In-Depth Review of the Fife Arms in Braemar, Scotland - AFAR

"A lavishly restored former hunting lodge on the River Cluny that functions like a livable museum, showcasing some 14,000 artworks and artifacts — including Picasso’s 1953 La femme assise dans un fauteuil, a large-cubistic dining-room mural by Guillermo Kuitca, and works by Louise Bourgeois — alongside 16th- and 19th-century Scottish antiques. The 46 individually themed rooms draw on local heritage (Scottish Culture Rooms) and the Highlands’ flora and fauna (Nature and Poetry), with detailed touches such as handcrafted desks, wool blankets and abundant porcelains and dog portraits; taxidermy appears throughout and becomes part of the atmosphere. Food and drink range from a hearty Clunie dining room (notable sourdough bread and butter and a plentiful Sunday roast) to a jewel-box cocktail bar inspired by Elsa Schiaparelli, while the tea service and small bites are especially recommended. Since a 2019 reopening by Swiss art dealers Iwan and Manuela Wirth after a four-year restoration, the property has paired community hospitality with curated art-driven programming — guided art tours, whisky tastings in the library, and bookable local experiences (whisky afternoon tea, survival-skills workshops, dark-sky outings) led by in-house ghillies — with rooms starting from around $496." - Laura Dannen Redman