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The Shore

3.0 star property
Shoppers discover a vibrant retail district where they can take a break at the on-site bar and stay connected to what matters most

Choose dates to view prices

Photo gallery for The Shore

A bar area with multiple liquor bottles, a sign reading "Kirkwall Hotel", and several beer taps. - The Shore (Kirkwall)
A hotel named "The Shore" with a signboard indicating rooms and amenities like free WiFi, local ales, wines & spirits, teas & coffees. - The Shore (Kirkwall)
A neatly made bed with white linens and a plaid headboard, a bedside lamp, a wooden nightstand with a phone, and a chair by a window. - The Shore (Kirkwall)
A harbor with boats docked at the pier, a lighthouse in the background, and buildings along the waterfront. - The Shore (Kirkwall)
A restaurant interior with round tables, chairs, and a large abstract painting on the wall. - The Shore (Kirkwall)
Located in a shopping district, The Shore provides a contemporary retreat with practical amenities. Travelers can enjoy a drink at the bar and connect using in-room WiFi. The property offers luggage storage, making exploration more convenient.

Reviews

8.2 out of 10
Very good

Popular amenities

  • Free WiFi
  • Breakfast available
  • Bar
  • Housekeeping

Room options

Available filters for rooms
Showing 11 of 11 rooms

View all photos for Standard Double Room, 1 Double Bed

A hotel room with a bed, a desk, a chair, a mirror, and a hanging coat rack.

Standard Double Room, 1 Double Bed

  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 Double Bed
  • Free WiFi

View all photos for Single Room

A hotel room with a bed, bedside table, chair, and a shower area.

Single Room

  • Sleeps 1
  • 1 Twin Bed
  • Free WiFi

View all photos for Standard Twin Room

A hotel room with two beds, a desk with a chair, a painting on the wall, and a bathroom visible through an open door.

Standard Twin Room

  • Sleeps 2
  • 2 Twin Beds
  • Free WiFi

View all photos for Standard Double Room, 1 Double Bed

A neatly made bed with white linens and two folded towels, flanked by two bedside tables with lamps and a phone.

Standard Double Room, 1 Double Bed

8.4 out of 10
Very good
(6 reviews)
  • 1 bedroom
  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 Double Bed
  • Free WiFi

View all photos for Premier Double Room

A neatly made bed with a plaid blanket and a folded white towel, framed black-and-white photographs on the wall, and a dark headboard.

Premier Double Room

8.0 out of 10
Very good
(1 review)
  • 1 bedroom
  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 King Bed
  • Free WiFi

View all photos for Single Room

A wooden desk with a computer monitor, a coffee maker, a kettle, a glass jar, a mug, a remote control, and a desk lamp.

Single Room

8.8 out of 10
Excellent
(5 reviews)
  • Sleeps 1
  • 1 Twin Bed
  • Free WiFi

View all photos for Family Suite

A bedroom with a bed, a wardrobe, a nightstand, and a lamp.

Family Suite

7.6 out of 10
Good
(4 reviews)
  • Sleeps 4
  • 2 Twin Beds and 1 King Bed
  • Free WiFi

View all photos for Standard Twin Room

A hotel room with two beds, a wooden dresser, a flat-screen TV, and two framed pictures on the wall.

Standard Twin Room

7.0 out of 10
Good
(2 reviews)
  • 1 bedroom
  • Sleeps 2
  • 2 Twin Beds
  • Free WiFi

View all photos for Double or Twin Room, Accessible

A neatly made bed with a plaid blanket and two folded towels, a desk with a chair, a lamp, and a wardrobe in a hotel room.

Double or Twin Room, Accessible

  • 1 bedroom
  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 Double Bed
  • Free WiFi

View all photos for Suite

A neatly made bed with white linens and a plaid headboard, a bedside lamp, a wooden nightstand with a phone, and a chair by a window.

Suite

  • 1 bedroom
  • Sleeps 3
  • 1 King Bed
  • Free WiFi

Comfort Single Room

  • 1 bedroom
  • Sleeps 1
  • 1 Twin Bed
  • Free WiFi

About the neighborhood

Located in Kirkwall, The Shore is in the city center. 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. Visit our Kirkwall travel guide
Map
Shore Street, Kirkwall, Scotland, KW15 1LG

What's nearby

  • An ancient stone building with arched windows and a tower in the background.
    Earl's Palace
    7 min walk - 0.4 miles
  • A historic church with a prominent tower and a surrounding graveyard.
    St. Magnus Cathedral
    7 min walk - 0.4 miles
  • A historic stone castle surrounded by lush green trees.
    Bishop's Palace
    8 min walk - 0.5 miles
  • Orkney Wireless Museum
    3 min walk - 0.2 miles
  • Orkney Museum
    7 min walk - 0.4 miles

Getting around

  • Kirkwall (KOI)
    9 min drive

Restaurants

  • Movement Coffee
    2 min walk
  • Sunbeam Coffee House
    9 min walk
  • Auld Motor Hoose
    5 min walk
  • Skipper's
    1 min walk
  • Lucano
    8 min walk

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  • Free WiFi
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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

  • Daily continental breakfast available 7:00 AM to 9:30 AM for a fee: GBP 19.50 for adults and GBP 12 for children
  • A bar/lounge

Conveniences

  • 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.
  • Assistive listening devices in meeting rooms
  • Elevator (36 inch wide door)
  • Well-lit path to entrance
  • Wheelchair accessible (may have limitations)
  • Wheelchair-accessible path of travel
  • Wheelchair-accessible path to elevator
  • Wheelchair-accessible registration desk (36 inches high)
  • Wheelchair-accessible restaurant

More

  • Smoking not allowed

Room amenities

Bedroom

  • Premium bedding

Bathroom

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

Entertainment

  • LCD TV with digital channels

Food and drink

  • Electric kettle
  • Free bottled water

More

  • Desk
  • Heating
  • Iron/ironing board on request

Policies

Check-in

Check-in start time: 3:00 PM; Check-in end time: 9:00 PM
Contactless check-in available
Late check-in subject to availability
Minimum check-in age: 18

Check-out

Check-out before 10:30 AM
Contactless check-out available

Special check-in instructions

The front desk is open daily from 8:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Front desk staffed during limited hours
If you are planning to arrive after 9:00 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

Property payment types

Important information

Optional extras

  • Fee for continental breakfast: approximately GBP 19.5 for adults and GBP 12 for children

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, debit cards, and cash
Safety features at this property include a carbon monoxide detector, a fire extinguisher, a smoke detector, a security system, and a first aid kit

Property class

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

Frequently asked questions

Is The Shore 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 The Shore?

Check-in start time: 3:00 PM; Check-in end time: 9:00 PM. Late check-in is available during limited hours.

What time is check-out at The Shore?

Check-out is at 10:30 AM.

Where is The Shore located?

Located in the heart of Kirkwall, this hotel is within a 10-minute walk of Orkney Wireless Museum, St. Magnus Cathedral, and Orkney Museum. Earl's Palace and Bishop's Palace are also within 10 minutes.

Can I cancel my reservation for free and receive a full refund?

Yes, this property offers free cancellation on select room rates, because flexibility matters! Please refer to the property cancellation policy on our site for more details about any exclusions or requirements.

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Reviews

The Shore Reviews

8.2

Very Good

8.8

Cleanliness

9.4

Location

8.8

Staff & service

8.0

Property conditions & facilities
Rating 10 - Excellent. 79 out of 183 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 60 out of 183 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 26 out of 183 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 8 out of 183 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 10 out of 183 reviews

Reviews

Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Cheryl

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Grateful for the clean, tastefully decorated room in a great location (downtown waterfront). It's an older building so it can be a bit noisy - particularly as the patrons in other rooms come in for the evening and get going in the morning.
Stayed 2 nights in May 2026
Verified review

6/10 Okay

David

Liked: Staff & service
Disliked: Amenities, property conditions & facilities
The ground floor is being renovated, so reception is at The Kirkwall Hotel next door. So there is investment here. That being said, hopefully the rooms and floors are next. The existing building is shabby, though my small, single room was functional at best. 5'x10', plus a small bathroom that could do with new sink fixtures. The tight shower had hot water and good water pressure. Staff next door were very helpful and welcoming. Park nerely anywhere "there's no traffic warden".
Stayed 3 nights in Apr 2026
Verified review

8/10 Good

Morven

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Great location, very clean.
Stayed 2 nights in Nov 2024
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Robert

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Convenient location near the harbor, easy free parking and walkable to nearby restaurants and bars.
Stayed 2 nights in May 2024
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Pamela

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Nice sized room, friendly and helpful staff at the reception desk.
Stayed 2 nights in Sep 2023
Verified review

8/10 Good

Imelda

Liked: Amenities
What are wonderful and friendly. Rooms were small but clean.
Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2025
Verified review

8/10 Good

Frank

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

Nice

Goid location, good food, nice
Stayed 3 nights in Dec 2024
Verified review

8/10 Good

Will

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Clean and Comfortable
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2025
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Nicola

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Quiet, nice room, hot shower. Excellent tea and coffee facilities, big tv, free wifi, very comfy beds. Staff were very friendly.
Stayed 2 nights in Nov 2024
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Robbie

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

Not one complaint

Lovely hotel, immaculate, modern and comfortable.
Stayed 1 night in Apr 2025
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Abigail

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
The whole stay was wonderful, but we were particularly grateful that you let us use the room easily so my travel companion could sleep after her Nightshift. Thank you!
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2025
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

william

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

Nice stay in Kirkwall

A nice place for several nights in Kirkwall. Withing walking distance of shops and restaurants. Picked this place due to pickup for tour.
Stayed 2 nights in May 2024
Verified review

8/10 Good

Kimberly

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
The staff was very nice and competent. Would go back
Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2024
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

MARK

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
wonderful, friendly lady on reception. Part now of Kirkwall Hotel which is very smart, and great food. Room in the Shore was very spacious. Staff helpful in general and perfect location.
Stayed 4 nights in Aug 2024
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Michelle

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

Kirkwall stop over.

We got in just on darkness after a 7pm departure from Scrabster. The room was clean and compact but had everything we needed. The mattress on the bed was a little springy but all in all, comfortable. I'd stay here again.
Stayed 1 night in Apr 2025
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

john

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
The property is on the water with easy access to the main avenue with shops and food options. There isn't a lift if you have an issue with stairs. Easy access to the towns sights, pubs and the staff was very friendly and helpful. We just needed to stay longer!
Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2024
Verified review

8/10 Good

Kev

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Don’t let the outside of the Shore put you off, the rooms are fantastic and it’s obvious it’s been under restoration. Hopefully the outside gets a lick of paint next 👍
Stayed 1 night in Jul 2024
Verified review

8/10 Good

Graham

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

Two night stay May 24

Were shown to our room, which is in an annexe to Kirkwall Hotel. Room was very spacious with comfy chairs overlooking Kirkwall Harbour. Comfortable bed also. Overall would recommend The Shore. Only downside for us was that the blinds in the window were a poor fit & let in a lot of light, but then we do prefer a dark room at night.
Stayed 2 nights in May 2024
Verified review

8/10 Good

Miia

Liked: Cleanliness
Nice hotel on a central location. There were usually good, free parking places across the street. Our room had been recently redecorated. Plenty of hangers but the only downside was that none of the drawer units opened smoothly.
Stayed 4 nights in Jul 2024
Verified review

8/10 Good

John

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

Great Stay in Kirkwall

I was a little concerned after reading some of the reviews. We found the complaints baseless. The Shore is an annex to the larger Kirkwall Hotel. Check in/out is handled at the Kirkwall. The room, while a little musty smelling until you open a window, was fine. It was immaculately clean. There was plenty of hot water, and the breakfasts were basic but tasty. I would stay here again.
Stayed 2 nights in May 2024
Verified review

8/10 Good

Megan

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
We enjoyed our stay at The Shore. Clean, comfortable and updated room. We had a few “learning curves” including discovering check in is next door at The Kirkwall Hotel. Also, we had to climb 2 flights of stairs through a narrow corridor to reach our room. Fine for us but may be a challenge for others. Also, there are very limited dining options -especially in the evening. Shops shut down around 5pm and if you don’t have reservations you have very limited choices to eat. Overall a great experience though!
Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2024
Verified review

6/10 Okay

Kathy

Liked: Staff & service
Disliked: Amenities, property conditions & facilities
Incredibly small, old, creaky room; I thought I was going to fall through the floor. Window and view was out to moldy roof. Loud toilet; loud hallway. No ventilation. Only saving graces were kind staff who were helpful and went above and beyond to haul my luggage to my room late at night and to store luggage the next day. The hotel had a great, walkable location which was very important to me.
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2024
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Lisa

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
The Shore is a property bought by The Kirkwall Hotel and is directly next door. I thought our room was charming and had a beautiful view of the harbor. There was a bottle of water, a kettle, a French press and coffee provided along with cookies. No fridge, but that wasn’t a deal breaker for us. The rooms are clean and updated for such an obviously older building, but the rooms are small. O eve again not a problem for us. You don’t want to stay here if you have trouble with stairs or you need space to spread out. But we really enjoyed our stay here.
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2023
Verified review

6/10 Okay

Philippa

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, room comfort

In need of investment and more staff

Shown to our room by member of staff who was very pleasant & explained everything. We were in a front room with a view of the port which was nice. The room was modern & nicely decorated & the bed was very comfortable. The wooden blinds at the window did not reach the bottom as the strings were too short so we had to use a blanket to shut out some of the light. As a result it was quite light in the room all night. Breakfast was in the main Kirkwall Hotel a short walk away. Not ideal if it’s raining or freezing cold but thankfully it was fine both mornings. Our shower would not produce any hot water although we had hot water to the basin. Not a problem as we wanted to get out & explore anyway we thought it would be fixed by evening & we would just have a shower then.
Stayed 3 nights in May 2024
Verified review

6/10 Okay

Andrew

Liked: Cleanliness
Disliked: Property conditions & facilities
The hotel looks closed, possibly for a refit, though high season seems an odd time to do this. A small sign on the door informs guests that check-in is via the next-door hotel, which proved straightforward and friendly. The room itself was fine, clean and attractive and obviously quite recently refurbed/redecorated. Kettle, teas, coffee and biscuits were provided - though no milk. A ground-floor room, it was designed to be fully accessible, with appropriate clearance and an ensuite wet room with fittings adapted for wheelchair users. Access to the room was via a 20m lane off the main road, which looked a bit shabby but was convenient and proved surprisingly quiet. Unfortunately the decorative scheme chosen for the wet room was stained-concrete-effect. It looks terrible - hard to imagine why it was chosen. The effect was worsened by rusting on some of the fittings. But the shower was good, everything worked fine and nice toiletries were provided. Quite pricey for what it is but I know that Kirkwall is very busy in high season.
Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2024