Stromness Hotel - best avoided! The staff are great, but not much else is.
We stayed a week in June 2025 after our tent was destroyed in a gale and we had to find other accommodation quickly. A very mixed experience with enough downsides to justify a one-star review.
It was listed on booking.com and our need was urgent. So I didn't notice it was a "partner" listing, i.e. booking.com take no responsibility and won't even allow you to post a review after your stay. I won't repeat that mistake.
It began badly. We arrived late after travelling all day from another island. I'd phoned ahead to book dinner for 8:30. When we arrived, the local staff knew nothing about our booking and the kitchen had already closed. The waitress was very apologetic, but powerless. We ate a Chinese takeaway instead - not many other places to eat nearby, and they were booked out or already closed.
Our room was okay but shabby and the ensuite desperately needed a refit. Wonky shower and toilet not easy to flush. Windows not cleaned inside or out for some time.
There were phone points in the room but no phone, so a trek down a long flight of stairs to reception every time you wanted something. I couldn't get the tv to work but didn't bother to complain. There's no lift after an accident closed the hotel for 8 months last year, only reopening a month before our stay with all-new staff. The owner's solution seems to be simply block off the lift shaft. So no disabled access to the rooms except via the rear carpark. We were on the second floor and our step-free access was through a fire escape door. Restaurant and reception were down one floor, so no disabled access to them at all.
We tried the restaurant on our second evening. When I asked for the wine list I learned it's a dry hotel because of the owner's principles. Well, fair enough, but no mention of that on booking.com or hotel website! I later heard locals are still furious with the owner for closing their favourite bar when he took over in 2021.
The meal was nicely cooked, though a bit plain and unimaginative for a large hotel in such a prime location. The breakfasts (we only had the contental so I can't speak for cooked ones) were basic and dull (except for one morning when there were croissants) and the filter machines weren't reliable, so the coffee was often lukewarm at best. We hadn't paid for breakfast in advance when I booked, so I expected to charge this to our room. But this hotel doesn't give credit, so even meals must be paid for on the spot. I can't remember ever doing that in a hotel before, not even in Africa or Asia.
Our room was not serviced at all during the week except when I asked for clean towels, more toilet paper, and a top up of coffee, milk, etc. Bed not made, washbasin and toilet not cleaned. The Payman Club website (Payman is the owner) boasts of a complimentary weekly clean - daily refresh is my usual hotel experience.
The rear fire escape door to the carpark was usually wedged open so you didn't need to use the keycode - on a fire door with a notice that says "keep closed"! I didn't complain about that either, as the only alternative was several flights of stairs to street level. As another reviewer noted, the "hazardous chemicals, keep closed" door was often left open too.
One day the key code was changed weithout warning. A long walk up the car park, along a high-level street, down a steep alley, along the high street, and back upstairs to reception. Then the new code wouldn't work either! Repeat long journey to reception. Apparently the code was correct but "you have to press really, really hard." Why wasn't the lock simply replaced? It's only a cheap lock anyway, and would have cost about £50 including labour to replace. Have local management been given enough budget for basic maintenance needs, I wonder.
The carpark was small, just enough space for the few guests staying that week. It didn't help that a skip full of broken furniture and bags of domestic and kitchen waste took up some of the space. A real magnet for seagulls.
WIthout exception, the staff were friendly and helpful and willing to meet any reasonable request. They were the only really good thing about our stay, but they seemed inexperienced and maybe a bit overwhelmed. The ones we spoke to hadn't worked in hotels before. I'm not sure they were all trained to the standards of customer care and service you expect in a hotel like that, but they couldn't have been more helpful. I feel sorry for them workiing for a company that cares so little about them.
The place was never close to full during our stay, maybe at best a quarter capacity. I can't imagine it makes a profit. Locals say the owner has never once visited Stromness in the 4 years he has owned the place. Unless he makes some serious investment in facilities and staff, I can't see how it will ever be a success. Until he does, I can't recommend anyone to stay.
