About Us

Luxury, elegant and relaxed

The Marcliffe at Pitfodels is a luxurious, relaxed and ultra-elegant five-star Scottish country hotel set in its own picturesque grounds on the outskirts of the historic city of Aberdeen in North-east Scotland.

Since the officially opening in 1993 by Soviet Premier Mikhail Gorbachev, it has earned worldwide renown as Aberdeen's only five-star hotel, and the ideal base for exploring all the many riches that Scotland has to offer.

Mikhail Gorbachev opens The Marcliffe Hotel at Pitfodels

Although the Marcliffe offers a comprehensive range of superb facilities, which has deservedly earned it membership of the coveted Small Luxury Hotels of the World, it is essentially a family-friendly intimate hotel run by Owner Stewart Spence who is fiercely proud of its ambience of warmth, ease and charm.

You will have your own reasons for seeking a hotel of the calibre of the Marcliffe - perhaps you wish to visit the Grampian Region for a business meeting, perhaps you simply want to relax and chill-out in the comforting atmosphere of an exclusive hotel, or perhaps you want to be in adventurous mood and strike out on a famous tourist trail in which Scotland is the perfect place to explore the past, the present and the future.

Steeped in history, with an outstandingly rich heritage, you can discover and explore Scotland and all of its glories from your Marcliffe base which is ideally located to embrace and enjoy many of the country’s finest attractions - all within easy travelling distance.

When you choose the Marcliffe as your hotel of choice, you can select from five suites and 37 bedrooms - all individually designed with your comfort in mind. Suites and rooms have king-size or zip-link beds, while inter-connecting rooms have double and twin beds to accommodate four guests, with extra roll-away beds available for larger families. Naturally, we all have all the ancillary facilities you would expect of a five-star hotel, including 24-hour room service and our attentive staffs who will guarantee to make your stay at the Marcliffe a most memorable experience.

As one of the UK's most distinguished hotels, the Marcliffe at has welcomed many high-profile guests. From the British Royal Family, there has been HRH Prince Charles and HRH Princess Anne; foreign dignitaries including the Sultan of Brunei; former British Prime Minister and world statesman Tony Blair; actor Charlton Heston and rock star Rod Stewart from the show business world, and legendary US golfer Tom Watson. It also caters specifically for the business and corporate world.

The hotel offers a choice of six private banqueting and conference rooms. These striking individually-decorated suites are ideal for cocktail parties, private luncheons and dinners, and receptions and board meetings for any number ranging from just two to 400. Many special events such as themed banquets, new product launches, press conferences and satellite conferencing are held in the various suites for our extensive private corporate client portfolio.

And if you seek a romantic wedding, in the most romantic of countries, the Marcliffe at Pitfodels will provide an all-in package to cater for all your needs - even a kilted Scottish piper!

We are especially proud of our culinary delights. In the design and preparation of our cuisine, our team of chefs selects locally-grown vegetables to complement Scotland's finest fish, meat and game...and reflect the truly Scottish nature of the Marcliffe. Set amid mature trees in 11 acres of wooded grounds, the Marcliffe has an instantly recognisable feeling of the countryside - but is just 10 minutes drive from Aberdeen city centre.

Aberdeen is Europe's oil capital, and one of the most distinctive and beautiful cities in the UK - highlighted by it’s predominantly granite buildings which has led it to be known as the “Granite City”.

Aberdeen has a rich maritime past as a great trading centre- famous for its shipbuilding and fishing industries in the past, and its current pre-eminence as a major and significant player on the global oil and gas industry scene.

Aberdeen is the gateway to Royal Deeside and Balmoral Castle which has been the holiday home of the British Royal Family's through seven generations since 1852.

WE ARE HERE TO HELP

Our Conservatory Restaurant serves breakfast, lunch (outside in summer) and dinner. Our chefs specialise in Grampian produce - Aberdeen Angus beef, game with fish and shellfish from local rivers and ports. The wine cellar holds more than 400 wines and the elegant but cosy Drawing Room bar is stocked with more than 100 choice malt whiskies.

A sense of comfort and well-being in our guests is the overriding aim of management and staff at the Marcliffe Hotel. Additionally, the staff of our Spa adds cosseting, pampering, massages, aroma therapy, facial and body treatments. Whatever spa treatments you choose, you will be in the sure, safe hands of our fully-qualified specialists.

The finest hunting, shooting and fishing to be found in Scotland can be arranged at very7 short notice through our network of agents on Royal Deeside and elsewhere in North-east Scotland. Golf can be enjoyed on a wide variety of local traditional courses including Cruden Bay, Murcar, and the renowned Royal Aberdeen Golf Club - the sixth oldest registered golf club (1780) in the world.

SCOTLAND'S FAMOUS CASTLE AND WHISKY COUNTRY

We are right in the heart of Scotland’s Castle and Whisky country - home to more castles per acre than anywhere else in the UK – close on 300 if you wish to count!

The Castle Trail takes in 11 of the finest examples of Scotland’s architectural heritage. And we are no distance away from Moray which embraces the world’s only Malt Whisky Trail - a superbly scenic route boasting eight malt whisky distilleries and one cooperage.

The Grampian area offers a multitude of sports and leisure attractions, including 52 excellent golf courses – both links and inland courses. The area's coastline offers great opportunities for water sport enthusiasts, and two of Scotland premier ski-ing destinations - The Lech and Glenshee - are located in Scotland’s Castle and Whisky country.

The many towering mountains, glens and hills offer a choice for walkers of all abilities, and some of Scotland’s best fishing can be found on a clutch of rivers – including the Spey, Dee, Don, Deveron and Ythan. And the area’s outstanding environment of rivers, mountains and forests are ideal for a wide variety of outdoor activities - including cycling, canoeing, off-road driving, rafting, shooting, stalking, trekking and diving.