I N T R O D U C I N G
the stag on the river
A 17th-century riverside inn in the Surrey countryside
Independent creative study by Henley. Images/screen captures used for commentary; all rights remain with their owners .Image / Fife Arms
Godalming | Surrey
7 Rooms
HOTEL OPEN / Since 2007
OWNERS / Artfarm (Iwan & Manuela Wirth)
DESIGN / Russell Sage Studio
The Fife Arms stands in the heart of the Cairngorms - part inn, part living gallery. A property celebrated for its art, eccentricity and design.
Over sixteen thousand artworks and objects fill its rooms: an antler chandelier here, a Lucian Freud sketch there. It’s at once opulent and irreverent; a museum that hums with firelight and conversation.
THE LANGUAGE WE FOUND
The visual identity is rich and unmistakable.
The written voice is restrained — factual where it could be felt.
Words like sumptuous, breathtaking, freestanding copper bath tell us what is there, not what it feels like to be there.
In an age where guests read tone as keenly as design, the opportunity lies in making the language as evocative as the interiors.
kEY AREAS FOR REFINEMENT
While the visual storytelling is beautiful executed the written voice doesn’t yet share the same depth or texture. The language used throughout the website and collateral remains largely descriptive, focusing on what exists rather than how it feels.
Rooms
Current copy focuses on amenities and heritage references, but misses the emotion of the spaces — the sense of intimacy, eccentricity, and collected history that defines each room.
Refinement Opportunity.Move from feature-led to feeling-led language ands use tone to mirror atmosphere.
Food & Drink
Each dining space has a distinct personality — from The Clunie Dining Room to Bertie’s Whisky Bar — yet the tone doesn’t distinguish between them.
Refinement Opportunity.
: Introduce a more narrative rhythm — speak to sensory experience, pacing, and seasonality.
VOICE CONSISTENCY
Current copy focuses on amenities and heritage references, but misses the emotion of the spaces — the sense of intimacy, eccentricity, and collected history that defines each room.
Refinement Opportunity.Move from feature-led to feeling-led language ands use tone to mirror atmosphere.
Storytelling Integration
Each dining space has a distinct personality — from The Clunie Dining Room to Bertie’s Whisky Bar — yet the tone doesn’t distinguish between them.
Refinement Opportunity.
: Introduce a more narrative rhythm — speak to sensory experience, pacing, and seasonality.
ROOMS
To begin, we turned to the rooms —-where the stories of The Fife Arms first unfold. Bedrooms are often the most personal expression of a hotel’s identity.
current copy
From literature and astronomy to engineering and exploration, Scotland has produced leading figures in fields such as science and the arts. These names and stories have inspired the Scottish Culture Rooms which are situated throughout the hotel. Interconnecting rooms are available. Room sizes are approximate.
HENLEY REWRITE
Inspired by Scotland’s great makers and minds — from writers and astronomers to explorers and engineers — these rooms celebrate a country shaped by curiosity. Each space carries its own quiet tribute: art, books and objects that honour the nation’s restless imagination.Around 30 square metres of thoughtful design, with options for interconnecting rooms and full accessibility.
A place to rest, reflect, and dream beneath the same northern sky that inspired its namesakes.
public spaces
current copy
From literature and astronomy to engineering and exploration, Scotland has produced leading figures in fields such as science and the arts. These names and stories have inspired the Scottish Culture Rooms which are situated throughout the hotel. Interconnecting rooms are available. Room sizes are approximate.
HENLEY REWRITE
Inspired by Scotland’s great makers and minds — from writers and astronomers to explorers and engineers — these rooms celebrate a country shaped by curiosity. Each space carries its own quiet tribute: art, books and objects that honour the nation’s restless imagination.Around 30 square metres of thoughtful design, with options for interconnecting rooms and full accessibility.
A place to rest, reflect, and dream beneath the same northern sky that inspired its namesakes.