Lerwick Youth Hostel

Lerwick

Online booking is not offered for this Hostel. Contact them for availability and reservations (any contact info we have is listed below).
Please see Lerwick for other available Lerwick hostels and accommodations.

Their Description

The Hostelz.com Review

The Lerwick YHA hostel is found in Islesburgh House, which was built for a wealthy fisherman in the last century. It is on a wide boulevard in central Lerwick not far from Commercial Street's shops and pubs.

Ferries arrive into Holmsgarth terminal, about a mile away. There is a bus service but it stops running just before the ferries arrive in the evening. Sumburgh airport is 25 miles away and there is a bus service which meets each flight.

One annoying thing about the hostel is that it can't be booked online through the Scottish YHA or the HI websites. It can only be booked by phone, by sending an email or a postal letter or through some travel agents. They also insist on receiving a deposit by cheque for the first night.

But once you're there its a friendly place - apart from the busloads of youngsters coming from Orkney to play football - and the facilities have been recently modernised. It is Scotland's only 5 star hostel but it does feel institutional. There are small family rooms (2 bunk beds) to army style dormitories with about 10 bunk beds and a rather extensive list of rules are posted around the hostel.

Contrary to what some might say, there is a lot to do in Lerwick and the pub scene is a must. It is a pity that the doors are locked at 11:45pm each night, so there is little opportunity to hear traditional music, Shetland-style in the local pubs.

— Exclusive Hostelz.com Review
October 2004

Lerwick Youth Hostel Details

Isleburgh House, King Harald Street, Lerwick, Shetland Islands, Scotland

(To add or correct information for this listing, please use the Listing Update Form.)

Number of Beds:	64
Bedsheets:	Sheets Included
Coed Dorm Available:	No
Bathroom in Room:	No
Credit Cards Accepted:	YES
Reservations Accepted:	YES
Minimum Stay:	1 night

Maximum Stay:	Unlimited
Curfew:	2345
Checkout:	Flexible
Reception Hours:	0900 to 0930; 1600 to 1630; 2145 to 2215 (also open to suit Smyril Line Ferry "Norrona")
Clubs/Networks:	HI, SYHA
Membership Required:	Yes
Open Dates:	April to September + Groups of 10 or more October to March (with prior arrangement)

This is a Hostelling International (HI) hostel. A membership card isn't required, but an extra fee will apply for non-members. You can get a membership card before your trip here.

Map

Location/Contact

Location
Website	www.islesburgh.org.uk
Telephone	+44 (1595) 692114
Fax	+44 (1595) 696470

How is Lerwick Youth Hostel rated on other websites? ^(NEW)

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Hostelz.com Guest Reviews

3.5 Average from 4 Ratings

This is an open forum, and unlike other hostel guide websites we don't censor out the negative reviews.
We can't validate the legitimacy of guest reviews posted on this site — so take what you read here with a grain of salt.

Review by Owen, United Kingdom

2007-07-09

Superb!

The hostel is excellent. The place is clean, bright, and spacious, and the kitchen facilities are first rate! There are dorm rooms or twin rooms (cost a little more) available and there is an excellent little cafe on the site. The hostel does close its doors a little early for my liking (11:45 p.m.), but we found that you can arrange with the door staff (who will be on duty, but maybe dozing!) to be let in later on if you ask very nicely!

Review by Isabel from norway

2007-03-22

Lerwick youth hostel was great, but it was stupid that they locked the doors so early! but shetland was great, party all the time, it was so much fun. but the man that worked on the hostel was a little angry.

Review by Geraldine and friends

2006-08-28

I hadn't stayed in a youth hostel for about 13 years and this visit of five nights spread over a week in high season reminded me of the pros and cons. The public areas were clean and comfortable and the kitchen very well equipped and clean. The cookers aren't available 11pm-7am, but you can make hot drinks any time. The showers, laundry and drying room all did the job efficiently. There was the usual hostel mix of friendly budget travelers to chat to with a wide spread of ages and a lot of families. It's centrally situated with lots of maps, timetables, and other useful info. Until bedtime it all looked great. The over-packed dormitories with their squeaky bunk beds and grubby-looking bedspreads were the let-down. It was hard to get a good night's sleep. The compulsory sheet sleeping bags were ripped, I would bring my own sheets if I went back. There wasn't any secure storage and not much space for belongings beside the bunks. We had booked a smaller room for our group some months in advance (or thought we had) but it wasn't available when we got there. Presumably families have priority but that was never explained to us. The dorm experience and the curfew put me firmly back in the world of hostels as they used to be. I think this one could benefit from some competition, but it's the only budget option in Lerwick if you don't want to camp: which is why I might go back, but for fewer nights.

Review by Anonymous

2005-04-22

It was not very good and I could not get to sleep because the beds were so uncomfortable!!!

The Hostelz.com
Total Combined Rating

for Lerwick Youth Hostel

75%

This score is a weighted average calculated from reviews on Hostelz.com combined with ratings on the other major hostel websites (see rating details below).

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