Best Hotels in Kirkwall

Explore Kirkwall from hotels near iconic landmarks, popular shopping streets, and top dining spots.

Kirkwall Youth Hostel
8.2 (26 reviews)

Kirkwall Youth Hostel ★★

📍 Old Scapa Rd, Kirkwall

"The location for hostel needs to have more signage from the Ayre Hotel as it can take a while to locate it..Once there the hostel is well laid out, receptionist Ebony was a great help explaining all the housekeeping instructions..all rooms appear to be large enough, we had a twin room with comfy beds, bathrooms and toilets were clean and tidy, shower mats and towels provided, the kitchen had everything you need with a large well laid out dining room, there was a comfy lounge and laundry facilities..our bikes were locked in luggage room with a code. Overall we would book again"

The Shore
8.0 (49 reviews)

The Shore ★★★

📍 Shore St, Kirkwall

West End Guest House
7.5 (7 reviews)

West End Guest House ★★★

📍 14 Main Street, Kirkwall

"This place is very cute. Room was small but cosy and location couldn't be beat. It was within walking distance of downtown, restaurants, and sites. The breakfast was easy and just right for a chilly morning. The employees were very friendly and accommodating. We accidentally didn't book enough nights and the owner helped us find and book a room and even offered to take our bags there. A great start to our trip. "

Ayre Hotel & Ayre Apartments
8.3 (102 reviews)

Ayre Hotel & Ayre Apartments ★★★

📍 Ayre Rd, Kirkwall

"The location is excellent, not far from the airport bus stop and several restaurants, and it's right by the sea with a sea view. The facilities are a bit dated, but acceptable, and the heating works fine. There's a damp smell upon entering the room, which is much better with the windows open. For a small archipelago town, these conditions are acceptable."

Albert Hotel
8.9 (73 reviews)

Albert Hotel ★★★

📍 Junction Rd, Kirkwall

The Kirkwall Hotel
8.2 (42 reviews)

The Kirkwall Hotel ★★★

📍 Harbour St, Kirkwall

"This is a hotel that has been updated with expensive throw pillows and nice tile in the bathrooms . The decorating is lovely but the attention to small details is missing for instance, the blind in our bedroom was lopsided. There was a coffee stain on the stool in the room and there were other areas of painting that were neglected. I’ve attached some photos to this review whilst the dinner was excellent, the breakfast was very poor. I would highly recommend skipping breakfast and getting it somewhere else. The yogurts provided were cheap supermarket variety with sweet fruit thickend yoghurt and watery zero fat plain in little tubs. The fruit salad was mostly chopped apple. They were also out of eggs even though we arrives at 8.45am. When I asked about eggs, the waiter said they take care of it, but nobody ever alerted me so I never had any eggs. The cereals are nothing special. I asked for hot milk to accompany my coffee and was brought a tiny weenie jug of warm semi fat milk. Personally, I prefer whole milk and there was none available, yet they make a big deal of having fresh milk from a special dairy. I don’t think I would stay here again. It seems overpriced quite frankly for what you get and there are lots of items that are worn."

Grainbank Mews
9.4 (27 reviews)

Grainbank Mews ★★★

📍 Grainbank House, Kirkwall

"Excellent accomodation. Old fashioned house with modern interior. Stayed for six nights on a business trip. Room was great . Clean, warm and everything you need. Breakfast was first class. Albert and Aileen were excellent hosts . Organised everything for me when the ferry home was cancelled and had to stay extra night. Will definitely use this place again ."

Karrawa Guest House
9.7 (49 reviews)

Karrawa Guest House ★★★

📍 Inganess Rd, St Ola, Kirkwall

"Such a perfect stay! Our room was very comfortable and had everything we needed. The bathroom was excellent. Everything was clean and tidy throughout the guesthouse. It had a homely but also professional feel. They clearly have a lot of pride over the guesthouse and genuinely want their guests to have a great stay. The breakfasts were absolutely delicious. One morning we were out early before the cooked breakfasts were served, but it didn't matter as there were plenty of cereals, fruit, yogurts, drinks, etc. to choose from. The guesthouse is in a lovely quiet neighbourhood. It's about a 20 minute walk into the town centre. Fyona and Colin were wonderful and very friendly hosts who were happy to help. Would absolutely stay here again."

Royal Oak Guesthouse
9.7 (44 reviews)

Royal Oak Guesthouse ★★★

📍 Royal Oak House, Holm Rd, Kirkwall

"An amazing guest house, owned and run by a young couple who went out of their way to be helpful, nothing seemed to be too much trouble for them. We were a party of 5 and had 3 rooms, so we were kindly given the whole top floor of the guest house, which had a lovely cosy sitting area with facilities for making hot drinks, a microwave etc. We had a takeaway one evening and all sat around the table together. The rooms were very clean and cosy, and had everything you would need for a comfortable stay. Breakfast was first class and plenty to last the whole day. The hosts were very knowledgeable about Orkney and the surrounding islands, if they didn’t know the answer they would find it out. I would highly recommend this guest house, and will definitely stay here again on my next trip to Orkney. Thank you for making our stay enjoyable."

Guest Reviews for Kirkwall Hotels

9.5
Excellent Traveler Rating
Real & verified guest reviews from around the world
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Guest User

Other
Kirkwall Youth Hostel ★★
"As other Reviewers have stated, it is a hostel. It is clean and tidy and bare bones. I stayed here with a group of 15 people for a week as we used the Hostel as our base while we traveled by car and ferry to hike around the Orkney Islands. We shared basic rooms and there are communal showers/toilets that are separated for women/men. Sheets and towels are provided. There is a communal kitchen where we cooked every night and cubbies & fridge to store food. A pub is a quick 15 min walk away for drinks and the town is probably 20-25 mins walk. There is a large communal area to eat and a large lounge to read, be on your phone or otherwise relax. Overall great staff and had no issues the days we were there. We were up early every morning and back around 5 pm each night. The glorious week of sun and a little rain kept us outside exploring the beautiful Islands"
★★★★★
2026-02-18
G

Guest User

Other
West End Guest House ★★★
"Nice place: clean comfortable and with a very pleasant Magyar owner. Good breakfast (good strong tea bags and nice poached egg). My only quibble is the unopenable Georgian window in our room -- it is a lovely building. "
★★★★★
2023-07-30
Y

Yuandong Shen

Traveling with friends
Ayre Hotel & Ayre Apartments ★★★
"Good hotel. At the centre of Kirkwall. Great food at its restauran"
★★★★★
2026-01-13
K

KateN85

Family
The Kirkwall Hotel ★★★
"We had a great overnight stay in the Kirkwall Hotel. We stayed in 204 overlooking the harbour, which was a beautifully decorated room. The location was perfect for the ferry, which we had disembarked at 11pm following a rough crossing from Shetland. Despite the late hour, we got a warm welcome at reception and our room was all ready with an extra bed made up for our son. We were particularly delighted by the real coffee and cafetière in the room - a lovely and much appreciated touch! All the staff were friendly and welcoming. Unfortunately we had to depart quite quickly this morning for the ferry to Scrabster, but we had time for breakfast which wasn’t a huge selection but had everything we needed. We would definitely stay again if we needed accommodation in Kirkwall."
★★★★★
2024-08-22
G

Guest User

Other
Grainbank Mews ★★★
"We had the most beautiful and relaxing stay at Grainbank Mews. From the very beginning, the hosts were incredibly welcoming and attentive, promptly answering our questions before arrival and offering excellent recommendations for places to eat. The guest house has been beautifully converted, and we stayed in both a king room and a ground-floor twin room. Each was tastefully decorated, spotlessly clean, and thoughtfully equipped with everything we could possibly need for a comfortable stay. A generous continental breakfast was included, with a wide selection of cereals, porridge, toast, and fresh fruit. It was more than enough to set us up perfectly for a full day of sightseeing around the island. We would highly recommend Grainbank Mews to anyone visiting the area and wouldn’t hesitate to stay here again if we return."
★★★★★
2026-02-16
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Guest User

Other
Karrawa Guest House ★★★
"Guesthouse perfection in orkney"
★★★★★
2026-04-29
G

Guest User

Other
Royal Oak Guesthouse ★★★
"We stayed with Eric and Alice for just over a week, and it truly felt like home. Their hospitality and warmth were exceptional—second to none. Even before we arrived, they were incredibly kind and accommodating, and that kindness only grew throughout our stay. I would choose staying here over any hotel without hesitation, and I would gladly return if I ever visit again. I can’t recommend Eric and Alice highly enough. Thank you both so much!"
★★★★★
2025-07-26
G

Guest User

Family
The Orkney Hotel ★★★
"A bit overpriced, rooms are a bit dated. Peeling wallpaper on ceiling in room. Breakfast was good otherwise."
★★★★★
2024-09-12

Kirkwall Travel Information

Power Plug & Voltage

230V/Type G

💵

Exchange Rate

GBP

💳

Local Payment

Cards/ApplePay/Cash

📱

Connectivity

EE/Vodafone/O2/Three

🌡️

Current Weather

Showers

More Information About Kirkwall Hotels

Key Info

Details

Number of reviews

499

Total properties

14

Weekday Avg. Price

£160

Weekend Avg. Price

£157

Trending hotel

The Shore

FAQ – Hotels in Kirkwall

  • What are some of the best hotels in Kirkwall?

    The most popular Kirkwall hotels for your stay: The Shore (from £143), Albert Hotel (from £129) and Kirkwall Youth Hostel (from £32) are the preferred hotels.

  • What hotels in Kirkwall offer an especially good breakfast ?

    Albert Hotel (from £129),The Shore (from £143) and Ayre Hotel & Ayre Apartments (from £153) provide high-quality breakfast. Start your day with a delicious breakfast!

  • How to get good deals on hotels in Kirkwall?

    To get the best hotel deals, try these Trip.com tips: 1. Log In Trip.com first and unlock member-only rates and Trip Coins (loyalty points). 2. Book Midweek: Sun–Thurs stays are much cheaper than weekends. 3. Set Price Alerts: Monitor price drops and rebook if needed. 4. Use “We Price Match” Policy: If you find a lower price elsewhere, Trip.com will refund the difference. 5. Avoid major holidays, conventions, and big events. 6. Check the Deals Page to see what promotions are available now on Trip.com.

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