The Queen's Hut
from £280.00 Per night*
The Queen's Hut, Aboyne, Aberdeenshire
T: +44 (0)7840 382590
A lunch hut that became a house
The Queen's Hut was built for Queen Mary, the wife of King George V, as somewhere to eat lunch by the water while she was staying at Balmoral. It is a log cabin on the bank of a secluded loch in Scots pine woodland, and it has since been renovated into a two bedroom house with two bathrooms, without stopping being what it was built as, which is one small private building in a very good spot.
The master bedroom is the room the place is known for. A super king bed, an ensuite W/C, and a large free standing copper tub set to look out over the loch and the hills behind it while you are in it. The second bedroom takes two singles or a super king, so this works for two couples as readily as for a family of four.
The sitting room has a window seat big enough to sit and read in, a dining table for six, and a log burner. The kitchen runs to an oven, a dishwasher, a Nespresso machine and a cafetiere. Outside there is a veranda, a jetty, a fire pit and a barbecue, with private parking and pine woodland all round.
Good to know
- Entry is by keybox and departure is by 11am, unless the agent agrees otherwise in writing. No arrival time or minimum stay is published.
- The copper tub is a bath in the master bedroom, not an outdoor hot tub.
- Up to two well behaved dogs are welcome on request, at £30 per dog in cleaning. The agency's terms require the owner's written consent, so settle it before you book.
- Book more than eight weeks ahead and a non-refundable deposit of at least half is taken, with the balance later. Inside eight weeks it is paid in full.
- A damage deposit of at least £100 is pre-authorised at booking and released within seven days of departure.
- Cancel more than 30 days before arrival and half the rent comes back. Inside 30 days, none of it does.
Features
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fully fitted kitchen
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washing machine
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Free parking
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Hair dryer
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Indoor fireplace
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King bed
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TV
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Dedicated workspace
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freestanding hot tub
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luxury linens
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secluded lochside location
Location
Where it puts you
Walks start beyond the garden gate and go round the loch, through old forest and out onto the heather hills. The Boat Inn is a fifteen minute stroll for a drink or a supper. Red squirrels and woodpeckers live in the pines, and the operator says an osprey turns up over the water often enough to be worth watching for.
Aboyne sits on the Dee, with Ballater and Braemar up the river and the Cairngorms behind them, and Aberdeen and the coast the other way. The county's Castle Trail runs past in every direction, and Huntly, one of its stranger stops, is in our guide to the castles most visitors miss.
Ballater, Braemar and Strathdon
The quiet eastern Cairngorms, up the Dee from Aboyne.
8 hidden castles in Scotland
The ones that never make the standard tour, Huntly among them.
Frequently asked questions
What time do we have to be out?
Departure is by 11am, unless the agent agrees otherwise in writing. Entry is by keybox, and an arrival time is not published.
How far is the pub?
The Boat Inn is a fifteen minute stroll from the cabin.
What is in the kitchen?
An oven, a dishwasher, pots, pans and utensils, a kettle, a toaster, a Nespresso machine and a cafetiere. Bed linen and towels are provided, and there is a washing machine, an iron and a hairdryer.
Can we fish on the Dee?
Salmon fishing is available on the Birse Beat of the River Dee, subject to availability and an additional fee. It is arranged through the operator rather than booked separately.
What wildlife is around the cabin?
The garden is Scots pine woodland. The operator lists red squirrels, woodpeckers and the occasional osprey over the loch.
Does the operator let anywhere else near here?
Beautiful Holiday Homes manages more than twenty properties, most of them in Edinburgh and the north of Scotland. Bramble Cottage at Turriff is the only other one in Aberdeenshire.
Important
*Make it Scotland provides general information and aims to be as up to date as possible. However, we cannot guarantee the accuracy of the information or pricing provided.
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