Hotels in Cairngorms

Choosing a base in the Cairngorms comes down to one decision made early: north-west or south-east. The park is big, and the mountains in the middle of it are crossed only on foot, so driving between Aviemore and Braemar means a long detour of well over two hours by road. Pick the side that matches what you actually want to do, rather than trying to cover both from one bed.

Aviemore is the default for a reason. It has the greatest concentration of hotels, guest houses and self-catering in the park, its own railway station on the Highland Main Line, supermarkets, outdoor retailers and bus links to Glenmore and the ski road. If you are arriving without a car, or travelling with children who need options when the weather turns, it is the sensible choice. The trade-off is that Aviemore is a working resort town rather than a picture-postcard village, and in peak weeks it feels it.

For the same access with more calm, look at the villages around it. Boat of Garten, Carrbridge, Kincraig and Nethy Bridge all sit within fifteen minutes of Aviemore and put you closer to the pinewood and the lochs. Grantown-on-Spey, a little further north, is a dignified Georgian town that suits anglers, birdwatchers and anyone planning to work through the Speyside distilleries. Kingussie and Newtonmore to the south tend to be better value and are handy for Glen Feshie and the Monadhliath hills.

Over on Royal Deeside the mood is quieter and more traditional. Ballater is the best-equipped village, with genuinely good shops, restaurants and walks starting from the door. Braemar is higher, smaller and closer to the big hills, the natural base for the Linn of Dee, Lochnagar and Glenshee skiing, and it now has one of Scotland's most talked-about hotels. Prices across the park peak in the school summer holidays, around the Braemar Gathering in early September and on good winter ski weekends, and many of the smaller places close for part of November or January, so book ahead and check seasonal opening.