The Shore

This has to be the worst ‘hotel’ I have ever stayed in and as a frequent traveller for work that’s quite a statement. Firstly, I booked a twin room and have been put into a ‘budget single’. The smell of stale cigarettes and body odour hit me the moment I entered the room. The window does not open so not only can I get some air I’m pretty screwed if there is a fire. The bedding feels damp and cold. Unfortunately the hotel is fully booked and looking online there are no rooms anywhere so it appears I’m stuck here. Don’t be fooled into thinking you are staying in the lovely Kirkwall hotel who ‘manages’ this abandoned building. Thankfully I’m only here for 1 night!

It’s criminal this hotel is allowed to operate. First the phone number published is not being answered. If it wasn’t for a local we would not know this hotel was taken over by Kirkwall hotel and to contact Kirkwall hotel. However it is abandoned and neglected. No staff. The room we are in is a dungeon. Dark and damp. Feels and looks like the place where victim of abduction is taken and kept into. This a major security concern. Paper thin walls and ceiling. £160 a night is absurd. Not worth £50. Thankfully it was our last night in Orkney in this hotel. Otherwise it would have destroyed our 4 day holiday in Orkney. This hotel is very poorly representing Orkney. Save yourself and stay elsewhere.

A "closed" hotel operated by the neighbours Kirkwall Hotel. Nice and 99% clean room. A strange location into an alley, but it worked. Good and friendly service in the reception, bar and restaurant. (Which again is the neighbour Hotel.)

I had read some poor reviews from previous years but obviously improvements have been made. Public areas clean and freshly painted with new carpets. Bedrooms clean and well equipped. Good breakfast in the Kirkwall Hotel.

This a centrally located and reasonable hotel. Getting to the room at 23:30 was a challenge up and down stairs. The room was clean and well appointed. The restaurant was located about a block away in the Kirkwall hotel. Here the food was good and breakfast was good and coffee hot. It is central to town so that made up for the minor issues we found.

Location really good but the booking website did not explain that “the Shore hotel” had closed during COVID lockdown and property was being managed by nearby Kirkwall Hotel. No good food and lively bar as described! Linen , towels (obviously came from large hotel next door) and room very comfortable , but corridors and stairs smelled damp and slightly “fursty”, no staff in building and concerningly our first floor room, rear facing overlooked an empty yard and blank wall. The windows did not lock, there were ladders lying in the yard which was open to the Main Street via an alley Would have booked elsewhere had we known

Shore Hotel building was previously a separate hotel and now part of Kirkwall Hotel which is situated a very short distance away. On main front near harbour with easy access to centre of town. Staff were all pleasant. Shore definitely needs an upgrade. Rooms are clean but variable in quality. Room 1 was at lower level and right next to a fire exit that was not always secured. Lookout was onto untidy waste ground where bins and unused garden furniture lying around. Windows dirty. Damp and musty feel. Booming music from nearby disco until 1a.m. On the Saturday night. Definitely not worth the £150 p/n price paid.

The Shore Hotel is actually part of the Kirkwall Hotel next door. There is no lounge, bar or dining room. If you have booked breakfast, you need to go along to the Kirkwall hotel. The room we had was at the top of the hotel in what was a converted attic space as the ceilings were combed and the windows were skylights. An effort had been made to freshen the room, however the patched wallpaper and poor paint quality let it down. The door lock was faulty and on complaining the very helpful receptionist managed to get it to work on a temp basic and arranged for a joiner to come out the following day. The following day after ensuring the lock was secure we went off to tour Kirkwall. ON onu return many hours later we discolvered the door was insecure. The cleaner had been in and failed to secure it. Off to reception and we were then given a room in the main Kirkwall hotel. it was like night and day when comparing the rooms. Twice the floor space and about 2 stars above the level of the Shore. Staff were great in assisting getting us into the other room, service in the dining room was also great. Made the rest of our stay enjoyable.

The Shore Hotel is an "interesting" place. It is an unstaffed hotel so you need to collect the keys and have breakfast in the Kirkwall hotel (I recommend Full Orkney). The hotel room itself was clean, with a very good selection of biscuits, teas and coffees, the bathroom is a good size, the bed was very comfy, and had good wifi. What was strange is that I had a landline phone in my home that for some reason seems to have been a phone for the Kirkwall's reception as a full time I had guests staying in the other hotel ringing my room asking about wifi passwords and menus which was an experience I've never had before in a hotel. The