Bisgeos Hostel & Cottages in Westray … It is three years since I stayed at this hostel and I still have wonderful memories of it. The woman who was looking after the hostel made me feel so welcome. I enjoyed the serenity of staying two nights on my own and watched the many rabbits in the field out the front. I loved the Orkney Islands and would love to return some day. Any jobs available???
HI - Kirkwall Youth Hostel in Mainland … Before all the praise I feel obliged to mention that this hostel is about fifteen to twenty minutes (uphill) from the town centre and the bus station. I have been so cruel as to deduct half a star for that reason. That being said, this is a wonderful place to get away from it all. I had a single en-suite room, which surprisingly did not have a shower, but merely a toilet and sink. But I really enjoyed waking up in the morning and opening the curtains to look out at the cows, who would stare back dumbly. The hostel is well located for walking tours and, even more so, bicycle routes. You are close to the beaches on both sides of the island. I found the staff very friendly and with a delightful sarcastic humour. You can expect the staff to wait for you if you arrive on the ferry late at night. That is after all part of their livelihood. Best to remind them about the time you're coming though, just in case. You might even get them to pick you up for a fiver? The guy on duty the day I…
HI - Kirkwall Youth Hostel in Mainland … The hostel building and its immediate environs are not welcoming from the outside but inside it is a generally well presented building with more than adequate kitchen/dining facilities. We were allowed to stay indoor on one very terrible day, they were helpful to hostelers. Then one significant criticism is the way they allocate beds on nights the hostel is quiet. There were many empty rooms yet some people were expected to sleep on top bunks. The main reason for using a hostel is to sleep and get a good nights rest. Admittedly ferry arrival times can create problems, if possible these should be put in separate rooms. The usual mixture of character, some very interesting one or two slightly boring. The system does not allow giving three-and-a-half stars, as that is what I would rate.
Wheems Bothy in South Ronaldsay … We stayed here for two nights and easily would have stayed longer. The owner was friendly and we had the place to ourselves. the showers were toasty hot and the rooms comfy. recommended for people looking for quiet, relaxed, home feeling accommodation.
Wheems Bothy in South Ronaldsay … I travelled in the U.K. for three months, staying at a variety of places and this was by far the worst hostel I have ever encountered. The hostel is basically a single room, one corner of which is a small kitchenette with a couch and a dining table, with mattresses on the floor of the other corner comprising the sleeping part. I would estimate that there are about ten beds. I was travelling with three other people and we were originally booked to stay three nights at the hostel. Upon arrival we were met by the farm owner's son, who was living there, and were told that it would be eight pounds a night, which we paid in advance. After our money had been taken we were informed that no meat was to be cooked on the premises, that all showers must be limited to two minutes each as there wasn't enough hot water, and that we had to feed fifty pence coins into the heater for it to work. This was around April and it was quite cold, so we were annoyed that we hadn't been told this before we'd…
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