The Ayre Hotel

About The Ayre Hotel

The Ayre occupies a row of buildings on Ayre Road, facing the water on the northern edge of Kirkwall and only a few minutes' walk from the cathedral and the town centre. It is one of the older established hotels in the islands and has grown over time, so alongside conventional hotel bedrooms it also offers self-catering apartments, which suit families and longer stays.

Bedrooms are en-suite and comfortable, with sea views from the front of the building looking across Kirkwall Bay. Rates generally begin around £110 to £130 for a double with breakfast, moving higher in peak summer. The hotel also handles conferences and functions, so it is worth checking what else is on if you want a quiet weekend.

The Ayre Lounge bar has a reputation for live traditional music and is one of the better places in Kirkwall to catch an informal session, particularly around festival time. The location is genuinely useful: the northern isles ferry terminal at Hatston and the airport are both a short drive away, the town's restaurants are on the doorstep, and the walk along the shore into the centre takes about five minutes.