What to Expect from a Traditional Orkney Bed and Breakfast

By Island Hopping Between Orkney's North Isles
Comments 35
12 Sep 2026

What to Expect from a Traditional Orkney Bed and Breakfast

Arriving to a Proper Orkney Welcome

A traditional Orkney bed and breakfast is almost always a family home first and a business second. Most have between three and six letting rooms, and many are converted croft houses, former manses, schoolhouses or old merchant townhouses in Kirkwall and Stromness, or farmhouses out on the islands. You will usually be met at the door by the owner, often with a pot of tea and something just out of the oven, and that personal contact shapes the whole stay.

This is not uniform, corporate accommodation. Wallpaper, furniture and pictures tend to reflect the family who live there, and rooms vary considerably in size and outlook. Some guest houses have sea views over Scapa Flow; others look onto a working yard, a quiet street or a field of grazing cattle. Ask what you are getting if a particular view matters to you.

The Breakfast Is the Main Event

Breakfast is where traditional Orkney guest houses earn their reputation. Alongside a cooked plate of local bacon, sausages, eggs, grilled tomato and potato scones, you will often find home-baked scones, bere bannocks, oatcakes, and jam made from rhubarb, brambles or whatever grew well that year. Orkney cheese, butter and smoked salmon or trout appear regularly, and porridge is usually available for anyone wanting something simpler.

A few things are worth knowing in advance:

Breakfast times are often fixed to a narrow window, typically something like 7.30am to 9am.
Early starts for ferries or flights are usually accommodated happily, but mention it when you book rather than on the night.
Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and dairy-free diets are generally well handled with notice — a day's warning is ideal.
Portions are generous. If you have a long walk planned, you will not need much lunch.

Coffee is usually filter rather than espresso, and tea comes in a proper pot. Nobody will rush you.

Rooms, Comfort and a Few Old-Building Quirks

Most rooms are en-suite, though a few older properties still offer a private bathroom across the landing at a lower rate — worth checking rather than assuming. Orkney houses are built for weather, which means thick stone walls, deep window recesses, low doorways in older buildings and a tendency for floors to slope gently. Heating is generally good, but the climate is cool year-round, so an extra layer is never wasted.

Wi-Fi is common but can be modest in remote locations, and mobile signal is patchy on the outer isles. Think of it as part of the appeal rather than a fault. Televisions, kettles and hairdryers are standard, and many places offer a drying room or a boot rack for wet walking gear — genuinely useful when the weather turns.

Local Knowledge You Cannot Google

The real advantage of a traditional guest house is the person at the breakfast table. Owners will tell you which archaeological site to visit early before the coach parties arrive, where the hen harriers are hunting, which beach is sheltered when the wind swings round to the north, and which evening the local pub has live fiddle music.

Useful things they will happily sort out for you:

Ferry timetables and which inter-island crossings need booking ahead.
Whether Maeshowe, Skara Brae or the Ring of Brodgar will be busy that day.
Where to eat dinner locally, and whether you need to book.
Sea conditions and the likelihood of a cancelled sailing.
Borrowed ordnance maps, walking routes and tide times.

They will also tell you honestly if a plan is unrealistic. Orkney distances look short on a map, but single-track roads and ferry waits eat time.

Practical Points Worth Knowing Before You Book

Orkney fills up quickly between May and September, and many guest houses ask for a minimum two-night stay in high season. Booking direct is usually cheapest and gives you the chance to ask about room layout, dietary needs and arrival times.

Deposits: often a night's rate or a small percentage, with a clear cancellation window.
Payment: cards are widely accepted now, but a little cash is useful for small island shops and honesty boxes.
Arrival: most owners ask you to arrive after a set time in the afternoon; luggage can sometimes be dropped earlier by arrangement.
Parking: usually free on-site or on the street, but tight in central Kirkwall and Stromness.

Getting There and Making the Most of It

Most visitors arrive by ferry from Scrabster into Stromness, by the shorter passenger crossing from John o'Groats into Burwick, or by air into Kirkwall. Once you are here, inter-island ferries open up Rousay, Hoy, Sanday, Westray and beyond, and a guest house owner will often know exactly which sailing suits your plans.

Pack layers, waterproofs and sturdy shoes. Orkney weather changes fast, and a bright morning can turn wet by two o'clock. On the plus side, the islands are famously free of midges, and the long summer evenings mean you can walk at ten at night in daylight. Slow down, talk to people, and let the place set the pace — that is when a traditional bed and breakfast really pays off.

Accommodation

Tasting Fresh Orkney Seafood at Local Harbours

Self-catering gives you flexibility to explore at your own pace, cook local produce and enjoy quiet evenings by the fire.

Previous Post At vero eos et accusamus et iusto odio dignissimos ducimus qui blanditiis praesentium.

Next Post Dignissimos ducimus qui blanditiis praesentiu deleniti atque corrupti quos dolores

5 Comments

Robert Sonny says Jul 21, 2024 at 10:00am

I must explain to you how all this mistaken idea of denouncing pleasure and praising pain was born and I will give you a complete account of the system
Reply
- John Abraham says Jul 21, 2024 at 10:00am
  
  I must explain to you how all this mistaken idea of denouncing pleasure and praising pain was born and I will give you a complete account of the system
  Reply
  - Robert Sonnysays Jul 21, 2024 at 10:00am
    
    I must explain to you how all this mistaken idea of denouncing pleasure and praising pain was born and I will give you a complete account of the system
    Reply
Robert Sonny says Jul 21, 2024 at 10:00am

I must explain to you how all this mistaken idea of denouncing pleasure and praising pain was born and I will give you a complete account of the system
Reply

Jenny Watson

Hi! beautiful people. I`m an authtor of this blog. Read our post - stay with us

Instagram

How We Can
Help You!

Ferries connect Orkney to the Scottish mainland and smaller isles. Learn about booking, crossing times and what to bring on board.

section heading hidden

Our Latest News

Making the Most of a Self-Catering Cottage in Orkney

Getting to Orkney by Ferry: A Practical Guide for Visitors

Exploring Orkney's Mainland Without a Car

Contact Us

Article