Norwood Hotel, Garthdee Road, Cults, Aberdeenshire.
Macdonald Norwood Hall Hotel was built in 1881 on the site of the 15th Century Pitfodels Castle. The interior is more interesting than the exterior. The somewhat dark spaces such as the stairwell are nevertheless so rich in detailing that they fascinate the beholder. The hardwood wainscoting rises to a band of ornate banding of similar colour and above that into a wall of anaglypta wallpaper in dark colours highlighted so that they catch the glow of the lamps. But this is not yet the frieze. That is a bolder embossed band above it and an ornate cornice, above which can be found vaulted ceilings and rooflights. Other public rooms may have Arts and Crafts wallpaper and stained glass windows, the latter adding to the interior ambience, not distracting from it.
While I found it very atmospheric and charming, it is not surprising to find references to it seem to usually include ghost stories. What is now electrical lighting would have been flickering candles or oil lamps.
http://www.hauntedisland.co.uk/haunted-hotels/norwood-hall-hotel-aberdeen
http://www.vam.ac.uk/content/articles/a/short-introductory-history-of-wallpaper/
