The Shore

Hotels
7.9 (335 reviews)
Shore Street , Kirkwall , gb

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Children allowed
Pets allowed

Facilities

Non-smoking rooms
Family rooms
Pets allowed
Luggage storage
Facilities for disabled guests
Non-smoking throughout
Wheelchair accessible
Emergency cord in bathroom
Staff adhere to local safety protocols
Guest rooms disinfected between stays
See all facilities

Review Highlights

Pros:
Clean and fresh rooms
Friendly and helpful staff
Great location
Cons:
Noise from adjacent rooms
Views were limited or unpleasant
High cost for what was offered

Categories

Cleanliness
7.63
Room was very clean and looked fresh and new, but some noise from upstairs and the view was limited.
Service
8.6
Staff were extremely friendly and helpful, allowing early access to lounge and handling luggage.
Location
8.64
Great central location near town and local amenities.
Room Quality
7.59
Room well appointed but some issues with noise and views; some rooms in a less inviting area.
Amenities
7.92
Decent amenities with good breakfast options available at a nearby hotel.
Value for Money
7.08
Room pricing seemed high relative to quality of experience, especially regarding noise and view issues.
Food and Beverage
7.63
Breakfast not included unless booked directly; some positive mentions of coffee.
Overall Experience
8.1
Overall enjoyable stay despite some minor issues.
* This sentiment is summarized by AI based on user reviews.
Updated at: 2026-01-08 17:45

Property Description

Charming Hotel in Kirkwall with Family Rooms

Convenient Amenities: The Shore offers comfortable family rooms with flat-screen TVs, seating areas, and private bathrooms equipped with free toiletries and a hairdryer.

Modern Convenience: Enjoy free WiFi throughout the property, ensuring you stay connected during your visit to Kirkwall.

Ideal Location: Located just 1.9 km from Highland Park Distillery and 4 km from Kirkwall Airport, The Shore provides easy access to key attractions and transportation hubs.

Book your stay at The Shore now for a relaxing and convenient experience in Kirkwall!

Important information:

When booking more than 5 rooms, different policies and additional supplements may apply. For more information, please contact the property directly.Please inform of your expected arrival time in advance. You can use the Special Requests box when booking, or contact the property directly using the contact details in your confirmation.

Check-in and check-out hours:
Check-out: 11:00 AM
Airport code: KOI

Property Policies

  • Pets

    Pets are allowed on request. Charges may be applicable.

  • Internet

    WiFi is available in all areas and is free of charge.

  • Parking

    No parking available.

  • Children and extra bed policy

    Children of any age are allowed.
    Children up to and including 2 years old stay for free when using an existing bed.
    You haven't added any cots.
    You haven't added any extra beds.

Location

Guest Reviews

7.9
Based on 335 reviews
Cleanliness: 7.63
Service: 8.6
Location: 8.64
Room Quality: 7.59
Amenities: 7.92
Value for Money: 7.08
Food and Beverage: 7.63
Overall Experience: 8.1
C
charles • solo_traveller • us
8
Great
Pros:

Friendly

Cons:

Bathroom needs hooks, anti skid in shower

2026-04-26 • via Nuitee
S
Susan • solo_traveller • gb
9
Very comfortable 2 night stay in Kirkwall
Pros:

Thought I was getting a single bed for my 2 night accommodation, got a double bed - yay! Room was very clean and comfortable. All items that I needed were provided, there was even an iron and ironing board available. The Shore is in a great location for ease of access to the town centre.

Cons:

The room had 2 windows, but I closed the blinds down to avoid the view of the bins - not really a dislike as it was easily solved and during daylight hours I was out and about in town!

2026-04-21 • via Nuitee
I
i • solo_traveller • au
4
Cons:

The shore is now part of the kirkwall hotel and so seems to have been forgotten about. Its a bit odd - I was bombarded with emails from them promising an "Extraordinary stay" and fantastic service yet they didnt seem to want to know me when I checked in - presumably as I was staying at the shore hotel. Reception staff (at the Kirkwall hotel) were mixed - some were quite unhelpful & bordering on rude while others particularly later in my stay were much more pleasant. There were also quite a few maintenance issues with the room. The bathroom tapped dripped & the toilet roll holder was broken. From my perspective the whole arrangement of running the shore hotel from the kirkwall hotel doesn't seem to be working out well for guests.

2026-04-11 • via Nuitee
D
Dorotea • solo_traveller • hr
6
2026-04-09 • via Nuitee
C
caroline • solo_traveller • gb
7
2026-04-08 • via Nuitee
M
mitsui83 • solo_traveller • it
10
Very good hotel
Pros:

The position, the room is very clean, staff ready and gentle. If you will go on Orkney, it's nice to go here.

Cons:

Never. There is only a family on the room above my room so noisy, but it's not an hotel problem.

So, for the hotel, everything was nice.

2026-04-08 • via Nuitee
S
Steve • solo_traveller • gb
10
Very good.
Pros:

Location, warm, clean and comfortable.

Cons:

No view from room.

2026-03-26 • via Nuitee
D
David • solo_traveller • gb
3
Felt like my bed was in a commercial laundry.
Pros:

Locality to Kirkwall town although I arrived late at night.

Cons:

Room was above a laundry. Dryers running at 5.30. Very noisy. Window blinds don’t fit in windows very well. Bathroom extractor fan incredibly noisy.

2026-03-20 • via Nuitee
M
Matthew • solo_traveller • gb
10
Pros:

The staff were very friendly and helpful. Clean and comfortable!

2026-03-02 • via Nuitee
D
Douglas • solo_traveller • gb
8
2026-02-11 • via Nuitee
E
Efenel • solo_traveller • gb
9
The room is quiet I was able to rest for the next day and the staff are very kind.
Pros:

Room was clean and there were enough amenities and its very quiet. I slept very well. Also, there was enough room to leave my luggage and my laptop while I went out to see Skara Brae all day and the city waiting for my next journey. The staff were very kind even the reception at the restaurant I wasn't a guest and I just borrowed fork to eat the food I bought from Tesco and she gave me the whole set i.e., spoon, fork and knife with table napkin, I told her Ill wash it when I bring it back and she said oh god don't! we'll clean it for you :-) very kind.

Cons:

The price :-) but its understandable I went in summer and the island probably only make money during summer. Plus, I didn't book far ahead. But it is okay because I went for very specific thing I just want to see the Skara Brae.

2026-01-19 • via Nuitee
P
Phillip • couple • gb
2
Very disappointing, not what you expect for the money.
Pros:

We liked Kirkwall, but I can’t say anything positive about The Shore hotel.

Cons:

We arrived off the ferry at 11.30pm and went straight to the hotel, there was a notice on the door telling us to check in at the Kirkwall hotel along the street. The guy took us along an alleyway to a side door. Our room looked ok at first glance in the dark, but it was cold and felt a bit damp. We were tired and went to bed expecting a good nights sleep but someone in the room above started pacing the floor at 12.30am, the floorboards creaked, this went on until about 2.30am.
In the cold light of day the room was not what we expected for £242 per night. There was no sea view, we looked over wasteland and the dustbins. The towels were ragged around the edges, there were stains on the carpet, the window frames were filthy, blinds dusty, and black mould around the windows and in the shower. There was a rusty tin of ground coffee which we didn’t touch.
We stayed 3 nights, the noise from upstairs continued until 1.30 both nights.
We did t eat or drink in the hotel next door so could t comment.
We didn’t complain as I would have found it too stressful

2026-01-15 • via Nuitee
J
Jackie • extended_group • gb
9
The best
Pros:

Breakfast was top notch

Cons:

Nothing

2025-12-07 • via Nuitee
C
Corson • solo_traveller • nz
10
Pros:

Lovelly cosy room… and fresh coffee

2025-12-02 • via Nuitee
G
Gary • family_with_children • gb
8
2025-11-25 • via Nuitee
S
Sartin • solo_traveller • gb
10
Pros:

Amazing coffee

Cons:

No breakfast
Everything ok

2025-11-09 • via Nuitee
S
Sinclair • couple • au
8
2025-10-29 • via Nuitee
S
Steven • solo_traveller • gb
10
Pros:

The location, the room and the staff. Excellent service across the board.

Cons:

Everything was brill!

2025-10-26 • via Nuitee
A
Amanda • solo_traveller • gb
9
Would stay again, excellant
Pros:

Room was very clean.

Cons:

Nothing

2025-10-25 • via Nuitee
D
Difede • extended_group • us
7
Pros:

Location easy to walk around town

2025-10-21 • via Nuitee