Fife Arms announces team for December opening

Joining general manager Federica Bertolini, who arrived at the hotel in Braemar, Aberdeenshire, two years ago as general manager from her previous role as manager of the Hotel Tresanton in St Mawes, Cornwall, will be deputy general manager Kirsten Jensen, previously operations manager at Spire serviced apartments in Aberdeen, and executive chef Robert Cameron, who held the same role at Fortnum & Mason in Dubai.

David Dunne has been appointed as food and beverage operations manager from the same position at the Shore, Loch Lomond, while Ros Evans has taken on the role of ghillie (concierge).

The Fife Arms has been undergoing an extensive refurbishment since being acquired in 2015 by art dealers Iwan and Manuela Wirth of the Hauser + Wirth galleries.

Designer Russell Sage is creating the new interior with a strong Scottish narrative and collection of artwork and artefacts, while Moxon architects is overseeing the refurbishment. The house tartan and tweed have been designed by Araminta Campbell, who grew up in Royal Deeside, and the garden is being created by Jinny Blom.

Each bedroom is dedicated to a local place, person of event, such as Robert Louis Stevenson who began to write his classic novel Treasure Island in Braemar and the poet Lord Byron, who recuperated in the area from scarlet fever in 1796.

Reflecting the Wirth’s dedication to contemporary art, the hotel will feature prominent works by leading artists such as Zhang Enli, Guillermo Kuitca and James Prosek. There will also be pieces from earlier artists.

The Fife Arms is due to open in December.

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