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9.2

311 reviews

The Sands Hotel, Orkney

The Sands Hotel, Orkney

Burray , Burray Village, KW17 2SS, United Kingdom

Choose dates to view prices

Free parking

Restaurant

Free wifi

Bar

Parking On Site

Non-smoking rooms

Kids' meals

View

The Sands Hotel, Orkney

The Sands Hotel, Orkney is a 4-star retreat in Burray Village, United Kingdom. Located just 0.2mi from the city center, Pier Road places this hotel within easy reach of Orkney’s coastal charm. Breakfast is offered to start mornings on a tasty note.

Rates start from $296 per night, and the property has 311 reviews to date. On-site amenities include free parking, free Wifi, a restaurant, a bar, and non-smoking rooms, along with free kids’ meals and a view.

On a morning stroll along Pier Road, sea air and the hotel’s welcoming vibe invite curious travelers to plan day trips and shore-side adventures around Orkney.

Nestled along Pier Road, the Sands Hotel keeps Orkney’s coastal charm within easy reach. A morning stroll along the seafront invites travelers to plan day trips and shore-side adventures around Orkney. Breakfast starts mornings on a tasty note, providing a lively kickoff before the next coastal exploration.

On-site amenities abound: free parking, free Wifi, a restaurant, a bar, and non-smoking rooms, along with free kids’ meals and a view. The on-site restaurant carries a family-friendly ambiance, making it a welcoming spot for travelers and little explorers alike.

Room types available run from Deluxe, Triple, Sea View to Standard Ensuite, Sea View; Superior Suite, Sea View; Classic Ensuite Suite, Sea View; Standard Room; Family, Sea View; Standard, King, Single Use, Private Bathroom; Deluxe, Sea View; Standard, Double, Single Use. Cash is accepted, along with Mastercard and Visa, offering flexible payment options for a relaxed stay.

Closest airports

Kirkwall Airport

7.9mi

Stronsay Airport

23.7mi

Wick Airport

27.4mi

Sanday Airport

30.6mi

North Ronaldsay Airport

40mi

Most popular amenities

Free parking

Restaurant

Free wifi

Bar

Parking On Site

Non-smoking rooms

Kids' meals

View

Rooms

Show 4 photos

Standard Ensuite, King Size, Sea View

1 King Size Bed

Free wifi

Tea/Coffee maker

+

More details

First Floor -King-Double room-Sea View-Ensuite

Deluxe Triple Room with Sea View in The Sands Hotel, Orkney

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Deluxe, Triple, Sea View

1 Twin Bed

1 Double Bed

160 sqft

Private Bathroom

Wifi

Tea/Coffee maker

Shower

x3

+

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Standard Double Room - single occupancy in The Sands Hotel, Orkney

Show 4 photos

Standard, Double, Single Use

1 Double Bed

Wifi

Tea/Coffee maker

+

More details

Show 4 photos

Standard, Sea View

1 King Size Bed

Tea/Coffee maker

+

More details

Double Room with Private Bathroom - single occupancy in The Sands Hotel, Orkney

Show 4 photos

Standard, King Size, Single Use, Private Bathroom

1 King Size Bed

160 sqft

Private Bathroom

Wifi

Tea/Coffee maker

+

More details

Show 4 photos

Standard Ensuite, Sea View

Free wifi

Tea/Coffee maker

+

More details

Standard-Double room-Sea View-First Floor -Ensuite

Show 4 photos

Traditional Ensuite Family, Sea View

Free wifi

Tea/Coffee maker

+

More details

Traditional-Ensuite-Family room-Sea View-Second Floor

Show 4 photos

Superior Suite, Sea View

Kitchen

Microwave

Refrigerator

Tea/Coffee maker

+

More details

Show 4 photos

Classic Ensuite Suite, Sea View

Kitchen

Free wifi

Microwave

Refrigerator

+

More details

Show 4 photos

Standard Room

Tea/Coffee maker

+

More details

Show 4 photos

Family, Sea View

Tea/Coffee maker

+

More details

Show 4 photos

Deluxe, Sea View

Tea/Coffee maker

+

More details

Guest reviews

9.2

311 reviews

Categories of assessments

Cleanliness

Comfort

Location

Facilities

Staff

Value for money

WiFi quality

Breakfast

Featured reviews:

🇬🇧

Kevin

10

August 2025

View from the room overlooking Burray Harbour and the Boatyard Staff were very good, both checking in and the restaurant. Food was excellent The hotel was sited on Burray, some 40 minutes from Stromness and 15 minutes from Kirkwall, but the trip to and from the island most days of our stay was interesting as you had to cross the Churchill Barriers and pass the picturesqe Italian Chapel

Only a small point, the room was warm despite the outside weather so we slept with a window open ...... it was very quiet and no traffic noise etc ..... until 5am when the cockerel woke everyone up!

🇬🇧

Paul

8.2

May 2025

Lovely modern rooms, very clean, very comfortable beds. Nice bar, restaurant and conservatory with views over the sea. Good service and staff. Restaurant popular with external guests. Good breakfast.

The location is limiting if you want to explore the island, and there’s no other restaurants/pubs nearby. We chose from the a la carte menu. The Cullin Skink was very good. But the pork Stac and the scallops were disappointing. All guests were served with a mixed bowl of veg - mash potatoe, chunky carrots, broccoli & red cabbage. There was an attempt to ‘dress’ the food but this was amateurish, and thick slices of apple in the stac. So unfortunately the food was underwhelming for restaurant prices.

🇳🇿

Glavinators

9.1

April 2025

Thank you to the staff at the Sands. The person who welcomed us, arranged with the Chef to provide a basic salad when that was all I wnated, for the milk for our breakfast cereal - awesome customer service and really appreciated. And the salad and the other meal were really good. And the Orkney fudge cheesecake was the best (seriously, the BEST) we have ever tasted! Very handy to the ferry (7 miles/10 kms).

The only thing were the beds - hard, or shall I say very firm. But this is what we have found across all our stays in Scotland.

🇬🇧

Linda

9.1

July 2025

Friendly and helpful staff. Comfortable and clean room with view across the Sound. Plenty of hot water and a shower with good water pressure (unlike many which barely trickle out of the shower head). The food in the restaurant was good, as was the choice you had for breakfast. Location was peaceful and away from the more busy town of Kirkwall, but close enough to the mainland for getting out and about.

🇬🇧

Neil

10

December 2024

The hotel is well located for arrival on Orkney via St. Margret's Hope, easy parking, access and polite and friendly staff. my stay here set a high bar for expectations on the island as the first impression and thankfully i can say even on a short trip i dont have a bad word to say about any part i saw of Orkney

due to my schedule i arrived in darkness and left in darkness, but there is nothing the hotel could have done :)

🇳🇱

Ton

8.2

September 2024

The location was a bit of a surprise, right at the harbour/waterfront. Staff were friendly and able to let us into the room even though we arrived before check in time. The restaurant was very busy but they still booked us for a (late) dinner and gave recommendation for a late lunch. As we had to leave 6.30 the next morning we could not use the breakfast, but they made us a breakfast pack with some sandwiches. We had a family room, 3 comfortable beds, with a view of the waterfront. Parking was free right behind the hotel.

Nothing comes to mind

🇬🇧

Paula

10

June 2024

The Sands Hotel in Orkney is located in a small village, right across the street from the sea. You can enjoy a top quality meal in the restaurant, sit outside ( Orkney weather permitting) with a quiet drink from the bar, and loose yourself in the mesmerising sea. The rooms are all very tastefully decorated with everything you need. In the morning, enjoy a good breakfast to set you up for the day. Cannot recommend The Sands Hotel highly enough.

Absolutely nothing not to like.

🇩🇪

Miriam

8.2

August 2023

The Sands Hotel is located in southern Orkney, about 10 minutes by car from St Margaret’s Hope where the Pentland ferries arrive. It’s a rather quiet area, your on,y dinner option in walking distance is the on-site restaurant (which offers very good pub food at a reasonable price). Our room on the 1st floor was simple but well-kept with a newly renovated en-suite bathroom. Breakfast was served in the restaurant and while rather basic (think packed cereals and mini containers of jam and marmalade), hot breakfast could be ordered the night before and was freshly cooked. Parking is available in a large parking lot behind the hotel free of charge. Overall a nice hotel which may be lacking the views one might expect on a small island.

🇬🇧

Fw14

9.1

August 2024

The rooms were comfortable and clean. Lovely setting & location. It's a bit of a drive to get there, but it is so worth it. Breakfast choices were brilliant. We all said we would love to return - all 7 of us! Thank you to the lovely staff for a perfect stay. It just wasn't long enough!

Nothing to dislike about our stay here. We would recommend it to everyone!

🇬🇧

Tricia

10

July 2025

The hotel was very well managed - staff extremely helpful and friendly. The views from the hotel were beautiful and room very comfortable and spotlessly clean. The evening meal and breakfast were both delicious and the service was very good too.

Nothing - we found our stay very enjoyable.

Points of Interest Around The Sands Hotel, Orkney

Airports

Kirkwall Airport

7.9mi

Stronsay Airport

23.7mi

Wick Airport

27.4mi

Sanday Airport

30.6mi

North Ronaldsay Airport

40mi

Restaurants

Ambiances

  • Family Friendly

Amenities of The Sands Hotel, Orkney

Free parking

Restaurant

Free wifi

Bar

Parking On Site

Non-smoking rooms

Kids' meals

View

Stay rules - The Sands Hotel, Orkney

  • Check-in / Check-out

  • Pets

  • Internet

  • Age restrictions

  • Curfew

  • Parking

  • Children and beds

  • Cards accepted at this property