Osprey Apartment, Kincraig

Osprey Apartment is a first-floor flat in a small woodland development near Kincraig, between Aviemore and Kingussie in the Cairngorms, and its strongest card for a dog owner is what sits outside the door. Walks start from the property itself, the surroundings are quiet pine woodland with red squirrels and bird feeders in view of the windows, and Loch Insh and the Spey are a few minutes away.

One dog is allowed per booking, so this is a stay for a single-dog household rather than a pair. Feedback from dog owners is thin so far, and what there is describes the flat as a comfortable size for two adults and a large dog, with the doorstep walks the main draw. Treat the welcome as promising rather than proven.

Two practical points carry more weight here than they would elsewhere. Cleanliness at changeover has been inconsistent, and that includes dog hair left behind from previous stays, which is fine if you are bringing a dog anyway but a real problem if anyone in the party is allergic. It is worth raising with the letting agency in advance. The heating is also shared with the apartment below, so the zone can be altered by the other occupants, and guests have arrived to a cold flat and had to sort it out with their neighbours.

The apartment itself is well finished, with a good-sized bedroom, roof windows and a small but workable kitchen, and there are lodges alongside it on the same site, so larger family groups often book several units together. Shower pressure is weak and the log burner in the communal area is shared, which not everyone feels comfortable using. No pet fee is published, so confirm the charge and the house rules for dogs when you book. At 4.3/5 it suits a couple with one dog who want silence, woodland and Cairngorms walking, and who are ready to flag anything amiss with the agency early in the stay.