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The St Ola Hotel is situated in the heart of Kirkwall on the picturesque waterfront. We offer beautiful comfortable rooms, 2 very friendly bars and homemade food using the finest local produce on our all day menu.
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The staff were very helpful and friendly. The breakfast was good value with a fair selection in the menu. The room was poor standard in general. However there was a kettle and tea and coffee provided. The bed was comfy but the furnishings were dated, the carpet was stained, the surrounding area of the bed I slept in was un clean. Once in bed it was impossible to see the TV because of the room layout. The curtains were hanging off the rails and could be fixed with just a few more hooks. The bathroom was in need of an upgrade. Clean towels were provided each day. It was a disappointing room
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Date of stay: September 2023
Value
Location
Service
Trip type: Travelled with friends
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
This hotel is a very shabby establishment badly in need of a complete makeover. The front door set the tone - dirty, scruffy and marked, This is basically a pub with 6 rooms to let. Our room had a good view over the harbour, but furnishings were old and chipped, not as clean as possible, tea making area with directly under the TV (health & safety issue) - we moved it. The shower was very small and rickety, and base was damaged. A lot of noise from the bar below, often till after midnight. If I had not paid in advance, I would not have stayed.
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Date of stay: August 2023
Value
Location
Service
Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Room Tip:Don't stay here.
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Good things. Breakfast £9.55. Worth it, if you have everything. Good beer in the bar. Not so good. Stop doing food after 8. Surely they know the last flight (if on time) arrives at 7.20? Lounge bar closes at 8. Main bar very noisy. Breakfast very good, but coffee not (Nescafe?). Can they not afford a filter machine?
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Date of stay: July 2023Trip type: Travelled solo
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We didn't stay here for the accommodation but had lunch today so I just have to rate the Steak and Orkney Ale pie and mash... Absolutely 10/10! And very friendly helpful bar/restaurant staff. The restaurant area is lovely and clean. Thanks so much
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Date of stay: May 2023Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Friendly staff helpfully only had a few drinks and a meal all four of us where amazed at the size of the meals nobody will leave hungry 11 out of 10. If ever on the island again will visit for a meal
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Date of stay: April 2023
Value
Location
Service
Trip type: Travelled with friends
Room Tip:Might not look the best from the outside can't fault inside
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Worst hotel ever!!!! Do not stay here!!! See photos. Smelly, dirty, mouldy and unsafe. Staff unwilling to assist or help find alternative accommodation. Please don’t book here as you will be very disappointed.
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Date of stay: March 2023
Value
Location
Service
Trip type: Travelled on business
Room Tip:Don’t book!!!
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Do not go here unless everywhere else is booked up. It has a very vibrant bar on the ground floor and if you stay Friday or Saturday night you can guarantee not to get any sleep until about 5am, if you are lucky. The rooms are ok, basic but clean but my main reason for a room was to get some sleep and this was not acheived so nothing else would have made the stay any more appealing. I vowed not to stay here again after my first stay 10 years earlier- where the surly receptionist was not interested in my complaint and i moved to another hotel-but this time work booked it and ive told them never to do so again.
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Date of stay: November 2022
Value
Location
Service
Trip type: Travelled on business
Room Tip:maybe mid week is quieter, not sure if the staff will be any more friendly/ helpful though. Cheap...
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Just had meal in the bar- extremely slow service, never did get plates taken away- had to go to bar to ask for service/sweet menu. Extremely fed up having to wait so long so decided to leave and not have sweet/ coffee, watched guests who came in after us getting served first! Chicken goujons very greasy and chips tasted of oil used to fry fish. Very disappointing as I’d heard the food was usually good. Wouldn’t go back.
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Date of stay: October 2022
Value
Location
Service
Room Tip:Never stayed in the hotel- just had a meal in the bar.
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Called into the hotel bar when on honeymoon as hotel website it was popular with locals. This is definitely NOT the case. Very frosty reception from the locals and a few nasty comments. I set a new record for the quickest pint ever and left to another nearby place. My last totally honest review was deleted
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Date of stay: August 2022Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Stayed 2 nights on arriving on Orkney for a short break, really nice welcome and friendly staff in all areas , reception, bar, restaurant and housekeeping. Food was reasonable and pub grub. Room had a great view over harbour and although ready for some modernisation was large, clean and very comfortable. Slight downside was some noise from people outside on street directly below our windows, either smoking or when leaving at closing time. However it was Friday and Saturday nights, so understandable to a degree. Would not stop us returning, it was booked up and unavailable on our return to Kirkwall hence my previous review of disappointing (and more expensive) nearby hotel
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Date of stay: September 2022
Value
Location
Service
Room Tip:Choose superior
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
United KingdomScotlandOrkney IslandsMainlandKirkwall
NUMBER OF ROOMS
6
Prices are provided by our partners, and reflect total costs of the stay, including all taxes and fees known to our partners. Please see our partners for more details.
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