For Sale8 Bedroom House in Balgonie House, Braemar Place, Ballater, Aberdeenshire, AB35 5NQ£995,000

A magnificent detached country house full of charm and character with stunning outlook and a south facing aspect in about 2.5 acres within the Cairngorms National Park. Built around 1898 by James Auldjo Jamieson, the house was originally called Beauvais but was renamed Balgonie in the early 1930s. The architecture of the house is very much in the style of the Arts and Crafts movement and particularly that of one of its most famous architects, Charles Annesley Voysey. Around the turn of this century, Balgonie House was a renowned country house hotel in the heart of Ballater in Royal Deeside. Since purchasing the property in 2010 the current owners have been meticulous with a significant refurbishment programme to provide a wonderful family home. This is a rare opportunity to secure a home of grandeur in an exceptional location on a large site with further potential. Balgonie House is a very impressive detached country house full of character, yet perfectly blending some original with more contemporary features. Beautifully presented and incredibly versatile in layout, the current configuration has five reception rooms which includes the original hotel bar. There are four large primary bedrooms on the first floor with further ancillary/guest accommodation available on the upper floor. The house has some original attractive fireplaces, ornate cornicing, and a pitch pine staircase. The large south facing windows give the house a light and airy atmosphere providing views over the golf course and onwards towards Lochnagar. A stylish and contemporary ambience has been created with a luxury kitchen installed by Kitchens International with extensive drawer, cupboard and shelf space complemented by polished Gneiss stone worksurfaces. Central to the room is an island featuring a circular end cabinet and chopping block. Appliances include a Britannia range cooker and American style fridge-freezer. This area is certainly the heart of the home and allows for very relaxed, informal living space that incorporates a dining space and day room with wood burning stove on open plan. There is also a larder, a utility area and a stable door to outside. More formal and entertaining areas are catered for with three further ground floor reception rooms. The ground floor washroom together with the first floor en suite bathrooms have been renovated in recent years. Flooring throughout is predominantly carpets, tiles and Karndean. On the first floor is a spacious family room, an office and four en suite bedrooms that are named after salmon pools on the River Dee. A guest suite on the 2nd floor offers considerable flexibility. Located nearby in the grounds is the Coach House, a delightful detached chalet-style annexe completed to a high specification. The well appointed accommodation comprises three en suite bedrooms, a utility room and superb contemporary open plan kitchen/living room with access onto the balcony for outdoor dining. Mostly laid in lawn, the garden gently slopes down to Ballater Golf course with views of the hills beyond. Enclosed by a number of mature trees and a small mixed wooded copse there is ample privacy and seclusion. The boundaries are enclosed by a combination of masonry walls, timber fencing and post and wire fencing. A substantial summer house is presently used as a games room, with electricity and large veranda. This is a perfect retreat room, studio, office or home business premises. In addition there is a greenhouse, several storage sheds, and a pond. The driveway is large and well surfaced at the rear for parking and turning for numerous vehicles. There is a modern detached double garage block. There is also a substantial older timber garage with a large storage area at the rear. The latter is ideal for garden equipment and furniture. View payable LBTT Calculator for this property