The Tree House

The sofa was pretty comfy, and from the bed you can watch the treetops move and hear birds. It really does feel like a tree house. This is a bright, quiet studio above a garage in a residential neighbourhood, about a 10-minute drive from Inverness city centre. There's a private upstairs entrance through the side gate, and a path behind the house gets you to a retail park with big supermarkets and McDonald's in five minutes on foot. The kitchen has a microwave, oven, stove, fridge, cooking basics, crockery, and cutlery. There's also a bathtub and patio seating overlooking a lush backyard. It feels more like an Airbnb, so bring your own toiletries and tea or coffee. A few cobwebs outside could have been cleared, one chair was almost completely covered. We live in a city flat without a microwave, so having cheap Tesco microwave dinners on the patio was a fun change and saved us from spending so much eating out. The sloping roof means whoever sleeps against the wall has less space and has to climb over the other person to get out early, though it wasn't too bad. Watch your head. The bed may be too short if you're over 6'2, since a dresser serves as the footboard, and the shower is awkward for a tall person.

It's easy to reach the Tree House from the A9, and in under five minutes you can be on the road towards Aviemore or Wick. Heading east for Nairn and Findhorn is just as straightforward. Shops are about an eight-minute walk away, and getting to central Inverness takes around 45 minutes on foot. Although Google Maps shows housing around it, the open-plan apartment looks out over green space and big mature trees. It's very quiet, and it's easy to forget you're not out in the countryside. The place is lovely and well furnished.

A great wee place, with a helpful host living right next door. The Airbnb has been newly decorated to a high standard and feels modern. There's also a small deck outside, which is lovely to have on a nice evening.

Check the cancellation policy carefully. I thought I could cancel within 24 hours without a charge, but they took payment for the whole two-night booking. Maybe business is slow this time of year and they feel they need the money more than I do. They didn't even reply to my message. They got the money, and I don't matter. Next time I need to stay in Inverness, it definitely won't be at The Tree House.