Tom’s Travels – Day 1

After a 2 hour delay my flight to Edinburgh arrived mid-day. Unfortunately the delay caused me to have to skip 2 properties that I was looking forward to, Cromlix and Gleneagles. Hopefully I'll be able to visit later in the week, but much to do in the interim.

Back to what I did rather than what I was hoping to do. First stop was at Murrayshall Country House Estate in Perth.

I had a meeting at Murrayshall with the owner of an excellent transportation provider and even better purveyor of exclusive and unusual concierge services. This is a great company that we enjoy working with. Their services always leave our customers very happy.

My final stop of the day was also my home for the night.

Fife Arms was a new 5 star Hotel that was opening its doors in the fall of 2019. While the opening was creating a lot of buzz, Fife Arms was in the early stages of it's rollout when Covid hit. I was in planning to do a site inspection in the spring of 2020. Needless to say, that didn't happen.

As the International Hospitality industry comes back from the dead there have been many surprises both good and bad. The staffing challenges that are rampant throughout the sector will result in significant changes in the way that service will be delivered.

Rental car companies are rapidly pushing the use of kiosks for checking in and getting your key. Hotels are moving away from buffets towards a la carte meals Rooms are only cleaned once per client stay.

The Fife Arms is clearly swimming against the stream. Not only was the staff every place that you wanted them to be, they were beyond knowledgeable and kind. You felt that the only care in their world was your comfort and happiness. It was truly a notable experience.

I was surprised at how great the village of Braemar was given how little I had heard of the area prior to the FIfe Arms re-opening. There is a lot to do, just not in town but in the area.

I was surprised at the decor of the hotel. I had heard that artwork dominated the hotel and how beautiful the decoration and style. I was prepared to be overwhelmed by a stuffy hotel. I wasn't! In fact i am shocked at how much I loved it. The artwork was fantastic and the styling dramatic but in a very comfortable way. I have never felt so relaxed and impressed in such a swanky hotel.

Visit Fife Arms as soon as you can. It is expensive now but given the product that they offer and the limited availability of the experience that they provide things are only going to become harder for you to access the hotel.

Call us now while you still can!