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.
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
Shore Street, Kirkwall, Scotland, KW15 1LG
What's nearby
Earl's Palace
7 min walk - 0.6 km
St. Magnus Cathedral
7 min walk - 0.6 km
Bishop's Palace
8 min walk - 0.7 km
Orkney Wireless Museum
3 min walk - 0.3 km
Orkney Museum
7 min walk - 0.6 km
Getting around
Kirkwall (KOI)
9 min drive
Restaurants
Harbour Fry
2 min walk
Auld Motor Hoose
5 min walk
Helgi's
2 min walk
The Storehouse
4 min walk
The Bothy Bar
4 min walk
About this property
The Shore
Hotel in a shopping district
The Shore provides a bar and more. Guests can connect to free in-room WiFi.
You'll also find perks like:
Continental breakfast (surcharge), luggage storage, and smoke-free premises
An elevator
Room features
All guestrooms at The Shore have perks such as premium bedding, as well as amenities like free WiFi and free bottled water.
Daily continental breakfast available 7:00 AM to 9:30 AM for a fee: GBP 17.50 per person
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.
Check-in start time: 2:30 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
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 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 17.5 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, 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
National rating
This establishment has received its official star rating from VisitScotland, the National Tourist Board for Scotland.
Property is also known as
Shore Hotel Kirkwall
Shore Kirkwall
The Shore Hotel
The Shore Kirkwall
The Shore Hotel Kirkwall
Frequently asked questions
Is The Shore pet-friendly?
No, pets are not allowed at this property.
How much does it cost to stay at The Shore?
As of 2026/3/7, prices found for a 1-night stay for 2 adults at The Shore on 2026/3/14 start from NT$4,059, excluding taxes and fees. This price is based on the lowest nightly price found in the last 24 hours for stays in the next 30 days. Prices are subject to change. Choose your dates for more accurate prices.
How much is parking?
There is free parking nearby.
What time is check-in at The Shore?
Check-in start time: 2:30 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.
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Reviews
The Shore Reviews
8.2
Very Good
All reviews shown are from real guest experiences. Only travelers who have booked a stay with us can submit a review. We verify reviews according to our guidelines and publish all reviews, positive or negative.More informationOpens in a new window
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!
Abigail
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2025
8/10 Good
Imelda
2025/6/8
Liked: Amenities
What are wonderful and friendly. Rooms were small but clean.
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.
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.
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!
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 👍
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.
Graham
Stayed 2 nights in May 2024
8/10 Good
Miia
2024/8/5
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.
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.
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!
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.
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.
Lisa
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2023
6/10 Okay
Philippa
2024/5/31
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.
Philippa
Stayed 3 nights in May 2024
6/10 Okay
Andrew
2024/7/29
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.
Andrew
Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2024
10/10 Excellent
Lewis
2025/11/12
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities
Clean rooms. Friendly staff. Great Location. What more could you want.