An extraordinary art hotel in the middle of the Highlands
The village of Braemar is home to the famous Highland Games, attended by Queen Elizabeth II and is also starting point for hiking tours through the Cairngorms Nationalpark.
Today it is also home to an extraordinary art hotel, which has been totally restored by the Swiss couple Iwan and Manuela Wirth , owners of the galleries Hauser & Wirth.
The moment you step into this Victorian jewel you'll discover that it is fully packed with antiques, artworks and collectables!
- on the way up to Braemar don't miss to make a stop in Pitlochry, a typical Scottish Village close to the highlands
- visit the smallest distillery in Scotland - the Edradour
- The beautiful Cairngorms National Park has twice the size of the Lake District and offers plenty of forest paths, rivers, lochs, wildlife and distilleries to discover
- Five of the UK's six highest mountains lie inside the park, if you are a skier, head up to the near by Glenshee Ski Resort
- travel back in time on a steam train on the Strathspey Railway
- the river Dee is one of the most famous Salmon ivers in the world and the hotel can provide you with fishing equipment
- Braemar is the home of Scotland’s Highland Games attended by Queen Elizabeth II
- Balmoral Castle , the Scottish residence to the Royal Family, is situated just 9 miles away from the hotel
The Flying Stag at the Five Arms - Braemar
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). And yes, you can listen to some great music such as Van Morrison and many more!
The Clunie at the Five Arms - Braemar
With menus created by Executive Chef Tim Kensett, The Clunie Dining Room showcases the art of wood-fire cooking.
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 Five Arms Hotel and its dramatic location in the heart of the Cairngorms. We loved the mouthwatering roasted Cabbage by Chef Tim!
The Five Arms Hotel - Braemar
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.
After the huge renovation in 2019 by Swiss Gallerist Couple Iwan and Manuela Wirth, The Fife Arms contains today over 16,000 antiques, artworks and curios including several site-specific works by world-renowned contemporary artists. The hotel offers special art tours for their guests, which allows, to experience the world class art which can be found throughout the hotel, from Pablo Picasso, Lucian Freud, Gerhard Richter and Bruegel as well as water colours by Queen Victoria and Prince Charles. Be aware to discover something special in every room, even entering the elevator, it's anything else than ordinary! Our poetry room Nan Shepherd was furnished with artwork and objects made from natural materials.
