The Cairn

34 Customer Reviews

• "The cottage was excellent, everything there that you need."

  This would not stop us going back but the only thing that was a problem was the access. We have a 4x4 vehicle, going in was OK but coming out was quite difficult due to the space on a tight manoeuvre between two buildings. The village shop is next door to the Cairn and is extremely well stocked. All in all it is an excellent location to enjoy the area.

  Reviewed by Aileen4.4★Sep 2024

• "Lovely cottage handy for shop and pub."

  Wonderfully clean, well equipped, very central. Toilet seat very wobbly and the view from bedroom and kitchen very untidy due to shop leaving cardboard rubbish outside. If you have a large car the approach could be challenging due to a tight dog leg turn. Did enjoy our stay though, cottage well maintained and extremely toasty warm.

  Reviewed by Susan4.7★Aug 2024

• "This was a wonderful place to stay."

  It was very cozy and clean. It was confusing trying to find the driveway and figure out where to park when you arrive right before dark, but we figured it out. There was a for sale sign on the building, and if we could have done it, we would have bought it, we enjoyed it so much.

  Reviewed by Lori5.0★Aug 2024

• "Nice cottage in a lovely location."

  Reviewed by David5.0★Jul 2024

• "Brilliant stay thank you, the toilet seat was broken, having repaired/ modified these many times professionally in the past, I would suggest that after the repair, to stop it re-occuring, that the toilet roll holder be moved to the right of the radiator."

  That way people will not have to swivel on the seat to reach the toilet paper.

  Reviewed by John5.0★Jun 2024

• "Everything was great."

  Lovely, modern very clean cottage. Our only comment - As we did a lot of walking during our visit some sort of foot stool/pouffee would have been lovely!

  Reviewed by Janet5.0★Mar 2024

• "I enjoyed my 5 nights at the Cairn, very clean and modern and also nice and quiet."

  Reviewed by Stuart5.0★Feb 2024

• "Delighted with the accommodation, facilities, local facilities and the peace and quiet."

  Looking forward to our next stay.

  Reviewed by Richard5.0★Nov 2023

• "The owners here has been very generous."

  They have refurbed the small property but have stacked it out with all mod cons. They allow you to up the heating if you like and the best bit is an outstanding mains shower. The cleaner was a bit grumpy as we were 10 mins late but we weren't charged thankfully. Kitchen was good for cooking and there was everything needed like washer and dryer. Everything was brand new, only room for one car but main road 10 meters away wasn't that busy. I played music quite late and didn't disturb any neighbours as it was a detached property.

  Reviewed by Brian4.7★Oct 2023

• "The house is very beautiful and lovingly furnished."

  It has everything you need. The cleanliness was excellent. Only the toilet seat was very wobbly and the ventilation didn't work. Information about the very narrow access would be desirable. It wasn't that easy to get in and out with a VW bus. ​

  Reviewed by Marion4.4★Aug 2023

• "Lovely comfortable cottage."

  Great location. It had everything we needed for a great stay. We would definitely book again.

  Reviewed by Paula5.0★Jul 2023

• "We had a lovely few days away, loved the house and it was very well equipped, ..."

  We had a lovely few days away, loved the house and it was very well equipped, enjoyed exploring the surrounding area with Smudge our dog, the shower was amazing and the bed was very comfortable too, would definitely like to come back again sometime ❤️

  Reviewed by Jane5.0★Jun 2023

• "The property was excellent in all detail."

  The layout was convenient on a single floor and the cottage was cleanly decorated and well presented. The location was central and and there were countless days out within a reasonable radius.

  Reviewed by Robert5.0★Jun 2023

• "We thoroughly enjoyed our 10 nights at The Cairn."

  The cottage was modern, clean, well presented and the facilities excellent (the shower is the best I have ever used!) The beds and chairs are comfortable and the heating is easy to use and responsive. The Boat of Garten location is perfect for exploring the Cairngorms and Anderson's restaurant, just up the street, is a gem. All-in-all, we found it hard to tear ourselves away. Thanks for a fantastic stay.

  Reviewed by Christopher5.0★May 2023

• "Bathroom lock sticks sometimes sharp turns for parking space but nice place to stay"

  Reviewed by Frederick4.4★May 2023

• "We had a terrific stay at The Cairn."

  Facilities were perfect, extremely tidy house and really well kept. Location is great for walks and we were able to have our dog with us too which is always a bonus! Right beside the village shop which is welcoming and well stocked. Thanks very much for the great deal. Brilliant value for money.

  Reviewed by Andy5.0★Apr 2023

• "A very comfortable and warm cottage."

  Sadly no views or garden as the windows face the rear of the village shop. Sometimes difficult to access parking.

  Reviewed by Pam5.0★Mar 2023

• "Great value for money, nice not to to be overcharged."

  Lovely comfortable house we'll be back!

  Reviewed by Ruth5.0★Oct 2022

• "Irritated that a large bunch of keys for local churches, houses and businesses, had been left in the property."

  Texted the housekeeper listed in the information book [within the house], who later texted back informing me that they no longer cleaned the house. Decided that I wasn't prepared to spend more of my holiday chasing up forgetful cleaners or negligent owners. Mid-week I received a text message from 'a detail focussed and efficient' cleaning company asking if there was a bunch of keys in the house and then could we arrange for them to be picked up. This was annoying as I believe it was a breach of GDPR and of the Sykes contract. My details had been shared with a third party, not for the purposes of payment or key pickup, or for the general promotion of local businesses as stated in the contract. I would have expected either Sykes or the owners to have contacted myself directly regarding the keys and not a third party. For balance we have previously rented a number of properties through Sykes without issue, have been satisfied and they are always the first place we look for holiday accommodation. Disappointed with the performance on this occasion. The cottage would have benefitted from some more cleaning materials, such as a decent brush. Having a dog [casting at the time] we were particularly mindful of cleaning up before leaving, being more vigilant before leaving noted his [distinctive] hair wasn't the only dog hair. Whatever the truth in 'poor workers blaming their tools' we felt hampered for want of better tools.

  Reviewed by Stewart3.1★Sep 2022

• "Had a great stay."

  House was lovely and cosy. Great location will recommend.

  Reviewed by Fraser5.0★Sep 2022

• "The whole property was excellent clean everything you need for the stay."

  Very comfortable one of the best we have had. Outside was the only thing we were disappointed with as we had our dog with us no garden to let them run in. But there was plenty of walking areas for exercise them. We had the view of the rear of the shop from our stay. But it was fine.

  Reviewed by Paul5.0★Jul 2022

• "The House is located in the backyard and there is nothing to enjoy your eyes but it was a great place for my dog."

  I could open the door an he run around in the backyard and he stayed safe. If you have garden chairs you could place them and sit outside. The cottage is beautiful and my dog and i felt very well. The bed was comfortable and the shower was a dream. The forrest from the village is great for a walk with dog. I could recommend the cairn and we would love it to stay there again.

  Reviewed by Monika5.0★Jun 2022

• "Lovely property."

  Very clean and tidy. Nicely tucked away from the road . Nice and quiet. Post office is local. Nice walks in the Cairngorms all around. Aviemore just down the road. Make this a great location to stay

  Reviewed by Karl4.7★May 2022

• "Very pleasant and well appointed cottage."

  We had a comfortable stay and would recommend it to others.

  Reviewed by Michael4.7★Mar 2022

• "Great location."

  Lovely clean and comfortable cottage in the centre of the village with a shop and pub on the doorstep. Driving into the property was a little tight but not impossible. Ok there's no outside seating, but we are out from first light till dusk so was never an issue.

  Reviewed by Hannah5.0★Jan 2022

• "Lovely interior very well equipped great location for a holiday"

  Reviewed by Alastair4.7★Sep 2021

• "Lovely property in a great location for exploring the Highlands."

  Very modern and clean property, so it was frustrating that the only cleaning products left were washing up liquid and anti bac spray. There was no hob cleaner, for example, to enable us to care for the property and nothing in the bathroom. I think from reading previous reviews that the cleaning company is not thorough in that there was no bag in the kitchen bin, only half a toilet roll and they didn't leave the stated laundry bag for the end of the stay. We had a lovely stay here, but feel these little issues could so easily be rectified to make it a great stay.

  Reviewed by Victoria4.7★Sep 2021

• "Toilet seat still broken."

  Very disappointed with no outside space, looking onto back of a untidy shop area, photo of the cairn from outside misleading, not value for money.

  Thank you for leaving feedback, the toilet seat has been checked and was found to be loose, all bolts have now been tightened and it is now fine, if you had made us aware of this during your stay this could have been rectified for you. The Cairn is not advertised with any outside space, and we feel the pictures on the website represent the property perfectly as they give a clear indication of the size and style of The Cairn. The listing states that The Cairn shares a driveway with the real of the local store, I am sorry this was untidy at the time of your stay. Property Owner

  Reviewed by Colin3.8★Sep 2021

• "The cottage was very clean and had obviously been upgraded recently to a high standard."

  Property is in a lovely village and an excellent situation for exploring Speyside. Parking is tight at the property as it is next to the village shop and post office. Having said that the shop has a great selection of everything you need and is very much part of the community.

  Reviewed by Fiona4.7★Jul 2021

• "We spent a week at this cottage and thankful that we hadn’t booked two weeks!"

  ! Firstly I have to state that I had not read the script properly re this cottage and thought there was a garden – WRONG! However there was also no space to sit outside mainly due to the close proximity of the back of the post office. Basically the space between the shop and cottage is two car wide and quite busy so definitely not (in my opinion) suitable for children.. On a positive note the cottage is lovely however as already stated in prev reviews the seating is not suitable for tall people, which we both are. This did cause a major problem for my husband particularly and the seating exacerbated his back problem to the extent he had to increase his pain relief. You might think we should have cut the holiday short, well unfortunately, I also took ill so the drive home was not on until the Friday when we did leave!! The views from this cottage are awful, you look out from the living room and see a the main driveway which I must state is very tight for cars and from kitchen window is the crates and boxes etc. I have not had the opportunity to post my photos re the views around this cottage re Skyes feedback survey but I will pursue and hopefully find a way!! The owners never showed up to welcome us and the welcome pack left was meagre i.e: 7 dishwasher tabs, 4 coffee and three tea sachets and three milk pots – are, for me, extremely poor given the price of this cottage. To end on a positive note, I would definitely return to Boat of Garten again as it is a lovely village with lots of local walks etc.

  Thank you for your comment regarding the welcome pack, this was a one off oversight by our cleaning team. We can only apologise that our property was not what you had hoped for as you mentioned you had not read the description of the property. The cottage is Centrally located within the village, this is the ideal location to discover the delights of Boat Of Garten Property Owner

  Reviewed by Laura2.5★Jun 2021

• "The cottage was lovely, decorated to a high standard and well equipped."

  Just two things of note for potential visitors - the furniture in the living area is on the small size, and the cottage is located at the back of the Post Office and as such looks onto a storage area. Boat of Garten is beautiful and a great location from which to explore the area. Throughly enjoyed our stay.

  Reviewed by Ruth4.7★Jun 2021

• "The cottage is ‘bijou’, as in a little tight, but the facilities are great."

  Fix that toilet seat, please! The location is excellent, a stone’s through from the hotel and restaurant, and right next to the friendly (and well stocked) village shop.

  Thank you for your feedback, I can confirm that the toilet seat has now been fixed. I hope to see you again in the future. Kind regards Property Owner

  Reviewed by Jonathan4.7★May 2021

• "Really lovely inside - everything looked and felt like new."

  Lots of lovely homely touches.. Warm and comfortable. The best shower I have ever come across out of all the hotels/lodges or cottages I’ve stayed in over the years!! All the little things provided - dishwasher tablets, washing up liquid, some coffee sachets, milk etc. A few games provided - in the hall cupboard. The Post Office/shop next door has everything you need in case you have forgotten anything. The local hotel is about 50 yds away and serves food all day. Alcoholic drinks outside only at this time

  Reviewed by Brian5.0★Oct 2020

• "Perfect bolthole for couples wanting to explore the Cairgorm area."

  Clean and comfortable. Boat of Garten has good facilities too, would recommend Andersons restaurant and their brilliant pizza oven.

  Reviewed by Karen5.0★Sep 2020

• There are no reviews featuring this term Show all reviews