Northern Sands Hotel

Hotels
8.8 (935 reviews)
Northern Sands Hotel , Dunnet , GB

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Free
Children allowed

Facilities

WiFi available
Free WiFi
Parking
Free Parking
Non-smoking rooms
Restaurant
Heating
Terrace
Family rooms
Luggage storage
See all facilities

Review Highlights

Pros:
Friendly, professional and helpful staff
Excellent restaurant and breakfast
Beautiful location near Dunnet Bay
Comfortable, well-equipped rooms with comfy beds
Spotless, modern rooms
Good on-site facilities (restaurant, pool/bar)
Cons:
Some rooms are small/cramped with limited in-room seating
Small shower cubicles in certain rooms
Limited outdoor relaxing space
Occasional report of mattress odour (one reviewer)

Categories

Cleanliness
9.2
Multiple guests explicitly described rooms as spotless, very clean and modern; one minor comment about a mattress smell from a single reviewer.
Service
9.4
Repeated praise for friendly, professional and helpful staff across many reviews; staff often described as welcoming and attentive.
Location
9.4
Frequently noted as superb/beautiful and very convenient for Dunnet Bay, lighthouse visits, NC500 route and ferry access.
Room Quality
8.2
Rooms often described as comfortable, well equipped and with huge comfy beds, but several mentions of small/cramped rooms, limited seating in-room and small shower cubicles.
Amenities
8.5
Good on-site facilities referenced (restaurant, pool/table, general facilities); one comment noted limited outdoor relaxation space.
Value for Money
7.4
Value was not frequently discussed explicitly. Overall high quality and excellent food, but a few comments about cramped rooms and limited outdoor relaxing lower perceived value for some guests.
Food and Beverage
9.3
Many reviews praise the restaurant and breakfast as excellent, delicious, varied and with a Scottish twist; food repeatedly called very good.
Overall Experience
9
Overall sentiment is very positive (e.g., '10/10', 'best stay', 'loved every minute'); guests describe a genuine, warm atmosphere and highly recommend the hotel.
* This sentiment is summarized by AI based on user reviews.
Updated at: 2026-08-13 03:25

Property Description

Luxurious Accommodations
Experience comfort and style at Northern Sands Hotel, where each room is equipped with a HD Smart TV, private bathroom, and complimentary Scottish toiletries. Enjoy the convenience of free WiFi during your stay.

Delicious Dining Options
Indulge in a variety of menus featuring local produce all year round, including a full Scottish breakfast. Unwind at the on-site bar and guest lounge, complete with a Sky TV for entertainment.

Exciting Local Activities
Explore the picturesque village of Dunnet with activities like walking, surfing, and horse riding. Visit the nearby Dunnet Bay Distillery for a taste of local spirits.

Ready to experience the beauty of Dunnet? Book your stay at Northern Sands Hotel now!

Important information:

All bedrooms are on the first floor and accessed via stairs as there is no elevator.
A deposit may be required at the property.

Check-in and check-out hours:
Check-out: 10:30 AM
Airport code: WIC

Location

Guest Reviews

8.8
Based on 935 reviews
Cleanliness: 9.2
Service: 9.4
Location: 9.4
Room Quality: 8.2
Amenities: 8.5
Value for Money: 7.4
Food and Beverage: 9.3
Overall Experience: 9
R
Richard from Jindabyne • couple • au
9
Prior to ferry
Pros:

Great location for ferry. Sporting memorobilia most impressive. Good food

Cons:

Staff not into chatting

2026-10-21 • via Nuitee
O
Oliver • couple • de
10
Pros:

We definitely enjoyed our three nights stay at the Northern Sands :) Our "deluxe" room was really large, all was pretty new, the bed was very good, and we had all comfort we needed. The stuff was very friendly. The breakfast was excellent: You could choose to either have Scottish breakfast, different fish&egg, or different pancakes together with cereals, toast and fruits. Not to forget the large selection of draught beers at the bar!

The hotel is an ideal starting point for tours along the northern coast. We also did surfing at Dunnet beach, which had perfect and easy to catch waves, while we were there. Surfing lessons and SUP tours could be booked nearby; surfboard and wetsuits hire is possible as well.
Great days - Thanks a lot!

2026-10-21 • via Nuitee
D
Deborah • couple • gb
10
Pros:

Fabulous location and beautiful room.
Staff were so helpful and friendly.

2026-10-20 • via Nuitee
S
sarah • couple • gb
8
2026-10-19 • via Nuitee
N
nicola • couple • it
10
Pros:

camera confortevole sia negli spazi che negli arredamenti tutti nuovi; personale molto cordiale. Trovo interessante la colazione che va ordinata la sera prima: si può scegliere un po' di tutto come in un buffet ma in questo modo si evitano sprechi. Bravi! Miglior rapporto qualità prezzo di tutto il nostro giro nelle Highlands

2026-10-19 • via Nuitee
Y
Yuval • couple • il
8
Pros:

נקי, מיטה נוחה, חדר רחצה מרווח ונקי
מיקום מצויין על NC500

Cons:

חדר קצת צפוף ,

2026-10-17 • via Nuitee
C
Chris • couple • gb
10
Very good we would recommend it.
Pros:

All of the staff were excellent, very friendly and helpful. The breakfast and the food in the restaurant were very good.

Cons:

Nothing to dislike

2026-10-15 • via Nuitee
C
Christopher • couple • gb
9
Excellent place to stay, the food was so good. Nice place to stay if you’re on the NC500 route
Pros:

Friendly helpful staff, clean and tidy room.
Handy to have an EV charger on site

Cons:

Property was all good

2026-10-14 • via Nuitee
P
Paul • couple • gb
8
Pros:

breakfast and staff hotel had been newly refurbished
rooms were comfy but bathroom was small

2026-10-12 • via Nuitee
J
Jan • couple • nl
9
2026-10-12 • via Nuitee
S
Stuart • couple • gb
10
Lovely room, great food, and exceptionally friendly staff
Pros:

We honestly had such a lovely stay here! Right from the start, the staff were incredibly polite and friendly, and it was such a bonus that our room was completely ready for us the second we arrived.
The room itself was a great size and the bed was so comfy that we got a brilliant night's sleep. Plus, you can't beat a really great shower!
We ended up staying in for dinner and the food was beautiful—perfectly cooked and really generous portion sizes. We also loved the fact that breakfast is on a pre-order system, which made the next morning feel so relaxed and seamless. We truly loved our stay and would definitely go back

Cons:

Nothing

2026-10-12 • via Nuitee
L
Lars • extended_group • de
8
2026-10-11 • via Nuitee
M
Michaela • solo_traveller • de
10
Alles bestens!
Pros:

Sehr schöne Zwischenübernachtung an der NC500. Sehr gutes Frühstück und Abendessen. Alles perfekt. Parkplatz inklusive.

2026-10-11 • via Nuitee
S
Sue • couple • au
9
Enjoyable stay at an excellent country hotel.
Pros:

Very friendly, helpful staff. Comfortable room with pleasant outlook over farmland & distant ocean. Good bathroom with excellent shower. Comfortable bed. Windows that could be opened for fresh air. Parking. Good meal at the restaurant.

Cons:

No lift but I knew that when I booked.

2026-10-10 • via Nuitee
R
robert • solo_traveller • gb
8
2026-10-10 • via Nuitee
F
Fiona • couple • gb
10
A really lovely stay and staff made it.
Pros:

So friendly, reasonable and great location.

Cons:

Room was warm for me and bed a little hard

2026-10-10 • via Nuitee
S
Steve Wilson • couple • gb
10
Excellent Location, Staff and Facilities, Bonus is its beside Rock Rose Distillery.
Pros:

Breakfast was exceptional as usual.

Cons:

Nothing

2026-10-10 • via Nuitee
A
Arthur • couple • au
10
Pros:

A lovely, warm haven on a cold afternoon arrival from Inverness.
Friendly, courteous staff who made our stay a pleasure.
Bar and restaurant were spot on and the room was very comfortable.

2026-10-09 • via Nuitee
S
steven • couple • gb
8
2026-10-08 • via Nuitee
R
Ruth • solo_traveller • gb
9
Pros:

It was a great location for the NC500 . The staff were all very friendly and welcoming. The room was clean and comfortable , good shower. We had a nice evening meal and the pre ordered breakfast was excellent. We could recommend this place.

Cons:

Nothing

2026-10-07 • via Nuitee