Pine Marten Lodge

This is our second visit to Pine Marten Lodge and it remains a fantastic place to stay and a brilliant base for the Cairngorms area.

The accomodation is perfect for our family of 5. The boys (11 and 13) love their « beds behind curtains » and the 2nd double is perfect for my older daughter (15). The master bedroom is also a delight to sleep in. The lodge itself with its well equipped kitchen, veranda overlooking the squirrels and hot tub is a genuinely perfect place to stay. Special mention to Nick for his communication and to the cleaning team who did a fantastic job making the place spotless for our arrival. We will return

Pine marten lodge was an excellent stay.

We found the lodge very cosy, in a great location. Kitchen had everything you require if you were to do some cooking, if not then takeaway and restaurants aren’t far away, we had two dogs with us, lots of good walks in the area. Very comfortable stay and wish it could be longer.

Firstly thank you for a wonderful stay at Pine Martin Lodge .

As soon as we walked in we fell in love ! The house was immaculately clean and lovely and warm . We were treated to a lovely dusting of snow which made the stay extra special . We loved the hot tub and spent the early mornings sitting quietly in the tub watching the squirrels . The house is in a perfect position to explore lots of beautiful areas. We can’t wait to come back !

We booked Pine Marten as a late escape to ski at Lecht 2090.

All I can say is that it was a real find. The pictures on the website demonstrate how lovely this lodge is. As a family we enjoyed every minute especially the hot tub and nestling in by the fire to watch the Winter Olympics. The walks are on the doorstep and there is even a garden centre for lunch and mid dog walk stop nestled in the forest about 15 minute walk away. Aviemore was close for a Tesco shop and good restaurants. Getting to the ski slopes couldn’t have been easier either. A great find and thank you to the owner for taking the trouble to check in with us to make sure everything had gone well. I really recommend this lodge.

The location and setting of the cabin is amazing and was the main reason for booking, we travel to aviemore a lot and this place looked like a amazing stay for a few nights, the house is well equipped and really nice hot tub and log burner, perfect for walks and great garden.

The only issue which we did message on WhatsApp to Sykes with no response was that there was a lot of dog hair around the house, and in the beds, I sent pictures but had no response from Sykes cottages. We are pet friendly and we had our little dog with us but in no way did we expect the beds to be matted in dog hair and on most of the floors too bathroom was also the same black dog hair everywhere. We replaced the batteries in remotes as these weren’t working. The place is amazing but that was the only sad point to this is that it wasn’t cleaned for guests

Absolutely breathtaking log cabin and a rare gem to find in Scotland.

The accommodation itself is beautiful and we truly could not fault it in terms of appearance. We had a wonderful week away and thoroughly enjoyed the surrounding area, which is ideal for dog walking and conveniently close to a garden centre that we visited frequently. There were, however, a few minor issues during our stay, all of which were discussed with the owner. On arrival, the batteries were dead in both the downstairs and upstairs TV remotes. This was easily resolved by purchasing our own batteries, although it would have been helpful to have the TVs operational upon arrival. There was an unpleasant smell coming from the downstairs bathroom when we first arrived, though this resolved itself after the first night. The shower temperature was also inconsistent, fluctuating between very hot and very cold with no stable setting. The owner arranged for a plumber to attend, which improved the issue temporarily, although the problem did return after a couple of days. We experienced an issue with the hot tub cover on the first day. When opening it, the lid fell back onto the ground due to the steep drop behind the hot tub. A technician attended promptly, replaced the cover, and explained that the previous supports were not adequate for the weight. While this was resolved quickly, it was understandably alarming at the time. Some form of platform or additional support at the rear would improve safety. On arrival, there were also several dead spiders in the shower, on the sofa, and in the sink. I understand that spiders are common in log cabins; however, as someone with severe arachnophobia, it would have been greatly appreciated if these had been removed prior to our arrival. The fridge/freezer did not appear to be cooling sufficiently and stopped working after three days. The log burner seal also did not seem to be tight enough, drawing in excess air and resulting in us having to use a significant amount of wood to maintain a steady fire. One drawback of the property is its location, as it sits directly beside a busy main road, meaning there is traffic noise during both the day and night. That said, this was something we were largely able to ignore as the stay went on. There are several decorative lanterns and lights throughout the lodge, including on the dining table, beside the log burner, and on the stairs. Unfortunately, none of these were in working order, and replacing the batteries did not resolve the issue. Despite the above points, we thoroughly enjoyed our stay and would happily have stayed for another week or two. The owner, Nick, was extremely helpful throughout and maintained excellent communication, addressing issues promptly wherever possible. We would recommend this property to others, as with a few improvements and attention to detail, it has the potential to be exceptional.

We had a wonderful stay at Pine Martin Lodge, beautiful property with fabulous views, very peaceful, very comfy bed, great shower, and well equipped kitchen, and the fire was so comforting on a dark winters night!

Hot tub is a nice bonus too after a day out exploring. So many wonderful things to see in the area, beautiful Scotland! Have booked to stay again next year as we did not want to leave! A lamp is the only thing needed and a small table in the living room to place drinks on!

The lodge was really nice and we enjoyed the stay, it was great we could take the dogs, thanku, there was only a couple of very minor things, both the ramp and the steps were very steep, I get that as it is on a hill, the garden at the front could do with a good tidy up.

It would have been helpful to have instructions on how to use the washing machine and also instructions on which buttons to use for the hot tub, but overall it was a very good stay, thanku

Stunning, cosy and warm especially with the log fire, beautiful surroundings, lovely little farm shop down the road, the whole place felt exactly what the pictures look like, fantastic!

The Pine Marten Lodge is a fantastic place to spend holidays.

Close to Aviemore and the Cairngorms National Park, the location is perfect. The accomodation provides everything for a trip without giving up any comfort. That fact the Lodge is located directly at the A95 is not detracting. The gas grill at the Lodge was a very positive add on. We were absolut happy spending our holidays in the Lodge. Absolutley recommendable!

Was really nice, squirrels and resident woodpecker, badgers down near speyside centre, n no people excep one….

beware of the Broomhill witch.

Pine Marten Lodge is a great place to stay.

Recommended for a family holiday. The lodge itself is fully equipped and immaculately kept. Hot Tub and log fire add to the relaxation. Lots to do in the surrounding areas as well as watch the squirrels and birds from the balcony.

We had such a wonderful stay at Pine Marten lodge over New Year.

The lodge is so cosy and very spacious with a lovely log burner and very comfortable beds. The host was very helpful and great at communicating promptly. We loved exploring the local area and there are so many walks and places to visit nearby. We particularly enjoyed visiting Loch Uaine, Loch Vaa and Loch Garten. We also hiked up Ben Macdui, Cairn Gorm and Bynack More. There are also lots of restaurants within a short distance and we particularly enjoyed visiting the Pennybun and Rowantree restaurant (both dog friendly). It snowed while we were here and the hot tub was the perfect way to warm up after a day adventuring. The lodge overlooks beautiful grounds and we really enjoyed watching the red squirrels and birds. We can’t wait to visit again!

Amazing!

The lodge is beautiful. Kept very clean & great communication from the owner when needed. We would definitely book again. Thank you, Alex & John

We had the best week again at pine marten lodge in October holidays this was our second time staying.

The lodge is immaculate and has everything you need, it is our favourite place to stay whilst visiting Aviemore. First time we stayed here was in summer and being back in Autumn was just beautiful, Communication from owner was fantastic you can tell they take great pride in their property, Thank you again for another lovely week away we are already looking at dates for 2025! X

a lovely lodge with all the comfort for a pleasant stay.

Plenty of lovely local walks on the door step. Daily visit from the red squirrel and a peaceful location, and on a rainy day the log burner made all the difference.

Hi, we had a really lovely week, lodge was really lovely.

Comfy beds, well equipped & in a great location. Really enjoyed the hot tub & watching the squirrels would definitely recommend others to stay here. Just a few niggles we had, there was no hot water in the shower, it set off warm & then would go cold. Tried to contact the person who emailed us the details but they were on annual leave & then tried another email & phone number & no one got back to us. The other thing there was 5 of us & only comfy seats for 4 people, so 1 of us had to sit on a kitchen chair to watch a film & the final thing was we would have liked the deck outside to be swept up tidy. It was full of twigs & pine needles. This didn't spoil our stay but just things to improve on as it isn't cheap to stay here for a week & the small things matter.

We enjoyed our stay at Pinemartin Lodge, it was close to tourist area but was also quiet and relaxing, the best of both worlds.

Brilliant property very high specification, lots of kitchenware.

Hot tub very clean, well maintained. Great stay.

Beautiful property in a stunning setting.

Very comfortable stay with lots to do within close distance to the property. Excellent comunication with property owner, highly recomended.

Perfect space for what we needed.

Will use again when next in the area.

Fantastic property and location finished to a very high standard an authentic log cabin in the woods experience.

So much so our three year old granddaughter thinks it’s the three bears cabin! And now wants a hot tub at home!!!! lol A unique experience the only thing missing for us was snow! But we would highly recommend it, wonderful walks straight from cabin through the woods deers and red squirrels our dog loved it.

We stayed at this lovely log cabin last summer, as a family of 6 we found the log cabin very spacious.

Beds were very comfortable, very well equipped in the kitchen. The lodge was absolutely immaculate would highly recommend to anyone. My girls loved seeing red squirrels visiting every day, we all enjoyed a dip in the hot tub most days which was amazing after being out exploring Aviemore. We enjoyed a couple of BBQs when the weather was nice (again well equipped) . It was that good we have re booked again this Autumn! Pictures do not give this log cabin justice it’s so beautiful inside and out. Communication from owners were amazing you can tell they take great pride in their property, Thank you to the owner and Sykes for a lovely stay. Can’t wait to come back.

We had a power cut due to the high winds.

It would have been nice to have had a few candles and extra logs for light and warmth and if you had got in touch via text to see if we were ok /as the internet was off and we had no phone signal to get updates The hot tub was filthy with black lard-type scum around the sides we therefore didn't use it The hot tub guy came the day before we left we told him he cleaned it the next day had a look and thought we would get in but No black scum still there very disgusting like someone else's bath water we paid a lot of money for this facility to be available The kitchen was very fully equipped with lots of utensils and pans for cooking so that was good

We had a fantastic relaxing time staying at Pine Marten Lodge.

Owner was very helpful and only a phone call away if you had any questions etc. Loved every minute and didn’t want to leave. So cosy and I absolutely loved all the fairy lights and Christmas decorations which made it that extra special. We found the property to be pretty spotless and it had everything we needed for our week’s stay. Great hot tub to relax in after beautiful quiet walks in the forest with our two dogs who also had a great time as we were lucky enough for the snow to arrive for our last 4 days. The living area is smaller than it looks in the pictures although we had expected that as someone else had already mentioned it but was fine for myself, my husband and our two large Ridgebacks. Shops are only a 5 minute drive away and also around a 20 mins drive into Aviemore if you want more of a selection. Thank you for a lovely stay and we can’t wait to return one day.

Absolutely beautiful lodge, beautifully furnished, a real home from home.

Would not hesitate to stay again!

Everything was perfect.

I would however say the check out time of 10:00 is not ideal for guests having to clean up the flat (for a 3pm check in !) Ideally 11am would be more favourable as it allows breakfast then clean up.

The lodge was as advertised.

Facilities were generally excellent but I would make the following comments: The light switches in the lounge are behind the sliding door which is stiff when closing. The hot tub was cleaned on the Wednesday and refilled with cold water. It didn’t get up to temperature until 0830 on the Friday and we were due to leave by 1000. Kitchen facilities were excellent apart from the lack of any sharp knives. The Wi-Fi signal is flaky at times but still acceptable. The hot water wasn’t very hot for the first couple of days but suddenly improved - not sure why. There was no gas for the heater on the deck but the gas BBQ worked fine. These are only minor points and the overall experience was excellent. Loved the daily entertainment from the red squirrels playing in the trees by the deck. Would definitely book again in future

Both paths from the parking area to the lodge are steep and not great for anyone with mobility issues.

A handrail on the steeper one would be helpful. The lodge is much smaller than it looks in the pictures, but it is nicely furnished and decorated. It is incredibly well equipped with every utensil you could possibly need. Although aesthetically pleasing, the sliding doors are heavy, noisy and difficult to open and close. The lodge is very cosy and on a couple of rainy days, we enjoyed relaxing, watching tv and the wildlife in the garden. Hubby got some great pics of the squirrels! It is also well located, with Aviemore, Grantown etc within easy reach, and Inverness less than an hour away. We enjoyed our week catching up with family in this lovely lodge.

Wow!

! What an absolutely beautiful place to have a holiday. The owner has thought of everything to ensure a first class stay. First night we were there we couldn’t decide on whether or not to have a barbecue, lounge in the hot tub or watch Netflix by the roaring fire, so we did all three!! Pine Marten lodge is beautifully presented and immaculately clean. An ideal place to explore the surrounding area. We went clay pigeon shooting, spent a day at the wildlife park and took afternoon tea in Ballater before heading to Balmoral castle. This was made all the more special by returning to the lodge each evening to spend the remainder of the evening in peace and serenity. Ideal place to take your four legged friends too, our spaniel enjoyed playing hide and seek with the squirrels in the garden, however they were safe enough as she lacks the ability to climb trees! Cannot recommend this place highly enough and hope to be able to come back soon

A fabulous lodge with a fantastic hot tub.

Everything you could need is there! Lovely living area and fire. Kids LOVED the cabin style beds. Would definitely return.

Pine marten lodge was the perfect relaxing getaway, we’ll definitely be back

The lodge was great.

We went as a family group of five and found it to be comfortable. It’s a great base with plenty of walks and activities around. We spotted lots of wildlife on the veranda including red squirrels which was amazing!

Our stay at Pine Marten Lodge was wonderful.

The hosts have thought of everything you’d need while staying there. The location was perfect too handy for longer trips around the highlands but perfect to walk out of the front door on a lovely dog walk through the woods.

Lovely property with all the facilities we needed as a family of 4 (children 2 and 4).

The kids loved exploring the garden and for older kids it would be a lovely area for them to explore alone. Your directions and all the information were good too. An addition to your directions might be the use of What3Words locations if you have heard of it...e.g. ///kings.listening.shame - would be the turning off the A95 :)

Although the pictures are accurate the descriptions are not, the facilities are noted as being “sofas” but there is only one sofa also noted as having a “fridge freezer” however more accurate would have been a TINY fridge with an ice box which was only big enough for the ice cube tray!

!! Although there is a lovely kitchen area with plenty of cupboards there is actually no cupboard space as every cupboard is full of stuff which is great if you need 20 oven trays and enough crockery for 10 people &10 kids. This is a self catering lodge so surely you must expect your guests to bring their own food therefore I feel it’s only natural that your guests expect that there is somewhere to put their food. We had leave food in the cool bags we brought it in and had to bin some food as we couldn’t keep it frozen. We were a group of 5 adults but there is only seating for 4??? I have to wonder then why you advertise the lodge as suitable for 6 but only 4 of you can sit at one time, seems odd. On the plus side the beds are very comfortable, the lodge was clean and tidy and way more than everything we needed, while I realise this would not normally be a concern but with such limited space I think you could take some stuff away and allow more space for your guests stuff. There is only one toilet which wasn’t great but without taking away a bed there’s no room for another loo

Wonderful cosy lodge - perfect base to explore all that Aviemore and the surrounding areas has to offer.

Coming back to the hot tub at the end of the day is such a treat!

On arrival we were blown away with the beauty of the cabin, it is ideally located and not too far to anywhere but at the same time lovely and quiet.

We had a lovely week exploring the area as we hadn't stayed in this part of the Cairngorms before. We had lots to discover and the cabin was well placed to do this. The kitchen was well stocked and had everything we needed except it only had one frying pan (issue for us as one guest was vegetarian). Everything was lovely and clean and the hot tub was fabulous and was checked daily by a chap who worked his magic and kept it nice and clean. Unfortunately there were a few niggles and I can imagine if there were only 4 people staying these wouldn't even be an issue but they were for us (family of 5). The sofa only seated 3 people and although there was also a comfy chair the view of the tv was blocked by the stair railings so absolutely useless for watching tv. After a long day walking and biking we really wanted to sit and enjoy a film together but this was impossible to do in comfort. There was a foot stool and obviously kitchen chairs but that wasn't really the idea. Also, the beds were wooden framed singles pushed together so had a no go zone right down the middle and also made the bedding not fit properly and every morning the fitted sheets had popped off. Lots of other niggly things which I attempted to raise to Sykes but complete lack of interest, apparently everything is visible in the pictures - so make sure you look before you book! I did point out that the particulars say zip and link beds but received no response. I shall not be booking with Sykes again but wish the owners of the cabin lots of luck with it, it is a beautiful place and some simple changes would make it even better for a large group like ours.

The Pine Marten Lodge is absolutely as advertised and my wife and I really enjoyed ourselves.

The only advice I could give is to maybe mention in the property information that a Hot tub maintenance man visits every other day (that’s what we noticed). My wife was on her own one day whilst I was out and was surprised when someone showed up on the balcony. I suspect it is mentioned somewhere because the owner seems very thorough or the details have been amended already. Was a fantastic break.

Excellent property with bags of character.

All equipment worked and hot tub was serviced in our weeks stay. Good location although some noise from road when on balcony.

We loved staying at Pine Marten Lodge amongst the pine trees and the lodge had everything you would need and more!

We spotted a red squirrel within minutes and lots of birds. The hot tub was a great addition and was made extra magical when it started to snow. Mike was a fantastic host and made sure we were made to feel at ease during our stay and was quick to respond to any messages. Our favourite place was the living/dining area over the two stories and the beautiful fireplace. It was a great location for some local walks and nearby villages such as Nethy Bridge and not too far from Aviemore. A nice surprise was to hear the steam train and realise the station was just across the road. The lodge has been finished to a high standard and you will be guaranteed to feel relaxed when walking through the front door.

We were blown away with this place, absolutely stunning both inside and out, the owner kept us updated with information as well.

Highly recommend Pine Martin Lodge and we will definitely be coming back. A home from home

Excellent property.

Very clean and comfortable. A great quiet location with some nice walks and runs in the immediate area. The property is very well equipped with everything you need for a weeks stay. The beds are really comfortable and the shower is very nice. Great to see Red Squirrels when you are sitting eating your breakfast.

Great stay great place owner top man

Fabulous Pine lodge with great facilities.

The position is wonderful with lots of lovely walks. Attention to small details that made all the difference The owner had thoughtfully put up decorations for our Christmas stay which made a really nice welcome and very much appreciated. Everything was excellent quality and we had a really good stay. If there is any point we would like to mention it was that it was a little difficult sharing one bathrooms and toilet with 6 adults. It would be a lot easier if there’s was a separate toilet but we understand that this would be difficult. We managed with a good rota system!! Thank you once again for a fabulous stay

We had a lovely stay at the lodge, it was just as pictured, so a beautiful getaway.

Our dogs came with us and appreciated the walk along the track and into the woods direct from the property. There are so many great places within easy access and then very luxurious heading back to the lodge to relax in front of the fire. Just perfect for a winter break and we would've hesitate to book again.

Superb in all aspects.

What a holiday lodge should be.

Compliments to the owners.