Braemar is a year-round resort, popular among visitors for its scenery, its history and its position facilitating ease of access to both the Cairngorm mountains and, in winter, the Glenshee ski slope. With so many visitors the village and the immediate surroundings have a plentiful supply of accommodation of all types, from hotels and upmarket self-catering to simple bunkhouses.
Hotels and B&Bs in Braemar
For a village of its size, Braemar is well supplied with catered accommodation, with four hotels. The two largest, the Invercauld Arms on the main road and the Fife Arms in the village centre, were built for the Victorian tourist trade and are popular with coach operators. There are two smaller hotels, the Braemar Lodge (a former hunting Lodge) and the smaller Moorfield Hotel.
The village also has a number of guest houses and several bed and breakfasts. These offer simpler accommodation of varying standards and most do not offer food other than breakfast (though some, including the Callater Lodge and Cranford Guest House, provide light snacks). Most have a reasonably central location though some may be a little way out of the village.
Self-Catering Accommodation in Braemar
There is plenty of self-catering accommodation in Braemar, but there is no single or simple listing. The Visit Braemar website lists a number of options but others may be available, advertised through letting agencies such as Mackays or Scottish Country Cottages. Many are second homes which are let out commercially, while others, such as the wooden chalets at the Braemar Lodge Hotel, are specifically designed as holiday properties.
A location to look out for is Mar Lodge. Built as a hunting lodge for the Dukes of Fife (and later rebuilt after a fire), the Lodge and its surrounding estate are now the property of the National Trust for Scotland, which owns a number of character self-catering units across Scotland. Five luxury apartments are available at Mar Lodge, along with three detached properties.
Hostels and Camping in and Around Braemar
Braemar has a range of basic accommodation. In the village itself there is a hostel run by the Scottish Youth Hostels Association, and two bunkhouses, one of them at the Braemar Lodge Hotel. At Inverey, four miles along the route into the Cairngorms, the SYHA run a smaller, seasonal bunkhouse.
Camping is popular among walkers. Although there are no official campsites in the area, wild camping is permitted under Scotland’s access laws. This access carries with it a responsibility towards the landscape and the people. Guidelines are available from various Scottish agencies including the Cairngorms National Park.
Eating Out in Braemar
Given the number of visitors, Braemar has relatively little in the rage of eating places and at peak times those which are there can often be busy: booking is recommended. Although the main hotels provide meals for non-residents, it is worth checking times as food may not be available all day.
Other eating places are generally of good quality and cater to a range of tastes. The upmarket Gathering Place bistro provides good quality local dishes at a reasonable price, while the t a s t e … coffee shop and restaurant offers home-made soups and sandwiches, rolls and home-made traybakes.
Simpler meals are available at Gordon’s cafe in the village centre, where the choice is more limited but both quality and value are excellent (as is the range of Scottish beers on offer). Next door, the Old Bakery also offers a range of good café food. Both are excellent for families and both also do takeaways. Fish and chips are available at the Hungry Highlander in the village.
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