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St Ola Hotel

Property class: 3

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Photo gallery for St Ola Hotel

A waterfront hotel with multiple stories, a flag on top, and boats docked in the water. - St Ola Hotel (Kirkwall)
A hotel room with two beds, a desk with a computer and a tray of items, a TV, and a window with curtains. - St Ola Hotel (Kirkwall)
A bar with a long counter, multiple stools, and a variety of bottles and glasses. - St Ola Hotel (Kirkwall)
A restaurant with booths and tables, wooden ceiling, and red and black striped walls. - St Ola Hotel (Kirkwall)
A hotel with a sign reading "S! OLA HOTEL" and a window displaying a "VACANCY" sign. - St Ola Hotel (Kirkwall)
You can look forward to laundry facilities, 2 bars, and a restaurant at St Ola Hotel. Guests can connect to free in-room WiFi.

Reviews

7.6 out of 10
Good

Popular amenities

  • Free WiFi
  • Restaurant
  • Air conditioning
  • Breakfast available
  • Bar
  • Laundry

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Room options

Available filters for rooms
Showing 6 of 6 rooms

View all photos for Standard Single Room (Room 2)

A hotel room with a bed, bedside table, lamp, and a wardrobe.

Standard Single Room (Room 2)

  • Sleeps 1
  • 1 Twin Bed

View all photos for Superior Double Room (Room 6)

A hotel room with two beds, a dresser, a mirror, and a nightstand with a lamp.

Superior Double Room (Room 6)

  • Sleeps 3
  • 1 Double Bed

View all photos for Superior Double Room

A neatly made bed with a white and brown bedspread, two bedside lamps, a bedside phone, and a small nightstand.

Superior Double Room

10.0 out of 10
Exceptional
(1 review)
  • Sleeps 3
  • 1 Double Bed

View all photos for Standard Twin Room (Room 1)

A hotel room with a bed, a chair, a desk with a lamp, a TV, and a bathroom visible through an open door.

Standard Twin Room (Room 1)

  • Sleeps 3
  • 2 Twin Beds

View all photos for Standard Twin Room

A hotel room with two beds, a wardrobe, a desk, and a window with curtains.

Standard Twin Room

8.0 out of 10
Very good
(1 review)
  • Sleeps 3
  • 2 Twin Beds

View all photos for Standard Single Room

A hotel room with a bed, bedside table, lamp, and a wardrobe.

Standard Single Room

  • Sleeps 1
  • 1 Twin Bed

About the neighborhood

Located in Kirkwall, St Ola Hotel is in the historical district and near the beach. Bishop's Palace and Earl's Palace are local landmarks, and some of the area's activities can be experienced at Scapa Distillery and Orkney Wine Company. The Pickaquoy Centre and Stromness Museum are also worth visiting. Visit our Kirkwall travel guide
View more Guest Houses in Kirkwall
Map
Harbour Street, Kirkwall, Scotland, KW15 1LE

What's nearby

  • A historic church with a prominent tower and a surrounding graveyard.
    St. Magnus Cathedral
    4 min walk - 0.3 miles
  • A stone staircase leading to a partially ruined stone building with a view of a town and greenery in the background.
    Earl's Palace
    6 min walk - 0.3 miles
  • A historic stone castle surrounded by lush green trees.
    Bishop's Palace
    7 min walk - 0.4 miles
  • Orkney Wireless Museum
    1 min walk - 0.1 miles
  • Orkney Museum
    4 min walk - 0.3 miles

Getting around

  • Kirkwall (KOI)
    6 min drive

Restaurants

  • Movement Coffee
    1 min walk
  • Lucano
    7 min walk
  • Archive Coffee
    3 min walk
  • Auld Motor Hoose
    3 min walk
  • The Storehouse
    3 min walk

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Exterior
The Ayre Hotel
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  • Pet friendly
  • Parking included
  • Free WiFi
  • Restaurant
8.6 out of 10, Excellent, 265 reviews
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Property amenities

Internet

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

Parking and transportation

  • Free offsite parking

Food and drink

  • Full breakfast available for a fee 7:30 AM to 9:00 AM on weekdays and 8:30 AM to 10:00 AM on weekends; GBP 9.95 per person
  • 2 bars/lounges
  • A restaurant
  • Coffee and tea in common areas

Family friendly

  • In-room crib
  • Laundry facilities

Conveniences

  • Laundry facilities
  • Limited-hour front desk
  • Luggage storage

Guest services

  • Housekeeping (daily)

Accessibility

  • If you have requests for specific accessibility needs, please contact the property using the information on the reservation confirmation received after booking.
  • Upper floors accessible by stairs only

More

  • 1 building
  • 2 floors
  • Smoking not allowed

Room amenities

Bedroom

  • Bedsheets provided
  • Free crib

Bathroom

  • Free toiletries
  • Hair dryer
  • Private bathroom
  • Shower
  • Towels provided

Entertainment

  • Flat-screen TV
  • iPod dock

Food and drink

  • Coffee/tea maker
  • Room service

More

  • Air conditioning (climate-controlled)
  • Desk
  • Iron/ironing board on request
  • Phone

Policies

Check-in

Check-in start time: 3 PM; Check-in end time: midnight

Check-out

Check-out before 10 AM

Special check-in instructions

The front desk is open daily from 8:30 AM - midnight

Guests must contact the property in advance for check-in instructions; front desk staffed during limited hours

To make arrangements for check-in please contact the property ahead of time using the information on the booking confirmation

If you are planning to arrive after 10 PM please contact the property in advance using the information on the booking confirmation

Information provided by the property may be translated using automated translation tools

Access methods

Front desk (limited hours)

Pets

Pets not allowed

Children and extra beds

Children are welcome

Rollaway/extra beds are not available

Free cribs are available on request at the property

Property payment types

Important information

Optional extras

  • Fee for full breakfast: approximately GBP 9.95 per person

The above list may not be comprehensive. Fees and deposits may not include tax and are subject to change.

You need to know

Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card, or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
This property accepts credit cards; cash is not accepted

We should mention

This property does not have elevators

Property class

This establishment has received its official star rating from VisitScotland, the National Tourist Board for Scotland.

Frequently asked questions

Is St Ola Hotel pet-friendly?

No, pets are not allowed at this property.

How much is parking?

There is free parking nearby.

What time is check-in at St Ola Hotel?

Check-in start time: 3 PM; Check-in end time: midnight.

What time is check-out at St Ola Hotel?

Check-out is at 10 AM.

Where is St Ola Hotel located?

Situated by the ocean, this guesthouse is within a 5-minute walk of Orkney Wireless Museum, Peedie Sea, and St. Magnus Cathedral. The Orkney Library & Archive and Orkney Museum are also within 10 minutes.

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Reviews

St Ola Hotel Reviews

7.6

Good

8.6

Cleanliness

8.6

Location

8.4

Staff & service

7.4

Property conditions & facilities
Rating 10 - Excellent. 19 out of 72 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 31 out of 72 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 12 out of 72 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 7 out of 72 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 3 out of 72 reviews

Reviews

Verified review

8/10 Good

Barbara

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities
Staff was very helpful and friendly. Facilities a bit long in the tooth
Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2023
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

James

Liked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Great location

Very close to ferry’s and bars and restaurants
Stayed 1 night in Sep 2023
Verified review

8/10 Good

Gary

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Friendly staff, especially in the restaurant which also had great meals. Room was a bit jaded, with view of a wall and low doorway into a tiny bathroom. Parking was a pain with time limits outside and the free space round the back not inspiring confidence about the security of our bikes.
Stayed 1 night in May 2023
Verified review

6/10 Okay

Linda

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service
Room was ok, but beds had very hard mattresses. Noise from extracts and chillers from kitchen kept us awake. Whole hotel could do with a re vamp
Stayed 1 night in Jul 2023
Verified review

4/10 Poor

David

Disliked: Staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
I usually pay a lot less for a lot more
Stayed 1 night in Sep 2022
Verified review

8/10 Good

Susan

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, room comfort

Good for a one night stay

Quick overnight stay after a late ferry from the Shetlands. Clean, breakfast was really good. Hotel dated but had everything you required
Stayed 1 night in Jun 2022
Verified review

6/10 Okay

Colin

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

Tired room

Hotel is nice but the room was in major need of an update.
Stayed 1 night in Dec 2021
Verified review

4/10 Poor

Verified traveler

Disliked: Property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Great location but very dated noisy hotel

Stayed at the hotel Friday Saturday Sunday room allocated(no 1) was over the bar area and overlooking bins and smoking shelter. Friday/Saturday bar open until after one in the morning and was very noisy. I would say the room is not suitable to be used at weekends. The room itself is very dated and dull with badly stained carpet. On the plus side staff were friendly and polite.Sadly won’t be staying here again.
Stayed 3 nights in Sep 2021
Verified review

8/10 Good

Andrew

Liked: Staff & service

St Olas Kirkwall

Centrally located, with reasonable food. A bit dated, and very expensive, but it was booked in height of season when everyone was staycationing during Covid
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2021
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Mark

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

A great place to stay

The St. Ola Hotel is very convenient with easy access to the harbor and shops in Kirkwall. The staff were friendly and helpful, offering input on the best places to see on the island.
Stayed 3 nights in Oct 2020
Verified review

8/10 Good

Cato

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

Hyggelig på Kirkwall

Bodde en natt i forbindelse med jobb. Hadde Superior dobbelt rom. Helt OK. Vannkoker med Kaffe og Te på rommet, påfyll av Kaffe, sukker, melk tilgjengelig i gang, veldig bra. Liker en fordrive tiden med å se TV, var det kun mindre skjerm, så glem å se TV fra sengen. Veldig hyggelig personale. Bor gjerne der igjen om jeg skulle behøve overnatting i Kirkwall. Merk, Resepsjon er nattestengt så du får nøkkel til ytterdør sammen med romnøkkel.
Stayed 1 night in Oct 2020
Verified review

6/10 Okay

Andrew

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service

Basic but comfortable

Not bad for the price, good location on the harbour front, friendly helpful staff.
Stayed 1 night in Feb 2020
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Drew

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

Nice hotel

Nice hotel room looking over the harbour. Very comfortable & staff lovely
Stayed 1 night in Feb 2020
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
We loved this hotel. All the workers were excellent and worked so hard for us. We appreciated all the efforts and the Orkney Islands as one of the most special places to go in the world. St Ola was perfect for us in its unique characteristics and wonderful staff.
Stayed 4 nights in Sep 2019
Verified review

2/10 Terrible

Verified traveler

Disliked: Property conditions & facilities
The beds were the most uncomfortable I have ever slept in, room was dark and dreary, really in need of some tlc
Stayed 1 night in Jul 2019
Verified review

8/10 Good

Alan

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

Welcoming hotel

Didn’t get there till gone 11pm off the ferry on a windy February night. Welcoming staff, nice bar area and a warm clean room. Hotel overlooking the harbour. Would definitely recommend
Stayed 1 night in Feb 2019
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Frank

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

A great place to stay and visit!!

Nostalgia trip. Dad based on the ships at Scapa Flow. The Hotel, things to see, public transport, people in general, had a ruddy good tie and will most definitely be returning to the Orkneys and using the same hotel. There’s so much to do and see. Highly recommend St OlaHotel!!
Stayed 7 nights in Oct 2018
Verified review

6/10 Okay

Lesley

Liked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities
People (staff?)talking loudly in doorway, blocking entry - not great. Long wait for someone to come to checkin counter - not great. Friendly and helpful staff eventually - good. Thin walls to rooms meaning noise until well after midnight - not great. Restaurant service and food OK.
Stayed 1 night in Sep 2018
Verified review

8/10 Good

Verified traveler

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

まずまず使い勝手の良いホテル

場所は最高！中心地で港に面してます。 お部屋も設備はまずまず。 周辺にお店はありますが、ホテルの一階にレストランとバーもあるので、悪天候の時などは楽。
Stayed 1 night in Sep 2018
Verified review

8/10 Good

jerry

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Hotel lige ved havnen..Nemt at komme til midt byen og seværdigheder...
Stayed 4 nights in Sep 2018
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Alice

Great hotel and good value

This hotel has an amazingly helpful and responsive staff. The room was also very clean and tidy. Access to many local tourist sites was excellent and the site also was a great coordinating point for meeting others arriving on my tour.
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2018
Verified review

2/10 Terrible

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness
Disliked: Room comfort
If you want to stay awake half the night with noise from bar and street... come here!
Stayed 1 night in Jun 2018
Verified review

8/10 Good

Verified traveler

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

Prime location but pricey for what it is

This hotel is ideally placed for the centre of Kirkwall. Everything is in walking distance in terms of cafes, restaurants, pubs and local shops. You'll need to have a car or a tour booked to see some of the historic sites on the mainland or other islands of course. Only complaints were the shower didn't have too much pressure and the bed was quite hard. One of our nights was a Friday and there were a lot of folk out in the street quite merry after the pub kicking out time at 1am so we were woken up, it quickly gets quiet though. Just remember it is a 3 star location so the amenities match this, as opposed to the price of the room which we felt was excessive for what it was. Orkney was inclredible though, so we were happy with our stay.
Stayed 2 nights in May 2018
Verified review

8/10 Good

Brian v

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service
Historic hotel on the waterfront, nice facade but precious little historical character remains inside. My room had everything I needed but was nothing special. No problems with noise, though it was early in the week. Hard-working and versatile friendly staff. I ate dinner twice in the restaurant, really enjoyed the food, and as a vegetarian it was nice to have a few choices; breakfast was fairly average though. Parking out front was in keen demand and it could be difficult to find a (legal) spot at times.
Stayed 1 night in May 2018
Verified review

8/10 Good

Verified traveler

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

Popular Location

Previous reviews seem accurate. Excellent central location right on the dock, right on a popular strip of eateries and other hotels (with restaurants). This hotel's restaurant was good, too. Yes, it was a bit on the loud side late on a Saturday (other colleagues had same issue at different hotel the same night). Very quiet though on the following Sunday. Consider the day of the week you book. Staff seemed gracious. Very busy on Saturday night. Clean. Would stay again after comparing prices with competitors.
Stayed 2 nights in May 2018