The Boat Country Inn & Restaurant

About The Boat Country Inn & Restaurant

The Boat Country Inn sits on Deshar Road in Boat of Garten, the village that grew up around the ferry crossing and later the railway, five miles north of Aviemore. The Strathspey Railway's restored steam services still run through, and the hotel packages vintage train trips with dinner and a room, which is a neat use of the location.

There are 34 guest rooms, running from Classic through to Deluxe Suites, including garden rooms with their own terrace opening onto the grounds. The style is comfortable country inn rather than boutique, and the place is set up for people coming in off the hill or the bike: drying space, a proper bar and food served without ceremony. Dogs are welcomed year round for a nightly supplement.

The kitchen serves what it describes as hearty pub cooking with Scottish leanings, with themed nights through the week, and dinner, bed and breakfast packages start from around ninety-nine pounds. Two-night winter breaks are offered from around two hundred and sixty-nine pounds for the stay. Boat of Garten is a good base for Loch Garten and Abernethy Forest, the Speyside Way, the Cairngorm ski road twenty minutes away, and the golf course on the edge of the village.