Cairn Leuchan

Clean and relaxing. Fresh eggs. Dogs allowed.

Warm and cosy, with lovely towels, bedding, and toiletries. The bed was huge and very comfortable too. The property is in an excellent location and just a short walk from the town.

Nothing - was all good!

Location (5/5): The cottage is perfectly situated in Ballater, right in the heart of Royal Deeside and the beautiful Cairngorms National Park. It serves as an ideal base for both serious hiking and gentle exploration. Being able to drive past landmarks like Balmoral Castle on our way to activities was a real treat. The village itself offers charming local shops and is just a short drive or slightly longer walk away. The Property (5/5): The accommodation was incredibly cozy and welcoming. It was exceptionally warm and comfortable, perfect for winding down after a day out in the Scottish air. The cottage felt clean, well-maintained, and provided a peaceful retreat.

The cottage is in a beautiful, quiet, but not isolated, situation, only 1.5 miles from shops, restaurants etc. in Ballater. It's fresh and modern inside, very comfortable, warm and well-appointed - a great place to come back to after a day outside. There is now a small seated area outside, that faces the view and catches all the sun. Parking is right outside the door. Clare was a very engaged and communicative host. It's in the middle of a very scenic part of Scotland where there's a great range of things to do, from the sedate to the wildly energetic. We visited in Autumn, when the colours are fantastic and the summer crowds have gone - and were lucky enough to get good weather too! I've mentioned some downsides below, but none of them should be enough to put anyone off - I would thoroughly recommend the cottage.

Nowhere to store groceries, other than the fridge. Even a shelf would help. Mountain view? Well, better from upstairs. River view? I think I could maybe see a sliver of river from upstairs. Fireplace? Well, not in the conventional sense - just a coal-effect electric unit with convection, in an odd place. But the cottage is warm so it's not needed. TV is web-only and the broadband kept breaking up. If you like to listen to radio or music, you'll need to use your phone for the somewhat enigmatic Bose speaker system, either with Bluetooth or the dedicated app. If you like pepper on your food, you'll need to take your own!

whole experience, helpful local advice from host Clare

all good

The downstairs was a really delightful living space and very well appointed. Exceptionally clean and modern. TV with lots of channels, parking outside the door and the bathroom was really lovely

The upstairs bedroom was small. The location is fabulous if you want to be in the country and near the river, we would have preferred being within walking distance of Ballater

Wundervolle und sehr schön eingerichtetes Ferienhaus. Wir haben uns sehr wohl gefühlt und würden jederzeit wiederkommen.

Bien situé, agréablement agencé, confortable.