Which Scotland Hotel Should You Book? Fife Arms v Gleneagles - AFAR
"Set in the heart of Braemar village, this 46-room inn was Artfarm’s first major hospitality project and occupies a historic 19th-century hotel built during the tourist boom after Queen Victoria snapped up Balmoral (a half-hour drive away). The place reads like a gallery-meets-hotel: Ivan and Manuela Wirth unleashed a world-class art haul (don’t miss the junkyard-on-acid Subodh Gupta chandelier), and the crowd skews art-world chic if a bit snooty. The hotel exudes maximalist Victoriana — I stayed in the Edward VII suite, complete with an Eiffel Tower lamp, a biography in the bathroom, and the cute knitted-bird swap for housekeeping — though some antiques (my stuffing-deficient chaise) favored style over comfort. Food disappointed in parts: classic dishes feel fussy and over-precious (haggis, neeps, and tatties arrived in bite-size portions), and the hybrid breakfast included a runny, tasteless porridge; by contrast the bars are excellent, with a whisky den housing hundreds of rare malts and Elsa’s channeling Schiaparelli in its playful coasters. Service leans warm and genuine — many Highland staffers went out of their way, showing me the key library, and recovery from a transfer mistake felt sincere. For local experiences it’s perfect: pop to Farquarson’s pub, take a stream cold plunge the hotel can arrange, explore the nearby Cairngorms, or succumb to the Fife Arms Shop, an Aladdin’s Cave of handpicked treasures. Nightly rates from $620." - Mark Ellwood
