Orkney
Just a short walk from the centre of Stromness, but with a lonely, king-of-the-castle position overlooking the town and bay, this exceptional place offers…
Must-see hotels in Orkney & Shetland
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Orkney
No timetables reign at this imposing house with arcing coastal vistas; make your own breakfast when you feel like it. Your welcoming hosts have introduced…
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Orkney
This large rustic house does everything right, with smashing good-sized rooms and engaging owners who put on quality breakfasts and take pride in…
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Kirkwall
Stylishly refurbished in plum and grey, this central but peaceful hotel is Kirkwall’s finest address. Comfortable contemporary rooms in a variety of…
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Shetland
This genteel, characterful hotel near Brae has a long, sad history and inevitable rumours of a (friendly) ghost. Built in the late 18th century (though…
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Shetland
One of Shetland's best hotels, this energetically run waterfront place has very stylish rooms featuring sheepskins, local tweeds and other fabrics, and…
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Shetland
Follow the puffin signpost a mile short of Hillswick to find Shetland's finest welcome. With sweeping views over the bay, this house has a great lounge,…
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Shetland
This spotless hostel has very spacious dorms with lockers, family rooms, a garden, an elegant lounge and a wee conservatory dining area with great bay…
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Shetland
The Shetland Amenity Trust manages three lighthouse cottages, all commanding dramatic views of rugged coastline: one near the airport at Sumburgh …
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Shetland
This fine old haa – the 18th-century seat of the local laird – sits in a lovely location on the shore of Vaila Sound, a couple of miles southwest of Walls…
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Orkney
Owned by the local community, this is Papa Westray's hub. It has the only shop, and functions as a makeshift pub on Saturday nights. One wing is a hostel…
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Orkney
For a farmstay with solitude, old-fashioned hospitality and one of the best breakfasts (with fresh eggs) around, try this place, 1.5 miles from Orphir,…
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Orkney
This excellent, intimate, modern hostel is an Orcadian gem. It’s heated throughout and has pristine kitchen facilities and an inviting lounge; rooms sleep…
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Orkney
This commodious, refurbished 19th-century herring station is right on the pier in Burray village. Rooms have stylish furnishings, and all have great water…
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Orkney
Set on a working cattle farm by the sea, this place offers comfortable accommodation in a noble stone farmhouse. The polished interior features an…
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Orkney
On a working dairy farm on the edge of Stromness, this place has lovely views over green fields, town and harbour. Rooms are elegant and maintain the…
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Orkney
A top-notch conversion of a former village hall behind the church in the middle of Westray, this place has two luminous, high-ceilinged rooms with modern…
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Orkney
This super-friendly spot by a beach 6 miles north of the Sanday ferry offers a cosy three-room hostel sleeping two or four in beds, and a sweet, grassy…
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Kirkwall
Book ahead to get a bed in this cracking hostel on the western edge of Kirkwall. It’s a guesthouse conversion, so there’s a very smart kitchen and lounge,…
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Orkney
There are stunning views at this spectacular, quirky and cosy self-catering option between Pierowall and Noup Head. There are three separate units here,…
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Shetland
Runs Shetland's network of böds – simple rustic cottages or huts with peat fires, which might mean bringing a sleeping bag, coins for the meter, or even a…
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Shetland
This old RAF base (though the radar station it served reopened in 2018) is not the most atmospheric lodging, though the tired barracks-style rooms offer…
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Orkney
Two miles west from the ferry pier, Rousay's only hotel is an attractively low-key place, with renovated rooms offering excellent bathrooms – one suitable…
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Kirkwall
South of Kirkwall's centre, this sizeable yet intimate hotel is run with a professional touch. Rooms are individually decorated, and feature handsome…
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Orkney
Now renovated, this year-round hostel occupies the building that was once the island's herring market, among cottages that used to house the men that…
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Kirkwall
Nestling into a corner at the end of the Kirkwall waterfront, this marvellously located hostel set in former fisherfolk's cottages has a cute, tiny…
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Shetland
Brightly decorated rooms – some bigger than others – are complemented by wooden chalets arrayed around the lawn here. Rooms feel a little overpriced so it…
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Orkney
Perched on the hill above Longhope, the small atmospheric Stromabank Hotel has very acceptable, refurbished en suite rooms, as well as tasty home-cooked…
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Shetland
On offer here are decent tent pitches and caravan sites, with or without stunning views over St Magnus Bay's weird and wonderful rock formations. It also…
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Shetland
A reliable country-style hotel, with renovated rooms that feature soft duvets, attractive colour schemes and big towels. Larger sea-view rooms looking out…
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Shetland
This wonderful wooden mansion was built in 1896. The owners are involved in an ongoing renovation – a major project – to return it to former glories, and…
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Orkney
With a wide variety of rooms divided between the pub itself and former guesthouses opposite, the Ferry is a useful accommodation option in Stromness,…
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Shetland
An enthusiastic family has taken over this old Shetland stalwart near Scousburgh and guarantee a warm welcome. The Spiggie has compact, pretty rooms as…
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Orkney
A former activity centre and school now has dorms that vary substantially in spaciousness – go for the two- or four-bedded ones. There’s a big kitchen and…
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Orkney
This well-equipped hostel is efficiently run and has excellent facilities, including a fine kitchen and a lounge room with great perspectives over the…
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Orkney
These spacious, well-presented flats behind a shop offer decent comfort and a proper kitchen, including an oven plus a washing machine. Kelpie has one…
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Orkney
This clean, bright, modern hostel has an enviable location, around 15 minutes’ walk from Moaness Pier, at the base of the rugged Cuilags. Rooms are all en…
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Orkney
Powered by wind and solar energy, this place offers first-rate accommodation and ornithological activities next to the ferry pier. There’s a cafe-bar with…
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Orkney
An easy stroll from the ferry (turn left at the main road), this organic farm has a wee hostel with two dorms and a pretty little kitchen and common area…
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Orkney
Within a few paces of the Stromness Museum are these five traditional stone cottages for rent, ranging from one to four bedrooms each. All are right on…
