Marcliffe received the accreditation following the retirement of VisitScotland’s Quality Assurance (QA) scheme earlier this year. With VisitScotland discontinuing its hotel ratings earlier this year, the AA system now stands as the gold standard for hotel and restaurant excellence across the UK.

The AA 5-star rating was awarded after a series of anonymous overnight inspections by professional assessors, who evaluated the hotel’s service, facilities, food, and overall guest experience against rigorous criteria. The result reflects the highest level of excellence across every touchpoint of the guest journey.

In addition to the hotel rating, Marcliffe has also received an AA Rosette rating for its restaurant, a recognition of food that stands out in its local area, prepared with care, understanding, and skill using quality ingredients.

Sir Jim Milne CBE, chairman of Marcliffe, said: “This is a brilliant achievement and shows just how far we’ve come in a short time. To think we closed the hotel earlier this year to focus on improving standards, and now we’ve received this award, it’s a huge achievement and something the whole team can be proud of.

“Aberdeen’s a city that deserves a 5-star hotel, and I’m really proud of the team for making it happen.”

In another milestone for Marcliffe’s future, the acquisition of the neighbouring Woodbank Hotel is nearing completion and is expected to be finalised by the end of November. This strategic expansion will nearly triple the size of the Marcliffe estate.