Cottages in Aviemore

Table of Contents

• At a glance: What should you know about renting a cottage in Aviemore?
• Cottages in Aviemore: find your perfect retreat
• Exploring Aviemore: our top recommendations
• Activities: What are the top things to do and see in Aviemore?

• Cottages built for the outdoors: Most self-catering cottages here come with parking, a drying space, a full kitchen and often a wood-burning stove, so wet boots and long days on the hill are easy to manage.
• Where to base yourself: Stay on Grampian Road for shops and the railway station, or out at Rothiemurchus, Glenmore and Boat of Garten for forest and loch on the doorstep.
• Guests rate them highly: Our best-reviewed Aviemore cottages sit at 9.7+ and above, with guests praising the space, the warmth and the short drive to the ski road.
• Year-round appeal: Winter brings snowsports on Cairn Gorm, while May to September suits walking, paddling on Loch Morlich and the Strathspey steam railway.
• Plenty to fill a week: Reindeer, ospreys at Loch Garten, Landmark Forest Adventure Park and the Highland Folk Museum are all within easy reach.

Cottages in Aviemore range from small stone-built retreats for two to roomy family houses sleeping six or more, most of them with a garden, off-road parking and a stove. Many sit within a few minutes of Grampian Road, while others are tucked into birch woodland on the edge of the village. Certain amenities matter more here than elsewhere.

• A wood-burning stove or open fire for cold Cairngorms evenings
• A boot room or utility space for drying walking and ski kit
• Secure storage for bikes, skis and paddleboards
• Private parking within reach of the ski road and the A9
• Gardens and enclosed outdoor space, including dog-friendly cottages

Filter by what you actually plan to do, and the shortlist gets much simpler.

What are the best areas to stay in Aviemore?

For a first visit, Aviemore village itself is hard to beat, with the station, shops and the ski road all close by; the wider Cairngorms National Park opens up quieter options. The table below details regions for specific interests:

What do our guests say?

Guests staying in Aviemore cottages tend to comment on the same things: how much space there is for the price, how quickly you can be in the trees or on the hill, and how welcome a stove is after a wet day. Ratings across our best-reviewed properties in the village run from 9.7+ upwards, with cleanliness, parking and helpful local hosts mentioned again and again.

Here are our top-rated cottages from the past year:

1. Carn Eilrig - 9.9+: A six-person cottage in Aviemore with a well-equipped kitchen and parking, praised for its quiet setting and easy access to the Cairngorms.
2. Clunnie Mor - S4615 - 9.8+: Sleeps six in Aviemore, with a fireplace and garden that guests single out after long days walking in Rothiemurchus.
3. Glenrothay - 9.7+: A four-person Aviemore cottage with a garden and washing machine, handy for drying kit between days on the hill.

Aviemore sits in Strathspey, in the north-west of the Cairngorms National Park, ringed by pine forest, lochs and the high granite plateau.

🥗Where to eat in Aviemore?

According to Google Maps data and reviews, Constables Bothy is the best rated restaurant in Aviemore. Below is a table showing the top 5 highly-rated restaurants hand-picked by our travel experts.

⭐Our guests’ recommendation: Our guest traveller Emma Wilson recommends the The Barn at Rothiemurchus in Aviemore: it sits beside the estate farm shop, so lunch and the homemade baking come from more or less the same fields you have just walked through.

1. Ride the Cairngorm funicular
2. Walk the Loch an Eilein circuit
3. Meet the Cairngorm reindeer
4. Swim and paddle at Loch Morlich
5. Take the Strathspey steam railway
6. Watch ospreys at Loch Garten
7. Explore Glenmore Forest Park

1. Ride the Cairngorm funicular

   The Cairngorm funicular climbs from the ski area car park to the Ptarmigan station at around 1,100 metres, where there is a café, an exhibition and a viewpoint over Strathspey. A word of caution: the plateau above the top station is serious mountain terrain, exposed and prone to sudden changes in weather even in summer. If you plan to walk up there, check the mountain forecast first and go properly equipped with map, compass, warm and waterproof layers and boots. It is not a casual stroll.

2. Walk the Loch an Eilein circuit

   This gentle loop of roughly 5 kilometres runs through the Rothiemurchus pinewood around a loch with a ruined 13th-century castle on an island in the middle. The path is well surfaced, largely flat and suitable for families, and there is a pay-and-display car park at the start. Look out for red squirrels, crested tits and, in autumn, some of the best colour in the Highlands. Allow around two hours if you stop for photographs.

3. Meet the Cairngorm reindeer

   Britain’s only free-ranging reindeer herd lives on the hills above Glenmore and can be visited on a guided hill trip from the centre near Loch Morlich. You walk a short way onto the open hillside, then hand-feed animals that are entirely used to people. Trips run daily in season and book up quickly in the school holidays, so reserve ahead. Wear boots and waterproofs, as the ground underfoot is rough and often wet.

4. Swim and paddle at Loch Morlich

   Loch Morlich has a genuine sandy beach backed by Scots pine, with the Cairngorms rising behind it. In summer you can hire kayaks, canoes and paddleboards from the watersports centre, or simply swim, picnic and walk the four-mile path around the shore. The water stays cold year-round, so treat open-water swimming carefully. There is a car park, a café and toilets close to the beach.

5. Take the Strathspey steam railway

   The Strathspey Railway runs restored steam trains from Aviemore through Boat of Garten to Broomhill, a round trip of about an hour and 40 minutes past meadows, river and woodland. Special services include afternoon teas, Sunday lunches and festive trains. Boat of Garten station is worth lingering over on its own, and the line makes an easy wet-weather option when the tops are clouded in.

6. Watch ospreys at Loch Garten

   About twenty minutes’ drive from Aviemore, the RSPB reserve at Loch Garten is one of the best places in Britain to see ospreys during the breeding season, with live camera feeds and telescopes in the hide. The surrounding Abernethy pinewood also holds red squirrels and crossbills. Paths through the forest are gentle and well marked, making this an easy half-day for families and first-time birdwatchers alike.

7. Explore Glenmore Forest Park

   Glenmore Forest Park fills the ground between Aviemore and the foot of Cairn Gorm, with waymarked walking and cycling trails through old pine, a visitor centre and links to the Loch Morlich shore. Routes range from short buggy-friendly loops to longer climbs towards Ryvoan Pass and the Green Lochan, whose extraordinary colour is worth the walk. Bikes can be hired in Aviemore and ridden out along the estate tracks.