| Welcome to Love Cairngorms
A love of the Cairngorms. And beautiful places to stay.
The story behind Love Cairngorms
Love Cairngorms is a small, independent holiday letting business offering a carefully chosen collection of characterful, dog friendly and family friendly self catering holiday cottages near Aviemore, in the heart of the Cairngorms National Park.
I'm Kim, the owner of Love Cairngorms, and my love for this part of Scotland began long before I made it my home.
I lived in Glasgow for many years and, while I loved the vibrancy of city life, I found myself heading north whenever the opportunity arose.
I always looked forward to that drive up the A9. Watching the landscape gradually open up into mountains, lochs and wide valleys, and feeling my shoulders drop as the city became a distant memory. Then there was that first breath of fresh Highland air on arrival. It never got old.
But it wasn't just the landscape that kept drawing me back. It was the sense of community, the independent shops and businesses, the familiar faces and the slower pace of life. I've always felt more grounded in the countryside and, eventually, I knew this was where I wanted to be.
These days, I'm lucky enough to call the Cairngorms home, and I still get that same feeling when I look out at the mountains.
How it all began
Love Cairngorms began with Railway Cottage, a little former gate lodge overlooking the beautiful Insh Marshes, which I once called home.
As much as I loved living there, I eventually found myself craving a little more village life. Somewhere with a local pub, shops and a community on my doorstep. So I moved to Carrbridge, but rather than part with the cottage, I decided to turn it into a holiday home.
I'd always thought it had the makings of a wonderful little hideaway. Somewhere guests could enjoy the peace and quiet, watch the wildlife and spend their days exploring the surrounding countryside.
Having spent almost a decade running a pub and restaurant in Aviemore, I've been involved in local hospitality for many years. I also have a background in interior design and have always loved creating welcoming, characterful spaces.
Turning Railway Cottage into a holiday home felt like a natural way to bring those interests together. What started with one little cottage has since grown into Love Cairngorms.
Small by choice
We're deliberately small, with a carefully curated collection of self catering holiday homes, each with its own personality and sense of place.
Every property is individually owned and thoughtfully cared for, chosen for its character, comfort and connection to its surroundings. We love homes that feel individual, with considered interiors, interesting details and a relaxed, welcoming atmosphere.
We're not trying to offer hundreds of cottages or become another large booking platform. Instead, we focus on quality over quantity, working closely with property owners and taking the time to understand what makes each home special.
For us, good hospitality is often about the little things. A comfortable place to return to after a day exploring, a thoughtfully equipped kitchen, lovely surroundings and those small details that make somewhere feel like a home rather than simply holiday accommodation.
We know that holidays look different for everyone. Some guests come for the mountains, others for the wildlife, cycling, skiing or simply a few days doing very little at all.
Whatever brings you here, we want you to feel at home from the moment you arrive.
Sharing the places we love
One of my favourite things about living here is discovering new places, whether that's a quieter woodland walk, a lovely independent café, a local maker or somewhere completely unexpected.
That enthusiasm led to Discover Cairngorms, our online guide to the area, where we share our favourite places to eat, explore and experience, alongside local events and recommendations.
It's very much a reflection of the things we enjoy ourselves, and we hope it encourages visitors to venture a little further, discover somewhere new and support the wonderful independent businesses that make this area so special.
One of our guests recently told us they'd planned their entire holiday using Discover Cairngorms, which was rather lovely to hear!
A place to return to
One of the nicest parts of running Love Cairngorms is welcoming guests back, sometimes year after year. Seeing familiar names appear in the booking diary is something we never take for granted.
We like to think it's a reflection of the care that goes into our homes and the experience we hope to offer.
Whether you're visiting the Cairngorms for the first time or returning to somewhere you already love, we hope you'll find a place that feels like your own little corner of the Highlands.
A beautiful place to call home. For a little while.
Working with property owners
Alongside welcoming guests, we work with a small number of holiday home owners across the Cairngorms, offering a personal, hands-on approach to holiday letting and property marketing.
We know how much care goes into creating a successful holiday home, and how important it is to find someone who understands both the property and the people you hope to welcome.
From preparing and styling homes to professional photography, marketing, managing bookings and looking after guests, we bring together our experience in hospitality, interiors and local tourism to help each property reach its potential.
Our approach is collaborative rather than one size fits all. We work closely with owners, taking the time to understand their property, their priorities and what makes their home special.
If you own a holiday cottage in Aviemore or the wider Cairngorms National Park and feel our approach might be a good fit, we'd love to hear from you.