Luxury Hotel · Scotland
The Fife Arms
Tailor-made, always
Every trip built from scratch around your dates, pace and preferences.
Your own specialist
One named person and a 24-hour number while you travel.
Hundreds of five-star reviews
Rated Excellent on Trustpilot across ten years of LGBTQ+ luxury travel.
At a glance
A Victorian landmark in the heart of the Cairngorms, The Fife Arms brings together five-star hospitality, two Michelin Keys, over 500 whiskies, and one of Scotland’s most extraordinary private art collections in a single Braemar address.
The Fife Arms is a 5-star boutique hotel in Braemar, Cairngorms National Park, close to Balmoral and the River Dee. Its 47 rooms and suites are individually dedicated to historical figures and Highland landscapes, each telling its own story through commissioned art and considered design. Celtic tradition, aristocratic eccentricity, and contemporary art sit together with the kind of ease that can only come from a place that has genuinely earned its character.
Dining centers on The Clunie Dining Room, where open-fire cooking celebrates Scotland’s finest seasonal produce, and The Flying Stag, a village pub serving Scottish dishes and local ales.
Elsa’s Cocktail Bar brings Art Deco glamour to the Highlands, while Bertie’s Whisky Bar holds a library of over 500 whiskies arranged by flavor profile. A team of hotel Ghillies leads guests through guided Munro hikes, wild swimming, whisky distillery tours, off-road adventures, and history walks throughout the Cairngorms.
Highlights
- 47 individually designed rooms and suites in a Victorian landmark near Balmoral, each themed around Highland history and commissioned art
- Two Michelin Key hotel with The Clunie Dining Room, The Flying Stag pub, Elsa’s Cocktail Bar, and Bertie’s Whisky Bar with 500+ whiskies
- Hotel Ghillies lead guided Munro hikes, wild swimming, distillery tours, and Cairngorms adventures year-round
Accommodation
Royal Suites
The most commanding accommodation at the Fife Arms, richly furnished with antiques, artworks, and objects connected to Braemar’s most distinguished royal visitors. Freestanding baths, separate sitting rooms, and sweeping views over the Highland landscape make these the natural choice for guests who want the full weight of the hotel’s history around them. Dog friendly.
Victoriana Suites
A tribute to the hotel’s origins as a 19th-century coaching inn, decorated with period wallpaper and paintings by leading Victorian artists. Copper tubs and separate sitting rooms sit alongside beautiful views over Braemar and the Highlands. Dog friendly.
Artist's Studio
Art-directed by Neil Wenman of Hauser & Wirth, this room pays homage to the Bloomsbury Group and Duncan Grant, born nearby in Aviemore. Every surface, from bathroom woodwork to the cabin bed, has been transformed into a canvas, with paint splashes and artists’ ephemera creating the atmosphere of a working studio.
The 'Secret' Room
Hidden behind a trompe-l’oeil door, this room is dedicated to Coco Chanel, whose relationship with the Highlands began in 1925. Scottish tweeds, Fair Isle knits, and quilted fabrics reference her time here, while Art Deco details and chinoiserie painted panels draw on her Paris apartment at 31 Rue Cambon. A freestanding copper bath sits within the room itself.
Further information
Dining
Dining and drinking at The Fife Arms is considered as good as the rooms. The Clunie Dining Room is the flagship, a striking space painted by Argentinian artist Guillermo Kuitca, serving wood-fire cooking built around seasonal Scottish produce. The Flying Stag is the village pub at the heart of the hotel, offering classic Scottish dishes, real ales, and live folk music twice a week. Elsa’s Cocktail Bar, inspired by fashion designer Elsa Schiaparelli, brings Art Deco glamour and shocking pink to pre and post-dinner drinks. Bertie’s Whisky Bar holds over 500 whiskies arranged by flavour profile across its bookshelves. The Cellar offers 50 wines by the glass and over 500 bottles, with sommelier-led tastings Monday to Saturday. Fish Shop, a Bib Gourmand-awarded sister restaurant and fishmonger in Ballater, is 25 minutes away.
Art
Art is inseparable from the Fife Arms experience. Owners Iwan and Manuela Wirth, co-founders of Hauser & Wirth, have integrated over 16,000 antiques, artworks, and collectibles throughout the hotel, spanning the 19th century to the present day. Highlights include a Queen Victoria watercolour, a monumental Burns chimneypiece, and special commissions woven into the architecture itself. Daily art tours are available to all guests.
Scotland
Scotland’s climate and light shift dramatically by season, and that shapes a trip more than in most destinations. Summer brings close to eighteen hours of daylight in the Highlands, while winter days can be as short as seven, which changes not just what is comfortable to do but what is possible in a single day.
Our Experts
I'm Scottish so am very fond of this country. Windswept Highlands landscapes, stunning lochs, mountains and glens... it's a paradise for those who love dramatic scenery.
The cities of Scotland have an energy that isn't seen anywhere else on earth. Welcoming, vibrant, and with that famous Scottish sense of humor. Edinburgh is a must-see for those visiting this beautiful country.
Stellar service. Stellar products. Stellar people and it gets so much better when you pick up the phone and call.
Anthony S.
Super client centred service. From first contact I have had warm, efficient, friendly and flexible service.
John
I’m confident in giving Out Of Office a 5-star review! They are one of the leaders in this space without a doubt.
Tiberiu
Suggested tours
World War II Tour of Europe: London, Normandy, Berlin & Krakow
Tailor-made VacationThis route follows the war's actual turning points, London's underground command center, the beaches where the Allies broke through, the capital of the regime being fought, and the site of its worst crime, in something close to chronological order. Four stops, each one a different piece of how the war was run, fought, caused, and ultimately answered for.
12 days tailor-made from $9,745 per person View trip
Luxury English Country House Tour for LGBTQ+ Travelers
Tailor-made VacationThe English country house is one of the great inventions of British civilization. For three centuries these estates shaped the landscape, defined a way of life, and played host to the kind of private world that rarely made it into the history books. What did make it in tells a more interesting story than the official version suggests.
8 days tailor-made from $9,005 per person View trip
LGBTQ+ Theatre Trip to London: West End Shows, Soho & Stratford
Tailor-made VacationNo country on earth does theatre quite like the United Kingdom. From the West End stages that have shaped global popular culture to the small, radical fringe venues where the next generation of writers and performers are redefining what theatre can be, Britain's relationship with live performance runs deeper than anywhere else. It is the country that gave the world Shakespeare, Oscar Wilde, and Andrew Lloyd Webber.
8 days tailor-made from $7,410 per person View tripNo two trips we plan are the same. Yours will be no exception.
Frequently asked questions
What does Out Of Office do?
Out Of Office is a luxury LGBTQ+ travel company specializing in tailor-made vacations and extraordinary journeys around the world. We create bespoke luxury vacations, LGBTQ+ honeymoons, safaris, cruises, beach escapes, private tours and group trips, with every itinerary designed around you. Our travel specialists combine global expertise, first-hand destination knowledge and trusted local partners to create seamless, highly personalized experiences.
Is Out Of Office a gay travel agency?
Out Of Office is an LGBTQ+ owned and run luxury travel specialist, with particular expertise in gay and LGBTQ+ travel. We understand the additional considerations that can come with traveling as an LGBTQ+ person or couple, from local laws and customs to finding genuinely welcoming hotels and experiences.
We welcome every traveler, including friends, families and allies. Many of our clients are not members of the LGBTQ+ community, but choose Out Of Office for our luxury travel expertise, personalized service and discretion.
Do you create tailor-made LGBTQ+ vacations?
Yes. Every tailor-made trip with Out Of Office is designed from scratch around your interests, travel style, budget and the way you want to experience a destination. We can arrange luxury hotels, private transfers, flights, guides, excursions, cruises and special experiences as part of one personalized itinerary. The journeys shown on our website are there to inspire you rather than restrict you; only clearly identified group departures operate as fixed itineraries.
How do you choose LGBTQ+ friendly hotels and destinations?
We combine first-hand destination knowledge with trusted local expertise to recommend luxury hotels, resorts and experiences where LGBTQ+ travelers can feel informed and welcome. We also consider the laws, customs and attitudes of each destination, because LGBTQ+ rights and experiences differ around the world. Our team regularly visit many of the properties we work with and where a destination requires greater awareness, we give you clear and considered advice so that you can make an informed decision about where and how you travel.
We plant trees for every booking
For every booking made with Out Of Office we commit to planting trees in your name to help reduce the impact of travel on future generations. You'll even get a link to see where your trees are planted in the world via our partner Ecologi.
We donate to Rainbow Railroad with every booking
Rainbow Railroad helps LGBTQ+ people escape state-sponsored violence and persecution. A donation goes with every trip we sell, funded by us and never added to your price.
Start Planning Your Trip
Tell us where you would love to go, when you are thinking of traveling and what kind of trip you have in mind. One of our LGBTQ+ travel specialists will create a tailor-made itinerary designed around your destination, style and preferences.
One named specialist, first inquiry to homecoming. No call center, and nothing is charged until you decide to book.