A large kitchen area, a fridge full of food, a cupboard with food left behind, wet tea towels, flags from countries around the world on the wall, video cassettes for rainy days, squeaky handles on the doors, creaky floor in the room, lumpy mattress on the bed, a heater that cranks up in the evening, an exhaust fan not working in the bathroom, a small shower recess, plenty of instant hot water…. Yes, this is definitely a hostel!

There is no internal staircase. Access to floors 2 & 3 is by external stairs which are open to the weather. Take care using them, especially when I rains.

We booked for a couple of nights at the start of our NC500 tour. The property is right in the centre of Thurso so handy for the shops, beach, etc., and there's a riverside walk just across the bridge which is great for the dog. The room was fairly good (very good by hostel standards), we had a double room with en-suite on the first floor, just across from the kitchen. There was a flat screen TV (but missing a lot of Freeview channels), a good shower and enough plugs for charging. The bed was reasonably comfortable, it did feel a bit springy but lying down it was fine. The kitchen had everything you need with several cookers, fridges, air fryers, etc., and tea / coffee, milk. There was plenty bread and cereals for breakfast. The owners were great, very friendly!

The floors were very creaky and there's not much sound proofing, so quite noisy when people were walking down the corridor or going into the kitchen. On-street parking is available from 18:00 to 08:00, after that you will need to move or risk a parking ticket.

The hostel is conveniently located in the centre of Thurso, close to the bus stops and not far from the railway station. It's a taxi or moderate hike to the Scrabster ferry terminal. There are places to eat close-by, from a fish and chip shop across the street to a Sri Lankan themed cafe/restaurant and some good, if expensive, hotel restaurants. The hostel does a generous free breakfast on a help yourself basis. Dorms are reasonably comfortable, with all bedding provided. There are no curfews or similar hassles. Staff are friendly and helpful when present.

The hostel staff have other calls on their time and aren't usually in evidence, though there are contact phone numbers on the front door. Some might be concerned that the dorms can only be accessed up two steep-ish flights of iron stairs up the outside of the building.

Sandra's is centrally located in Thurso, which has a great shopping district. The fish and chip shop across the road had tasty food. We had fish and chips on James's recommendation, we spent Wednesday at the Commercial pub down the street. The vibe and the music was great. The breakfast goodies were good. Provision was made for people with special diets. Tea, coffee and hot chocolate as well as cookies were provided. The hosts were very attentive and even provided me with a hand brace after I hurt my hand in a fall.

Excellent location in the centre of Thurso, a shame about the lack of available parking, however reservable spaces are available in a car park near by. We travelled by motorbike and the owners were very accommodating for our needs. The rooms were small but clean and provided everything we needed for a very comfortable stay. Indian restaurants, chip shops, pubs and convenience stores all within a very short distance made our stay even easier. I look forward to staying again on our future adventures around the stunning scenery that surrounds Thurso.

I informed the hostel that my train arrived at 10.20 pm and they said it was ok. When I arrived, I phoned the number on the door and James came to let me in, showed me the kitchen and took me to my room. Small, with 2 bunk beds, but comfortable. I was the only person in this room for 4 - it had a toilet and shower inside. Everything was clean and the kitchen was full of bread, jam and cereals for breakfast. I had a conversation with a woman from the Shetland Islands - it was nice to hear about her life there.

Excellent location. The kitchen is very well equipped with everything you need to cook and they had cereal and bread, milk and soy milk free for anyone to use. Absolutely a classic hostel experience in the best way. Bathroom was ensuite in the dorm I stayed in. The owner grouped the female travellers together in one form and that was very thoughtful. I forgot my keys in the room and the owner came to bring me another set. I implore other travellers to keep in mind it is a classic hostel and not a hotel.

Nothing

The location was incredible. Food, groceries, beach and most sightseeing parts reachable within 5‘. I was here for 5 days and stayed four nights. I took the northern ferry to the Orkney Islands and the walk to scrabster took me around 35-45‘. The owner was very friendly and helpful. I got the four-bedroom-room all for myself and also got recommendations for cultural events. The bedroom had a charming view on the town, an ensuite bathroom and was very comfortable. I absolutely loved the breakfast options and made myself some cheesetoasts, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, jogurt and coffee every morning. The food provided was fresh and the kitchen clean at all times. Overall I would highly recommend it! As a female solo-traveler I felt very comfortable and had an amazing time. My train got cancelled last minute so I decided to stay for another night since I had such a good experience.

A decent basic hostel for a cheap price. Owner was friendly, and we enjoyed the company of the other guests, who were of different ages and nationalities: a proper travel hostel experience. We were getting a very early train the next day so didn't have any of the breakfast, but did enjoy the free tea and biscuits.

The beds are a bit lumpy, and the place is a bit tired looking. The room looking out to the front open out onto a fairly busy street - there was some noise in the middle of night with music being played from a car that parked up for about 20 minutes. Not the hostels fault of course but be aware - a room at the back might well be a better bet.

Based on the reviews, we were a little skeptical, but the accommodation met our expectations. The room was comfortable and clean, with everything we needed for one night. The kitchen was very well equipped, with all appliances and dishes. Despite the fact that the equipment of the hostel is a little older, the hostel has a very pleasant atmosphere that is difficult to describe. The breakfast was in the style of "take from the fridge and eat" and that suited us, as we needed to leave very early. The manager who welcomed us after the phone call was very kind and accommodating. I recommend.

Parking is a bit more difficult since it is in the city center. You can stand on the road in front of the hostel for a maximum of one hour (between 6:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m.). However, between 8:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m., there is no problem with parking.