BEAUTIFUL PLACES. TIME TO EXPLORE. Discover your next base
town · Scotland
Places to stay in Kirkwall
Choose the town harbour for a waterfront hotel, the cathedral-side centre for a stay built around Kirkwall itself, or give Hatston special attention when NorthLink arrival and departure times drive the booking. These are different practical decisions: a room overlooking Kirkwall harbour is not beside the NorthLink terminal. Kirkwall works as both a town break and an Orkney base, but start with a full local day before adding a Mainland circuit or another island. Confirm the crossing, transfer and hotel check-in together.
Town harbour: a waterfront room and local evenings
The Kirkwall Hotel is the harbour-front comparison for visitors who want to return to town after an outing. Choose its Sea View or suitable suite category if the outlook matters. A first evening around the harbour and a booked meal can be enough after travel, with the cathedral and central streets saved for the following day.
Good for: A first Orkney stay, waterfront evenings and a specifically booked harbour view.
Before you choose: Classic rooms face rooftops and hills. This harbour address does not remove the transfer from Hatston, and a late ferry arrival needs a hotel arrangement.
Cathedral-side centre: give Kirkwall time
The Albert Hotel provides a central alternative for a stay focused on town visits, browsing and meals. St Magnus Cathedral offers a strong starting point for understanding Kirkwall, while the hotel’s room and studio categories create a separate layout decision. A kitchenette may matter on a longer stay, but only if you reserve the appropriate studio.
Good for: Visitors prioritising Kirkwall’s historic centre and a flexible town-based stay.
Before you choose: New studio facilities do not apply to standard bedrooms. Check holiday opening, floor access and the equipment you actually need before selecting by a broad room label.
Hatston approach: solve the sailing day
Treat Hatston as a transport decision even if you sleep in the centre. NorthLink’s through sailings call outside the town and the vessel continues onwards. Arrange a transfer and hotel arrival against the booked sailing, then choose your accommodation for the remaining days rather than assuming terminal convenience from a town-harbour photograph.
Good for: NorthLink passengers, especially foot passengers arriving late.
Before you choose: Pre-book a taxi if needed. Hatston has no left-luggage facility, so arrange bags elsewhere and do not plan to remain on a vessel after the Kirkwall stop.
Make it your kind of break
ROMANTIC BREAKS
Spend a day in town before touring
Give the cathedral, central streets and a harbour evening their own day. A sea-view room is most worthwhile when you leave time to enjoy it, rather than leaving before breakfast for a different part of Orkney each morning.
FAMILY BREAKS
Make arrival a small day
A late crossing and transfer are enough without another excursion. Confirm beds and luggage arrangements, then plan the first full day around Kirkwall with one manageable visit and time outside. Leave a longer archaeological circuit for a separate day.
A LITTLE ROOM TO EXPLORE
Two nights in Kirkwall
A suggested short break with room to enjoy your chosen base.
Arrival: reach the correct harbour or terminal
Check the port printed on your booking, complete the planned transfer and settle at the hotel. Agree any late access in advance and keep food arrangements realistic for the arrival hour.
Full day: cathedral and Kirkwall streets
Visit St Magnus Cathedral under its current arrangements and explore the town at a manageable pace. Choose one additional visit if it fits, then leave the evening free for dinner near your accommodation.
Next day or departure: one onward objective
With another full day, choose a researched Orkney Mainland outing. If departing, use the correct terminal and check-in instructions instead of fitting a distant site into the final travel window.
Less time? For a short stay, focus on Kirkwall and one Mainland outing. Add nights before attempting another island, whose ferry arrangements and return margin need their own plan.
ROOM FOR YOUR NEXT TRIP
Stays in Kirkwall
Researched accommodation shortlist
The Kirkwall Hotel and Albert Hotel compare waterfront and central room choices; Hatston planning keeps the sailing day realistic.
Hotel · Kirkwall
The Kirkwall Hotel
Harbour Street, Kirkwall, KW15 1LE
A harbour-front hotel for a Kirkwall town stay, with sea-view and inland-facing room choices. Hatston ferry arrivals still need a separate transfer.
Why compare it: Compare for the town harbour and a booked outlook.
Thirty-seven en-suite bedrooms are advertised.
Sea View and Junior Suite categories offer harbour outlooks.
Classic rooms look towards rooftops and hills.
Before you book: Confirm twin conversion, room access and check-in after your actual ferry arrival. Do not assume a harbour photograph means every room has that view.
Its Kirkwall calls use Hatston on the outskirts. Confirm the terminal on your booking and arrange the journey to your hotel.
Can I stay aboard overnight at Hatston?
No such plan should be assumed. NorthLink says the ship continues to Aberdeen or Lerwick shortly after the call; passengers for Kirkwall must disembark.
Can I leave luggage at Hatston?
NorthLink says there is no left-luggage facility there. Agree storage with your accommodation or a separate town provider before making a departure-day plan.
Do all Kirkwall Hotel rooms face the harbour?
No. Classic rooms have inland-facing outlooks. Reserve an explicitly described sea-view category when that is important.
Is a cathedral tower tour the same as a normal visit?
No. A guided upper-level tour has separate arrangements and a different physical route. Check the actual tour requirements rather than inferring access from the main cathedral visit.
How we put this guide together
These base comparisons and suggested plans are our editorial judgement, informed by the linked official sources. We have not stayed at or inspected the properties. Official links earn no commission; confirm current arrangements directly.
Sources checked 2026-09-17. Check current arrangements before travelling.
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