully done, in keeping with the hotel and its Scottish heritage, but as with everything has a twist. There was a choice of treatments (albeit restricted when we visited due to Covid-19 guidelines) offering facials, massage therapies, and manicures/pedicures; with signature treatments like the Fife foot ritual and a Travellers Treat. ishga, organic seaweed skincare, meaning water in Gaelic is an award-winning skincare range from an island off the north west coast of Scotland; featured in many of the treatments.

ThePrivateTraveller’s top tips (any areas for improvement?):

• Times for spa treatments in advance - with limited availability, despite having contacted the hotel in advance to ask about reservations, the feedback was to just book on arrival. It would have been good to have the ability to book a choice of times in advance.

• Extra shelf storage in the bathroom - the bathroom was a great size and beautifully appointed, but with only one small shelf above the sink, I think it could have benefitted from some extra shelving.

ThePrivateTraveller’s absolute highlights:

• Towels the absolute best (pure white, fluffy and oversized), as were the great sized bathrobes too.

• The 100 Acres toiletries smelt amazing and hand sanitizer from Persie distillery.

• Afternoon tea - wow, what a treat and especially being accompanied by Isle of Harris gin tea!

Useful website links:

• Hotels

  • The Gleneagles Hotel https://gleneagles.com

  • Leading Hotels of the World https://www.lhw.com

  • The Fife Arms https://thefifearms.com

  • Grand Luxury Hotels https://www.grandluxuryhotels.com

  • TripAdvisor https://www.tripadvisor.com

• Other

  • The Gleneagles review by The Private Traveller

  • Braemar Castle https://www.braemarcastle.co.uk/

  • Visit Scotland | Scotland’s National Tourist Organisation https://www.visitscotland.com

  • 100 Acres | British Luxury Bath & Bodycare https://100acres.co.uk

  • Persie Distillery https://www.persiedistillery.com

  • Caorunn Gin https://www.caorunngin.com

  • Isle of Harris Gin https://harrisdistillery.com/pages/isle-of-harris-gin

  • ishga https://uk.ishga.com