Plans to upgrade a Deeside hotel to bring in visitors from near and far have been revealed.
Artfarm Ltd opened the The Fife Arms in Braemar, following an extensive restoration to return the building to its former glory two years ago.
Now the hospitality firm plan to renovate the Invercauld Arms Hotel – creating 63 bedrooms, a pizzeria and a coffee bar.
The C-listed building has had a presence in the village since 1700.
Artfam Ltd, which origniates from international art gallery business Hauser and Wirth, plan to scatter a series of “museum quality artwork and installations”, inspired by the surrounding landscape throughout the hotel.
To accommodate the new workforce for the Invercauld Arms, and the nearby Fife Arms, Artfam Ltd has now applied for permission to turn Inver Lodge, at Crathie, into staff accommodation.
The former coaching inn was put up for sale in 2019 after trade dwindled in the area.
Planning documents submitted by Artfarm state: “Artfarm has developed an initial staff accommodation strategy for the two hotels, which includes submitting a change of use application for Inver Lodge to provide 11-bed spaces.
“The ambition for the reopening of the Invercauld Arms, is to create a hotel that celebrates and encourages visitors to explore the exceptional natural environment that surrounds it. The interiors will feature a series of museum quality artwork and installations, inspired by the surrounding landscape.
“The hotel will provide a greater variety of guest accommodation available
within the local area, with 63 new guest rooms, including family rooms.”
In addition to the increased amount of guest accommodation, the Invercauld Arms will also offer a pizzeria, bar and coffee bar.
Documents add: “The conversion to staff accommodation will provide an additional 11 staff bedrooms, as the first part of Artfarm’s ongoing accommodation strategy.
“The provision of local staff accommodation is essential to the successful operation of the newly refurbished Invercauld Arms, and continued success of the Fife Arms, and attracting further visitors to Braemar, Royal Deeside and Aberdeenshire.”
