Mountain Hare Apartment, Kincraig

Mountain Hare Apartment sits in a small cluster of holiday flats tucked into pine woodland just outside Kincraig, and the setting is the reason to bring a dog here. Walking trails start at the front door and drop down through the trees to the river, so the first walk of the day needs no car at all. One well behaved dog is welcome in the apartment.

The flat is a one-bedroom with a sofa bed, and guests travelling with dogs consistently describe it as spotless, warm and generously equipped, with a wood burner inside and a shared fire pit outside. Logs are charged separately. The owner is easy to reach and quick to answer questions, which dog owners mention often.

Kincraig is a base for a dog holiday rather than a town break. Loch Insh and its watersports centre are minutes away, the lochs and forest tracks towards Rothiemurchus are close by, and Aviemore is roughly twenty minutes by car. Guests who wanted shops and restaurants on the doorstep have found that drive a stretch.

Two things are worth knowing before booking with a dog. The outdoor space is shared with the neighbouring flats rather than fenced and private, and dog owners have found that other dogs running loose out there makes coming and going through the doors awkward. There is also no washing machine, which comes up repeatedly given how muddy Cairngorms walks get, and reports on cleanliness are mixed - most guests call the flat immaculate, but tired soft furnishings and dirty bedroom carpets have both been flagged.

It suits a couple or small family with one dog who want woodland and water on the doorstep and do not mind driving for supplies. On that basis it earns a 4.2 out of 5 paw rating.