The Shelter Stone Cottage, Aviemore

The Shelter Stone Cottage is about as easy a dog holiday as the Cairngorms offer. It sits on Grampian Road in the middle of Aviemore, within walking distance of the station, the shops and the pubs, which means the car can stay put for a couple of days while you walk out along the Spey or drive ten minutes to Loch Morlich and Glenmore.

What sets it apart for dog owners is the enclosed outdoor space. Guests travelling with dogs mention it in almost every review: a fenced garden and courtyard at the back where a dog can be let out safely, first thing and last thing, without a lead. That is a rare thing in a town-centre rental, and it is the single most repeated reason people with dogs rate this place so highly. The owner also leaves out dog bowls and a blanket, so there is less to pack.

The welcome is owner-run and unobtrusive in the right way. Guests are met at the cottage on arrival, late arrivals are accommodated without fuss, and the note running through the reviews is of a host who is available but not hovering. Inside, the cottage is warm, clean and properly kitted out, with off-road parking directly in front, which matters in an Aviemore high season when street parking disappears.

The caveats are modest. The house sleeps four, and guests who filled it note it would feel tight over a longer trip; the enclosed area outside is a courtyard rather than a lawn, so it is somewhere to let a dog out rather than somewhere to exercise one. No pet fee or dog limit is published, and the owners ask for a dog to be agreed in writing before you arrive, so settle all of that when you book. Best suited to a couple or small group with one or two dogs who want a walkable base for Rothiemurchus, Loch Morlich and the Cairngorm hills.