The Ferry Inn, we used it for a ferry stop over after a day of touring it was a welcomed sight…read more It's located across from a small port with so mm e varied shipping activity. No issues there, all was quiet. It's kind of a scenic spot with some opportunity for a few marine type pictures. The room was clean, quiet, and has an ensuite bath. It's an older hotel so expect an older type room. The restaurant was where you check in, you'll eat with locals, a pub is adjacent. I went fish and chips with a pint, good fare. The included breakfast is in another restaurant next door, I went full Scottish breakfast...pretty massive amount of food, and was good. I strolled around and to the left I found a lovely trail that lead to a point over looking the harbor. Beautiful view amongst the disinterested sheep...watch your step, sheep eat alot, thus they......alot. Safe travels!

The Kirkwall pier is a place where you really get a sense of the rural life in Orkney. It's…read morebustling with fishermen coming and going and getting on with their work. There are also ferry links to the smaller Isles here and often in the summer time plays host to cruise liners. The yacht marina is a short walk from here, so if you are interested in boats of any sort then this is the place to visit.

Nearest accommodation to the Pentland (Orkney Islands) Ferry terminal in Gills Bay. Beautiful open…read morelocation, comfortable building, large rooms, panoramic views, very friendly proprietors. What's not to like? We picked this randomly from the roadside and were delighted with our choice. The price of GBP 60 with breakfast for a double in May was very reasonable. They probably could charge more because there are very few choices in the area.

There's a pub attached to the St Ola Hotel and if you walk through the bar area it takes you to a…read moresmall dining area (there's also an outside side entrance). Very straightforward, just a couple of booths and tables. We weren't terribly hungry so we got the soup of the day (Basil and Tomato), cajun fries and a very good Steak and Orkney Ale Pie. (Steak & Orkney Ale Pie £14.95 Orkney Ale Braised Beef Pie served with Mash Potato and Buttered Greens). The pie came with a massive but tasteless puff pastry topping and a delicious beef interior. My only complaint was there wasn't enough sauce, it was a little dry. I'd have asked for more sauce but the dining area wasn't really staffed well that night. The beef was memorable and delicious though. Quiet, even though the bar was busy, it was great for a quick, casual bite.

This review is for the restaurant at St. Ola Hotel. I came here for dinner with my husband and…read moreanother couple and our experience was not so great. My first impressions of the environment and ambiance were good. It was a pretty standard-looking pub. It looked like a chill environment. There were tvs and it was very relaxed. We sat down at a table and it took quite awhile before our server asked us if we wanted any drinks. My husband and I shared the "Orkney Farmhouse Crispy Cheese" as a starter. It was alright. It was nice that the cheese was local from the island, but other than that it wasn't too special. I tried to order the "Beef, Bacon, & Grimbister Cheese" specialty stuffed burger, but they were all out of it so I was bummed about that. I ended up ordering the "Ola Burger with Chili" and again, this was nothing special. I was starving but only finished half of my burger. It was just sort of bland and didn't taste very fresh. Our server never came by our table once to see how we were doing. We all had no water in our glasses for a long time. I kept trying to track down a server and no one was coming over. I was so thirsty that I eventually just walked all the way to the bar and asked if we could get a pitcher of water. She said yes, but then she continued to talk with her co-worker for awhile before she even thought about getting the pitcher of water. The prices were not bad. Overall, I was not impressed. We were all very chill about this because we were on vacation and just going with the flow, but I was pretty disappointed. I'm giving it 2 stars because the food was not the most terrible that I have ever had and the restaurant was clean, but the service was severely lacking.

Ommmm, so Seaview Hotel is about the only place we could find that was open before a 7:30 pm…read moresailing from Gills Bay on the Pentland Ferries (Pro tip learned quickly in Scotland: outside major cities, everything shuts up tighter than a drum in the evenings). Plus, it's just fun to say "John o' Groats." We scoped the bar area -- depressingly run down, but happily full of rowdy locals -- and the dining room -- clearly going for the "executive ballroom" feel, and probably where everyone in John o' Groats holds their wedding reception. We went with the dining room which, apparently, boasts the moniker "Groatie Room." Service was excellent, friendly and accommodating, as at most places in Scotland. Also, a variety of local craft brews was on offer, as at most places in Scotland. Food, however, perfectly matched the stuffy, outdated dining room. Exactly what you'd expect from a sit-down reception catered by Sodexho. A bland Caprese salad, run-of-the-mill paninis, season-less steamed veggies. But, considering Seaview was about the only thing going in John o' Groats and put much need sustenance in our bellies, it garners the A-OK rating.

My husband and I stayed at the very lovely Anchorage B&B during our September trip to John…read moreO'Groats. The owners of the Anchorage recommended the Seaview for our dinner and we even ran into them there that night. Admittedly, this pub is not much to look at. It's dated and a bit run down. However, don't let that deter you. If you love fish, this is the place to go. We started with scallops and they were the best scallops that we have ever eaten. We live in Los Angeles and frequently eat at high end restaurants...the Seaview had them beat! For my main, I had a grilled haddock that was amazing. My husband had a burger made from local beef. Fresh food makes all of the difference. Our meals were fantastic! Beyond that, this is clearly a place filled with locals and everyone was exceptionally welcoming. John O'Groats has the friendliest people that we encountered during our UK trip. Go here, trust me!

The location of the hotel is great. The people that work here are friendly. The breakfast is…read morestandard, the bar/restaurant has a decent selection of food and drinks. The rooms have an electric kettle with coffee and tea, a small TV and hot shower. I'm on a budget and not looking for luxury so the Royal Hotel fits me just fine. Easy walking distance to shops and the sea front. If you travel by bus or train it is a 10 minute or so walk from the station.

My first stay with Arcondel BnB. excellent location, off the main street area, easy to pay and…read morereserve. adhered to covid protocols. absolutely fabulous host !! the family always makes or breaks a BNB stay and i felt warmly welcomed and comfortable. Great room, well appointed (tea and coffee hot pot, snack to recharge you) bathroom ensuite was super clean and well appointed. i stayed two nights and had an incredible breakfast each morning !!! food was delicious and the fab host was very observant of my dietary restrictions ! (so appreciative) I had two great evening walks along the cow pasture to the dock area and absolutely thrilled with the quiet and bliss of Kirkwall. Thank you for letting me stay in your lovely BnB - I hope to return to the Ardconnel again !

I had a lovely stay in the Ardconnel B&B this past spring. The B&B is under new ownership, and…read moreTheresa was incredibly welcoming. When there was a slight mixup with the room, she gave us a free bottle of wine, which was completely unnecessary! The complimentary breakfast was delicious. The breakfast room has a lovely view of the harbor. Our room looked out onto wide open fields. You felt like you were really alone in the country even though the town is about a mile away. It was beautiful and peaceful. The one downside is that the B&B is about a mile outside of town. It's walkable but takes about 25-30min. If you have a car it isn't an issue. The remoteness also contributes to the tranquility of the place. Thank you to Ardconnel for a wonderful few days in the beautiful town of Kirkwall.

Had a lovely weekend at Hammersmith - it's centrally located on the Orkney Mainland, making it…read moreideal for exploring the island. We were travelling with my parents and enjoyed sitting in the sunroom both nights after a day of touring, to plan the next day out - with a lovely view of the countryside. Personally, I liked their breakfast menu system - I hadn't seen this before in a B&B, using dry erase markers we picked our breakfasts for the next morning - and the breakfasts were all delicious, we sampled the full cooked (with homemade tattie scones!! and LOVELY mushrooms), the haddock and poached egg, the salmon and scrambled egg and the poached eggs and cheese on crumpets... mmmm - would definitely stay again!