Reviews of The Kirkwall Hotel 3 stars
Harbour Street, Kirkwall, KW15 1LE, United Kingdom
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Reviewed: 1 September 2025 · Stayed in September 2025
Verified reviewLocated close to the city center and the harbour.
Elevator out of service, breakfast buffet without any cheese. Staff was friendly but seemed to be disturbed by their customers. Toothpaste on the wall.
Dear Carsten, Thank you for your feedback, and for taking the time to write about your visit. I am truly saddened and disappointed that we did not meet your expectations during your stay, and I sincerely apologise for this. Please know that your feedback has been shared with our hotel operations management team to ensure it is addressed and used for improvement. Thank you for bringing this to our attention. We look forward to welcoming you back to Kirkwall Hotel soon! Kind regards, Kirkwall Hotel Team
Dear Carsten, Thank you for your feedback, and for taking the time to write about your visit. I am truly saddened and disappointed that we did not meet your expectations during your stay, and I sincerely apologise for this. Please know th… Show more
Reviewed: 24 August 2025 · Stayed in August 2025
Verified reviewReviewed: 24 August 2025 · Stayed in August 2025
Verified reviewReviewed: 22 August 2025 · Stayed in July 2025
Verified reviewWe liked the location, breakfast, the room.
Overall everything was great. The dinner was ok, but not great. It would have been helpful if the staff at the reception gave us the information that you can see all the important sites by a day pass on the busses.
Dear Booking.com Member, Thank you for your feedback, and for taking the time to write about your visit. We're so glad to hear you enjoyed your stay with us! We'll be sure to share your feedback with our operations team. We look forward to welcoming you back to Kirkwall Hotel soon! Kind regards, Kirkwall Hotel Team
Dear Booking.com Member, Thank you for your feedback, and for taking the time to write about your visit. We're so glad to hear you enjoyed your stay with us! We'll be sure to share your feedback with our operations team. We look forward … Show more
Reviewed: 31 July 2025 · Stayed in July 2025
Verified reviewThe hotel has stunning views of the harbour, and is beautifully decorated. Fantastic location - parking outside the hotel is free overnight, but has a 2-hour limit during the day - a paid car park is a 2-3 minute walk just around the corner. The bar and restaurant are superb. The beds/linens/towels were luxurious and comfy. The rooms were quiet. The shower and bathroom were stunning. High quality teas, coffees, and biscuits were provided in the room with a kettle and tea pot. The staff were lovely and professional.
The carpet was fraying in many places, and there was no desk in my room despite having booked a suite (the second room had only a 2-seater sofa, small side table and tv). Also, the curtains were poorly fitted to the windows, so the sunlight streamed into the room (I visited in summer) - for someone who struggles to sleep without darkness, it was hard. I would have usually put towels in the gaps to block the sunlight, but there were too many gaps! Because of this and the fraying, I think it was poor value for money.
Dear Alexandra, Thank you for taking the time to provide such a detailed review of your stay with us. We’re delighted to hear that you enjoyed our stunning harbour views, the décor, and found the bar and restaurant to be superb. It’s wonderful to know that the comfort of the beds and linens, as well as the quality of teas and coffees, contributed positively to your experience. Our team will be pleased to hear your kind words about their professionalism and service. That said, I am truly sorry to learn that certain aspects of your suite did not meet your expectations. We take all feedback seriously and have noted your comments regarding the fraying carpet, lack of a desk, and the curtains allowing too much light — especially important for guests sensitive to early morning sunlight. Please be assured that these points have been shared with our maintenance and housekeeping teams to address promptly. We strive to offer excellent value for money, and it’s disappointing to hear that we fell short during your stay. Your feedback is invaluable in helping us improve, and I hope you might consider giving us another opportunity in the future to provide a more comfortable experience. Thank you once again for your honest comments. Kind regards, Kirkwall Hotel Team
Dear Alexandra, Thank you for taking the time to provide such a detailed review of your stay with us. We’re delighted to hear that you enjoyed our stunning harbour views, the décor, and found the bar and restaurant to be superb. It’s wonde… Show more
Reviewed: 29 July 2025 · Stayed in July 2025
Verified reviewCentrally located, very pleasant staff, good beds.
No AC, could be noisy.
Dear Janet, Thank you for your feedback, and for taking the time to write about your visit. We're so glad to hear you enjoyed your stay with us! We'll be sure to share your feedback with our operations team. We look forward to welcoming you back to Kirkwall Hotel soon! Kind regards, Kirkwall Hotel Team
Dear Janet, Thank you for your feedback, and for taking the time to write about your visit. We're so glad to hear you enjoyed your stay with us! We'll be sure to share your feedback with our operations team. We look forward to welcoming … Show more
Reviewed: 28 July 2025 · Stayed in July 2025
Verified reviewVery comfortable beds and bathroom great. Property very clean but also full of character and charm. Staff all very pleasant and helpful.
Breakfast felt a little over-priced.
Dear Vanessa, Thank you for your feedback, and for taking the time to write about your visit. Thank you for your kind words – we're so pleased you enjoyed the comfort of the beds and bathroom, as well as the character of the property and the friendliness of our team. We’re sorry to hear you found breakfast a little over-priced and appreciate the feedback, which we'll take on board as we review our offerings. We look forward to welcoming you back to Kirkwall Hotel soon! Kind regards, Kirkwall Hotel Team
Dear Vanessa, Thank you for your feedback, and for taking the time to write about your visit. Thank you for your kind words – we're so pleased you enjoyed the comfort of the beds and bathroom, as well as the character of the property and … Show more
Reviewed: 27 July 2025 · Stayed in July 2025
Verified reviewReviewed: 26 July 2025 · Stayed in June 2025
Verified reviewTraditional features, refurbished with taste
Nothing
Dear Brown, Thank you for your feedback, and for taking the time to write about your visit. Thank you for your five-star review! We're thrilled to hear you enjoyed your stay with us, and we'll be sure to share your kind words with our outstanding operations team. We look forward to welcoming you back to Kirkwall Hotel soon! Kind regards, Kirkwall Hotel Team
Dear Brown, Thank you for your feedback, and for taking the time to write about your visit. Thank you for your five-star review! We're thrilled to hear you enjoyed your stay with us, and we'll be sure to share your kind words with our out… Show more
Reviewed: 23 July 2025 · Stayed in July 2025
Verified reviewLocation was good. Breakfast was poor. Only ate toast but machine did not work properly. Burnt toast.
The room was small. The bathroom very small. Paint work needed painting. The shower cubicle was so small and the shower head was so big you couldnt have a shower without the water drowning you. They had renovated the bathroom but had bought all substandard items. All the shower taps had the buttons missing. Everything looks cheap and nasty.
Dear Linda, Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback. I’m sorry to hear that your stay did not meet your expectations and that you were disappointed with several aspects of your experience. While I’m glad you found the location convenient, I’m sorry to learn that breakfast and the room facilities did not meet your satisfaction. I apologise for the issues you experienced with the toast machine and the bathroom. We take maintenance and guest comfort seriously, so I have shared your comments with our team to investigate the matters you raised. Our rooms are fully finished and furnished to a high standard, so I’m concerned to hear that you felt some items were substandard. We will review the points you made regarding the bathroom fittings and décor to ensure everything remains in good condition. Thank you again for your honest feedback. I hope we might have the opportunity to welcome you back in the future for a more enjoyable stay. Kind regards, Kirkwall Hotel Team
Dear Linda, Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback. I’m sorry to hear that your stay did not meet your expectations and that you were disappointed with several aspects of your experience. While I’m glad you found the locatio… Show more
Reviewed: 23 July 2025 · Stayed in July 2025
Verified reviewReviewed: 16 July 2025 · Stayed in July 2025
Verified reviewVery central location and near the ferry terminal
The price was ridiculously expensive. We stayed during the island games and they increased their prices. The rooms are not worth that money.
Dear Tanya, Thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts. We’re glad to hear you found our location convenient — being right in the heart of town and close to the ferry terminal does make us a great base for exploring the area. We’re sorry to learn that you felt the room did not reflect the value during your stay. Please know that our rates are carefully set to remain competitive with other accommodations across the island, particularly during the busy summer season and major events such as the Island Games, when demand is exceptionally high. That said, we do understand that pricing is a key part of your experience, and we’re sorry if it fell short of expectations on this occasion. We appreciate your feedback and hope we’ll have the chance to welcome you back at a quieter time for a more relaxed visit. Kind regards, Kirkwall Hotel Team
Dear Tanya, Thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts. We’re glad to hear you found our location convenient — being right in the heart of town and close to the ferry terminal does make us a great base for exploring the area. W… Show more
Reviewed: 9 July 2025 · Stayed in July 2025
Verified reviewReviewed: 8 July 2025 · Stayed in July 2025
Verified reviewGreat position in Kirkwall Lovely staff Quirky wee hotel Dogs very welcome
Tiny room with no view apart from another wall.😭 Room was claustrophobic!! I much preferred staying in Youth Hostel on Island!
Dear Alison, Thank you for your feedback, and for taking the time to write about your visit. We truly appreciate your feedback about your stay and are glad to hear you enjoyed most aspects. However, I'm sorry to learn about your experience regarding room size making you claustrophobic. This does not reflect the level of service we strive to provide, and I appreciate you bringing it to our attention. Rest assured, we will pass your feedback on to our operations management to help us improve for future guests. We look forward to welcoming you back to Kirkwall Hotel soon! Kind regards, Kirkwall Hotel Team
Dear Alison, Thank you for your feedback, and for taking the time to write about your visit. We truly appreciate your feedback about your stay and are glad to hear you enjoyed most aspects. However, I'm sorry to learn about your experienc… Show more
Reviewed: 1 July 2025 · Stayed in June 2025
Verified reviewFriendly staff , good service and clean
Room a bit noisy
Dear Booking.com Member, Thank you for your feedback, and for taking the time to write about your visit. We're so glad to hear you enjoyed your stay with us! We'll be sure to share your feedback with our operations team. We look forward to welcoming you back to Kirkwall Hotel soon! Kind regards, Kirkwall Hotel Team
Dear Booking.com Member, Thank you for your feedback, and for taking the time to write about your visit. We're so glad to hear you enjoyed your stay with us! We'll be sure to share your feedback with our operations team. We look forward … Show more
Reviewed: 27 June 2025 · Stayed in May 2025
Verified reviewReviewed: 24 June 2025 · Stayed in June 2025
Verified reviewThe Kirkwall Hotel is in a lovely and accessible area right on the harbour and next to the main high street. The bedroom and bathroom were very clean and comfortable and the border biscuite and cafetiere are a nice touch. The overhead shower is luxurious as is the sea kelp shower soaps. The building has a nostalgic feel with historic pictures and information on the town.
The breakfast was a little lacking considering the price. There were very little gluten free options. However, the staff were kind enough to give us a discount for this reason, thank you, we appreciate it and will be back!
Dear Murty, Thank you for your thoughtful review. We’re delighted you enjoyed the location, cleanliness, and those little touches like the border biscuits and sea kelp shower products. It’s lovely to hear you appreciated the historic charm of the building too. We’re sorry that the breakfast didn’t fully meet your expectations, especially regarding the gluten-free options. Your feedback is very helpful, and we’ll certainly look into improving this. Thank you for your kind words about our team — we look forward to welcoming you back soon! Kind regards, Kirkwall Hotel Team
Dear Murty, Thank you for your thoughtful review. We’re delighted you enjoyed the location, cleanliness, and those little touches like the border biscuits and sea kelp shower products. It’s lovely to hear you appreciated the historic charm… Show more
Reviewed: 13 June 2025 · Stayed in June 2025
Verified reviewClean and specious room Friendly and helpful staff Excellent located Good food
Opposite of my room was a bar. It was sometime a bit noisy. But you can close the window.
Dear Stefan, Thank you for your feedback, and for taking the time to write about your visit. We're so glad to hear you enjoyed your stay with us! We'll be sure to share your feedback with our operations team. We look forward to welcoming you back to Kirkwall Hotel soon! Kind regards, Kirkwall Hotel Team
Dear Stefan, Thank you for your feedback, and for taking the time to write about your visit. We're so glad to hear you enjoyed your stay with us! We'll be sure to share your feedback with our operations team. We look forward to welcoming… Show more
Reviewed: 13 June 2025 · Stayed in June 2025
Verified reviewReviewed: 10 June 2025 · Stayed in April 2025
Verified reviewSuper location, right on the harbor! Convenient to walk around downtown.
Saturday night can be a bit noisy because dance club is around the corner but quiets down after midnight. Can be crowded and noisy at breakfast because of large tour groups. Vintage lift works but you'll need to be strong enough to open and close doors manually.
Dear Robert, Thank you for your feedback, and for taking the time to write about your visit. We're so glad you enjoyed our central location right by the harbour—it really is a great spot for exploring downtown on foot. We appreciate your understanding about the occasional weekend noise and the busy breakfast times when tour groups are visiting. Also, thank you for your note about the vintage lift—it’s definitely a unique feature, and we understand it may not be for everyone. We hope to welcome you back again soon! We look forward to welcoming you back to Kirkwall Hotel soon! Kind regards, Kirkwall Hotel Team
Dear Robert, Thank you for your feedback, and for taking the time to write about your visit. We're so glad you enjoyed our central location right by the harbour—it really is a great spot for exploring downtown on foot. We appreciate your… Show more
Reviewed: 7 June 2025 · Stayed in May 2025
Verified reviewLove the location and character of the hotel. The staff were generally great, particularly front desk and bar. Restaurant staff were average
It’s a shame, as generally I don’t like to write a bad review but we were a bit disappointed and were expecting more. We booked a Suite room, which although larger and had a view of the harbor, didn’t have much character and some of the blinds didn’t work properly. It only had a shower. It didn’t have any wow factor that we expecting and was expensive for what it was. We had dinner in the hotel and were a bit underwhelmed. The starters were ok but mains particularly disappointing and as a result didn’t order deserts and left disappointed. The hotel did send a standard message a lot of times with details of the hotel even the day after we left! We did use the message chat which was quite responsive but not always very effective and didn’t always acknowledge the request. It is a shame as we were looking forward to staying. Not sure if we would return but hope the hotel improves and does well.
Dear Douglas, Thank you for your feedback, and for taking the time to write about your visit. I am truly saddened and disappointed that we did not meet your expectations during your stay, and I sincerely apologise for this. Please know that your feedback has been shared with our hotel operations management team to ensure it is addressed and used for improvement. Thank you for bringing this to our attention. Kind regards, Kirkwall Hotel Team
Dear Douglas, Thank you for your feedback, and for taking the time to write about your visit. I am truly saddened and disappointed that we did not meet your expectations during your stay, and I sincerely apologise for this. Please know th… Show more
Reviewed: 1 June 2025 · Stayed in April 2025
Verified reviewFriendly staff, great location, impressive building, comfortable and clean. Nice touches with local quality furnishings.
Quite expensive but this is Orkney!
Dear Elsa, Thank you for your feedback, and for taking the time to write about your visit. We're so glad to hear you enjoyed your stay with us! We'll be sure to share your feedback with our operations team. We look forward to welcoming you back to Kirkwall Hotel soon! Kind regards, Kirkwall Hotel Team
Dear Elsa, Thank you for your feedback, and for taking the time to write about your visit. We're so glad to hear you enjoyed your stay with us! We'll be sure to share your feedback with our operations team. We look forward to welcoming y… Show more
Reviewed: 25 May 2025 · Stayed in May 2025
Verified reviewElegant, clean and tidy. Staff were helpful and friendly.
Shower pressure was low, being on Main Street was a little bit noisy.
Dear Tanya, Thank you for your feedback, and for taking the time to write about your visit. We're so glad to hear you enjoyed your stay with us! We'll be sure to share your feedback with our operations team. We look forward to welcoming you back to Kirkwall Hotel soon! Kind regards, Kirkwall Hotel Team
Dear Tanya, Thank you for your feedback, and for taking the time to write about your visit. We're so glad to hear you enjoyed your stay with us! We'll be sure to share your feedback with our operations team. We look forward to welcoming … Show more
Reviewed: 25 May 2025 · Stayed in May 2025
Verified reviewOnce in a lifetime magic! So beautiful and right at the marina. Kind staff in a remarkable setting.more wonderful than I imagined.
As with any historic building the modern amenities are tough to fit in. As a result the shower is miniature. However, the finishing is gorgeous.
Dear Lisa, Thank you for your feedback, and for taking the time to write about your visit. We're thrilled to hear you enjoyed your stay! We agree that our location and staff are exceptional. We'll be sure to share your kind words with our fantastic operations team. We look forward to welcoming you back to Kirkwall Hotel soon! Kind regards, Kirkwall Hotel Team
Dear Lisa, Thank you for your feedback, and for taking the time to write about your visit. We're thrilled to hear you enjoyed your stay! We agree that our location and staff are exceptional. We'll be sure to share your kind words with o… Show more