Ayre Hotel & Ayre Apartments

Hotels
8.2 (1358 reviews)
Ayre Road , Kirkwall , gb

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Free
Children allowed

Facilities

Offsite parking discounted rates available
Parking
Non-smoking rooms
Restaurant
Room service
Family rooms
Lift / Elevator
Luggage storage
Facilities for disabled guests
Packed lunches
See all facilities

Review Highlights

Pros:
Friendly staff
Good location
Comfortable beds
Great food
Cons:
Noisy ventilation
Strict breakfast rules
Room cleanliness issues

Categories

Cleanliness
7.41
Some complaints about noisy ventilation and unclean toilet, affecting overall cleanliness perception.
Service
8.88
Staff are described as very friendly and helpful throughout various reviews.
Location
8.92
Multiple reviews highlight the central and convenient location for travelers.
Room Quality
7.87
Rooms are generally described as comfortable, but noise concerns were raised.
Amenities
7.9
Adequate amenities with some positive mentions of the bar and restaurant, but also some areas for improvement.
Value for Money
7.86
Good overall value, but some reviews mention the hotel rate was a bit expensive.
Food and Beverage
8.41
Positive remarks about breakfast and dinner, particularly the cocktails.
Overall Experience
8.38
Overall enjoyment of the stay with a few minor inconveniences.
* This sentiment is summarized by AI based on user reviews.
Updated at: 2026-01-11 08:39

Property Description

Overlooking Kirkwall Harbour with Local Produce Restaurant

Comfortable Rooms with Sea Views and Free Wi-Fi

Convenient Location for Exploring Mainland Orkney

Book now to experience the charm of Ayre Hotel & Ayre Apartments, where you can enjoy picturesque views of Kirkwall Harbour while indulging in locally sourced cuisine. Relax in well-equipped rooms offering sea views, free Wi-Fi, and complimentary tea and coffee. Explore Mainland Orkney with ease, thanks to the hotel's proximity to ferry terminals and nearby attractions. Whether you're savoring a cooked breakfast in the on-site restaurant or venturing to historic sites like Skara Brae, your stay at Ayre Hotel & Ayre Apartments promises both comfort and convenience.

Important information:

When booking 5 or more rooms, different policies and additional supplements may apply
A deposit may be required at the property.

Check-in and check-out hours:
Check-out: 10:00 AM

Property Policies

  • Groups

    When booking more than 3 rooms, different policies and additional supplements may apply.

  • Parking

    Free private parking is possible on site (reservation is not needed).

  • Pets

    Pets are not allowed.

  • Internet

    WiFi is available in the hotel rooms and is free of charge.

  • Children and extra bed policy

    Children of any age are allowed.
    Children up to and including 2 years old stay for £10 per person per night when using an available cot.
    Children up to and including 2 years old stay for £10 per person per night when using an existing bed.
    Children from 3 years old to 14 years old stay for £20 per person per night when using an existing bed.
    Children from 2 years old to 15 years old stay for £20 per person per night when using an available extra bed.
    Any type of extra bed or child's cot/crib is upon request and needs to be confirmed by management.
    Supplements are not calculated automatically in the total costs and will have to be paid for separately during your stay.

Location

Guest Reviews

8.2
Based on 1358 reviews
Cleanliness: 7.41
Service: 8.88
Location: 8.92
Room Quality: 7.87
Amenities: 7.9
Value for Money: 7.86
Food and Beverage: 8.41
Overall Experience: 8.38
A
Amy • solo_traveller • gb
10
2026-06-13 • via Nuitee
O
orit • solo_traveller • il
7
2026-06-12 • via Nuitee
K
Keith • solo_traveller • gb
6
Cons:

Attitude of breakfast staff, cost of breakfast.

2026-06-11 • via Nuitee
B
Beatrice • couple • de
8
2026-06-06 • via Nuitee
I
Ilja • couple • nl
8
Good hotel for exploring Kirkwall and the rest of mainland Orkney!
Pros:

Nice room, good size and really clean. Housekeeping staff was amazing, very friendly and helpful. Bed was incredibly comfortable. Location of the hotel is fantastic, just a few minutes walk from downtown and the ferries to the other islands. We had a lovely view over the bay and could see all the cruise ships coming in.
We had dinner at the restaurant one evening and the food is wonderful.

Cons:

Finding the carpark and entrance to the hotel was a bit tricky. Our GPS sent us to the harbour side of the hotel, while the main carpark and entrance are at the back on Burnmouth road.
Breakfast for vegetarians was a little underwhelming and pricey.

2026-06-05 • via Nuitee
L
Liliane Dupont • solo_traveller • fr
7
2026-06-05 • via Nuitee
M
Misty • family_with_children • us
8
Great hotel.
Pros:

Lovely hotel right in town. Nice staff. Charming decor. Cozy yet comfortable room. Good shower pressure. Comfortable lounge/bar. The two bedroom apartment was clean and comfortable but t not very equipped for kitchen use.

Cons:

It was pricey even for the cheaper rooms. But I guess it’s high season on an island with not much options.

2026-06-04 • via Nuitee
J
Jane • couple • gb
8
Pros:

Good situation. Nice restaurant. Room met our needs well. Lovely to have a bath rather than shower.

Cons:

Minor things - Taps in bathroom basin difficult to turn off completely. Bit “mean” just one pack of 2 biscuits between us! Bit warm but noisy at night if had window open.

2026-06-04 • via Nuitee
R
Roy • couple • gb
3
Massively disappointing stay!
Pros:

The position near town and seafront. Comfortable room and bed.

Cons:

Grossly overpriced - almost £270 for bed and breakfast for a couple, for a very mediocre hotel room.
Staffing - we waited over 19 minutes to be served at the bar, having made 2 visits to reception to ask to be served. Eventually we left and went to a nearby pub!
Later, the bar tender refused to make an Aperol Spritz (even though there was a bottle of Aperol) because he wouldn’t open a new bottle of Prosecco!
Very poor buffet breakfast - everything had been kept warm for ages and was very ‘tired’. Fried eggs were totally inedible and tasted like rubber!

2026-06-02 • via Nuitee
S
Sylvie • solo_traveller • fr
5
Pros:

Emplacement, parking, menu

Cons:

Chambre correcte mais le standing ne correspond pas au prix.
Le service est lent et pas très aimable.
Petit déjeuner cher sans beaucoup de choix, plutôt basique
En résumé rapport qualité prix minuscule

2026-06-01 • via Nuitee
V
Valerie • family_with_children • gb
10
Very enjoyable trip to Orkney - lovely hotel, excellent location and central for shopping etc.
Pros:

Hotel location, friendly helpful staff and rooms were warm and comfortable.

Cons:

We were happy with everything.

2026-05-30 • via Nuitee
R
Richard • solo_traveller • gb
6
2026-05-27 • via Nuitee
D
Dan • solo_traveller • gb
10
Pros:

Very friendly well run hotel. Lot of young local staff employed. Food comes quickly

2026-05-26 • via Nuitee
P
paul • family_with_children • au
10
I would recommend the Ayre Hotel as a great place to in Kirkwall.
Pros:

Our experience was a great one. From the time we checked in till we left, the staff and facilities were of the highest standard. Breakfast was a great way to start the day. Lots of choice and attentive staff. The evening restaurant was another nice meal.

Cons:

There were no downsides to my visit. I hope to stay there again in the future.

2026-05-26 • via Nuitee
M
Martin • couple • au
9
More than satisfactory.
2026-05-25 • via Nuitee
P
P Kevin • couple • gb
7
2026-05-24 • via Nuitee
R
Rosemary • solo_traveller • gb
9
2026-05-22 • via Nuitee
I
Ingus • couple • gb
8
2026-05-21 • via Nuitee
M
Mary Ann • extended_group • us
10
Great place to stay in charming Kirkwall!
Pros:

Great location, walking distance to restaurants and shops, ample parking for our rental car, awesome waterfront view, well maintained property and clean, comfortable room with large bathroom. Excellent staff, every person was pleasant, helpful and professional, top notch! There is an elevator. We would definitely stay again if ever in charming Kirkwall.

Cons:

Breakfast was not included in the price and there didn’t seem to be an option other than the buffet, which was adequate. We did have two dinners in the restaurant, both delicious.

2026-05-20 • via Nuitee
E
Euan • extended_group • gb
8
Great stopover on a cycling trip
Pros:

Clean, modern and warm

2026-05-20 • via Nuitee