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West End Guest House

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Reviews

8.6 out of 10
Excellent

Popular amenities

  • Breakfast included
  • Parking included
  • Free Wi-Fi
  • Restaurant
  • Business services
  • Bar

About the area

Map
14 Main Street, Kirkwall, Scotland, KW15 1BU

What's nearby

  • A historic stone castle surrounded by lush green trees.
    Bishop's Palace
    3 min walk - 0.3 km
  • A historic church with a prominent tower and a surrounding graveyard.
    St. Magnus Cathedral
    5 min walk - 0.5 km
  • An ancient stone building with arched windows and a tower in the background.
    Earl's Palace
    6 min walk - 0.5 km
  • Orkney Museum
    6 min walk - 0.5 km
  • Orkney Wireless Museum
    10 min walk - 0.9 km

Restaurants

  • Sunbeam Coffee House
  • Movement Coffee
  • Auld Motor Hoose
  • The Bothy Bar
  • Skipper's

Similar properties

Exterior
The Ayre Hotel
Kirkwall
  • Pet-friendly
  • Parking included
  • Free Wi-Fi
  • Restaurant
8.6 out of 10, Excellent, 256 reviews
The price is S$230
includes taxes & fees
1 Aug - 2 Aug
The Ayre Hotel
Compare similar properties

Property amenities

Internet

  • Available in all rooms: Free WiFi
  • Available in some public areas: Free WiFi

Parking and transport

  • Free self parking on site
  • Limited on-site self parking

Food and drink

  • Free full breakfast available daily 8:00 AM to 9:30 AM
  • A bar/lounge

Conveniences

  • Limited-hour front desk
  • Luggage storage

Guest services

  • Change of bedsheets (on request)
  • Change of towels on request
  • Housekeeping (daily)

Business services

  • Meeting room

Outdoors

  • Garden
  • Picnic area

Accessibility

  • No lift

More

  • Smoking not allowed

Room amenities

Bedroom

  • Bedsheets provided

Bathroom

  • Hair dryer
  • Shower
  • Towels provided

Entertainment

  • 30-inch flat-screen TV with digital channels

Food and drink

  • Coffee/tea maker
  • Free bottled water

More

  • Desk
  • Iron/ironing board on request

Policies

Payment types at the property

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Reviews

West End Guest House Reviews

8.6

Excellent

9.0

Cleanliness

8.8

Location

9.2

Staff & service

8.0

Property conditions & facilities
Rating 10 - Excellent. 31 out of 79 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 36 out of 79 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 9 out of 79 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 3 out of 79 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 0 out of 79 reviews

Reviews

Verified

8/10 Good

Tanya

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, room comfort

Amazing breakfast!

A very friendly welcome, they were happy to accommodate our very late (11.30pm) arrival after we travelled there on the ferry. The owners have recently taken it over and in the last few weeks completed an overhaul of the bar/restaurant area which looks lovely. We didn't try the evening meals but the breakfasts were phenomenal, a proper Scottish breakfast that really sets you up for the day. Very friendly hosts helped us to work out what to do during the day and suggested good walks and so on. The room was spotlessly clean and had everything we needed, though it was quite small and was up quite a few stairs (though we were offered help with luggage so it would only be an issue if you struggle walking up stairs). The location was excellent, very easy to walk into town and also just a few minutes' walk from where you can catch the bus to the airport or ferry.
Stayed 2 nights in Mar 2018
Verified

10/10 Excellent

David

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
We had a great stay here. Located in a historic building and a stones throw from the cathedral so easy walking distance to Kirkwall attractions and easy access to roads for all parts of the island. Very friendly welcome and a tasty breakfast each morning. It is a historic building so stairs and corridors but clean and safe with a comfy bed, what more do you need? We would happily go back to Orkney and hopefully when we do we will be able to book the West End Hotel for our stay.
Stayed 5 nights in Aug 2021
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Mariusz

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Great location, comfortable stay. Very good breakfast. Angela was very friendly, give us good advice what to see,where to eat and where to find hidden gems. Everything was spot on. We will definitely be back there.
Stayed 5 nights in Aug 2021
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Warm and friendly hotel

Lovely little hotel on a quiet street; reception was really friendly and helpful. Useful having plates and cutlery, etc. in the room for takeaways as everywhere was booked up to eat out!
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2021
Verified

8/10 Good

Ailsa

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Professional, friendly service

Really good communication throughout booking and organising our check-in from the late ferry. Looked after our bags for us the day we checked out. Really Covid-safe way of running things too. Thank you.
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2021
Verified

8/10 Good

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness
Enjoyed our stay. Unfortunate that restaurant closed due to Covid staffing shortage but close to local amenities.
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2021
Verified

6/10 Okay

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service
Disliked: Amenities, property conditions & facilities
Hotel decor dated, room on ground floor was damp and next to kitchen so woken each morning by sound of kitchen staff
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2021
Verified

8/10 Good

Amanda

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Nice quirky hotel

Great location for where we needed to be. Pleasant stay. Rooms comfortable. Cooked breakfast lovely. Would stay again.
Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2021
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Marie

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, room comfort

Bit tired and dated

Very tired shower room, the sink was actually located in the bedroom. The actual shower was very good just very cramped. We never found sign saying there was reduced services due to staff shortages but the staff were more than happy to provide us with clean towels. All other items you could pick up from reception. Breakfast was really good and served by the only member of staff I saw, a very friendly, bubbly and efficient waitress. An asset to any business.
Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2021
Verified

6/10 Okay

Alexandria

Liked: Staff & service
Disliked: Property conditions & facilities

Orkney stay

Staff very good,Waitress in breakfast room was very attentive, The hotel is certainly needing a make over,could not get window open for fresh air. Was central for us to explore Orkney. Enjoyed seeing the island.
Stayed 4 nights in Jul 2021
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service
We were greeted by Angela, who was an excellent hostess. She provided us with all the necessary and helpful information about our stay in the Orkneys. Excellent service! The hotel is well situated and the car park was very convenient. The room was a bit dated, but very clean and a great value. The breakfast was outstanding and we would highly recommend this hotel to anybody staying in Kirkwall. Looking forward to go back!
Stayed 3 nights in Jun 2021
Verified

10/10 Excellent

ian

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

amendments not possible

only nuisance was inability to reduce length of stay by 1 night due change in flight times
Stayed 5 nights in May 2021
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Stuart

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
The staff are very friendly and helpful. We struggled to find the parking (which was around the back of the hotel) but they came out on the street to guide us in. Check in was straight forward and we had good instructions (Covid) on what is required to keep safe. The rooms were clean and spacious. Once an old polio hospital, the hallways were twisty had lots of turns and added character to the property. The breakfast room was modern and spacious and the food was excellent and catered for a vegertarian very well. Again the staff were friendly and chatty and made you feel welcome. Would stay again, lovely people, lovely place, highly recommend.
Stayed 1 night in Sep 2020
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
The meals are excellent and very friendly staff. I had the best gin and tonic ever in their bar - Orkney Rhubarb Old Tom
Stayed 3 nights in Mar 2020
Verified

4/10 Poor

Verified traveller

Disliked: Staff & service

No flexibility on dates despite cancelled ferries

Not a good experience sadly, never stayed here. The hotel were unwilling to change my booking date despite ferries being cancelled due to bad weather, other hotels in Kirkwall have been much more flexible in my experience. Blamed hotels.com, pocketed my cash despite me asking for a date change. Buyer beware.
Stayed 1 night in Feb 2020
Verified

6/10 Okay

David

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service
Disliked: Property conditions & facilities, room comfort

A Different Slant on Hotel Accommodation......

The hotel was clean and service was excellent. I only ate breakfast there but is was very good. However the single room I had as a solo traveller wasn't so great. The single bed was comfortable enough, but sleeping tended to be disturbed by noise such as snoring, phone conversations and drawers and doors opening and closing from neighbouring rooms. The walls seemed quite thin. The room itself was the smallest I've ever stayed in, with no chair. Consequently there was nowhere to sit except on the bed, or put clothes for the next day or incidental items on except on the floor alongside my suitcase which was already there since there was nowhere else to put that either. The wardrobe contained four coathangers (it was too small to accommodate more than that), one of which was occupied by the hotel-supplied bathrobe. So I had to resort to hanging clothes on the door edges themselves, or putting them on the floor too. Stepping over everything was made slightly more hazardous by the fact that the floor sloped. This took a bit of getting used to, but eventually I did. The hotel wifi disappeared the second day I was there and was out until the day before I left. Unfortunately mobile reception (on Three at least) was almost non-existent so this created some problems until the hotel staff kindly gave me the password for a private network they had. All in all not the most comfortable stay I've ever experienced. Possibly the double rooms are better......?
Stayed 7 nights in Oct 2019
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, room comfort

Traditional Hotel

Property was well kept and warm The staff were friendly and helpful. The breakfast was excellent. Hotel in a quiet part of town about 10 mins walk to centre. Room a little dated. What you would call traditional rather then modern.
Stayed 1 night in Oct 2019
Verified

8/10 Good

TomW

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Nice older property with easy walking access to Kirkwall attractions. Great food and bar on site with a parking lot. Lots of stairs and kind of a maze getting to our room. No elevator and thus may not appropriate for those who are walking impaired.
Stayed 4 nights in Sep 2019
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Steven

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Well worth a visit for a stay or bite

Great hotel and has a great restaurant attached as well! One of the best in Kirkwall
Stayed 2 nights in Sep 2019
Verified

8/10 Good

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

ハイランドパークとスキャパへかろうじて徒歩で行ける

部屋の設備が古いのは否めませんが、朝食は良かったです。 部屋の下がレストラン＋barなので、夜は少々音がきになりました。
Stayed 2 nights in Sep 2019
Verified

8/10 Good

Christine

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Lovely friendly staff, food was delicious. Would have liked a view from my single room but the hotel itself was v attractive and great location too.
Stayed 3 nights in Sep 2019
Verified

8/10 Good

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Friendly staff, comfortable, great location in town. Quiet.
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2019
Verified

6/10 Okay

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Struttura buona, pulita e curata. Personale cordiale. Stanza molto piccola.
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2019
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Yves P.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Emplacement idéal pour visiter les environs

Tous était bien même si nous n'avons passé qu'une seul nuit. C'était un petit saut dans l'histoire à partir d'Edimbour
Stayed 1 night in Jul 2019
Verified

6/10 Okay

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service
Disliked: Amenities
Pros; location, breakfast, staff Cons; very uncomfortable bed, tiny bathroom & sink was in room, storage of towels (they were hanging right next to toilet bowl), only one chair to sit down in bedroom
Stayed 1 night in Jul 2019