West End Guest House makes sense if you want your own en-suite room close to central Kirkwall and prefer to come and go using a key box. There are choices for solo travellers, couples and families, including a suite with two sleeping rooms. Free parking behind the building is useful for days exploring more of Orkney.
Choose a private en-suite room at West End Guest House on Main Street, with self-check-in, free rear parking and Kirkwall’s historic centre nearby. Rooms span three floors without a lift. Breakfast and luggage storage are not provided.
Overview
The pale frontage and blue window trim give West End Guest House a character of its own. Inside, the photographs show patterned textiles, warm wood and a mix of single, double and twin bedrooms. You can leave the car behind the building and spend time around Kirkwall’s cathedral, museum and shops. This is room-only accommodation with self-check-in, so plan breakfast elsewhere and keep your arrival instructions to hand.
West End Guest House
Rooms
Sleeps 214 m²
Two single beds in around 14 m², with a private bathroom. This is the smaller of the two named twin choices. The room’s floor and stair route have not been established.
Sleeps 216 m²
Two single beds and around 16 m² give this twin more advertised floor space than the Standard Twin Room. It has its own bathroom. The exact floor and access route remain unknown.
Sleeps 211 m²
A double bed in around 11 m², with a private bathroom. Booking lists another Double Room at 10 m², so match the room details when choosing. The floor is not published.
Sleeps 111 m²
A single bed and around 11 m² make this the most spacious of the advertised single-room variants. It has a private bathroom; the Superior label does not establish a particular floor or view.
Sleeps 18 m²
An 8 m² single with one single bed and a private bathroom. It is the smallest advertised room, useful to know if you are bringing large luggage. Its floor and access route are not published.
Sleeps 426 m²
Two sleeping rooms accommodate up to four: a twin room and a room with a large double bed, described as a king bed in the property’s own information. A small hallway connects them with one private en-suite bathroom. A dated property answer says the entrance leads into the king-bedroom side, which matters if your group wants separate access. The suite’s floor is unknown.
Sleeps 19 m²
One single bed in around 9 m², with a private bathroom. Booking lists a second Single Room with the same name and size but a different room ID and photographs. No further layout or floor difference has been verified.
Sleeps 210 m²
A double bed in around 10 m², with a private bathroom. This is the smaller of the two same-named Double Room variants. Its floor and stair route remain unknown.
Sleeps 210 m²
One large double bed in around 10 m², with a private bathroom and a Booking capacity of two. This exact King Room is distinct from the differently named Large Single (queen) on the property’s direct-booking site. Its floor is not published.
Sleeps 19 m²
One single bed in around 9 m², with a private bathroom. It is a separate Booking variant from the other same-named Single Room; the distinction beyond its supplier ID and photographs has not been established. The floor remains unknown.
Historic Environment Scotland dates the building to 1824, with later alterations, and lists it at Category B. Its record also describes the building’s use as the first Balfour Hospital from 1845. The property’s own history traces its later life as a boarding house and the West End Hotel. Today, the guest house advertises room-only stays. The older building’s stairs deserve attention when choosing a room.
Your room has tea and coffee facilities and a kettle, and there is a garden with outdoor seating. Breakfast is not provided. Some dated guests mention enjoying a lounge and bar, but current opening times and meal service have not been established. Plan meals around the town’s cafés and restaurants, and confirm any on-site service that matters to you.
Beyond the essentials
For the free rear car park, use Manse Lane instead of navigating to the Main Street postal frontage. The guest-house door from the car park enters on the first floor; reception is downstairs on the ground floor. This arrangement does not establish a step-free route to a bedroom.
There is no left-luggage facility. If your ferry or flight falls before check-in or after check-out, arrange what to do with your bags before travelling. Short-stay rooms are not serviced daily; the property says a room can be serviced after every two nights.
Verdict
The appeal here is practical: your own en-suite room, a central address and rear parking at a historic building. The Family Suite gives a group of four two sleeping rooms, while the single-room choices suit one-person stays. Choose with the stairs and self-check-in in mind. If you need a lift, breakfast on site, luggage storage or continuous reception, those needs call for a different arrangement.
Facilities
Location
West End Guest House stands at 14 Main Street, at the southern end of central Kirkwall. The cathedral, Orkney Museum and palace sites are useful town outings. Wider Mainland Orkney sights need their own transport plans; the central harbour and Hatston Ferry Terminal are different places.
West End Guest House14 Main Street, Kirkwall, KW15 1BU
Choose a place to compare the journey on foot and by car. Times are estimates; allow for access and parking.
Explore the neighbourhood using the places listed beside the map.
The guest-house position uses the retained supplier-reported location and matching OpenStreetMap point. It has not been surveyed; no public entrance, step-free approach or door-to-door route is verified. Route estimates checked 2026-10-29 from Main Street near West End Guest House. Walking and driving figures are approximate routes between mapped street approaches. Driving times exclude live traffic, parking and the final walk; check entrances and current access before travel.
The interactive map loads near this section using OpenFreeMap tiles. Route estimates use OpenStreetMap data and mapped street approaches, not surveyed guest entrances or confirmed step-free routes. A dash means no suitable estimate is available. Actual journeys depend on walking pace, road conditions and access.
Use Manse Lane for the free rear guest car park. The car-park door enters on the first floor and reception is on the ground floor. The public information does not establish bay dimensions, unloading space or a step-free bedroom route.
NorthLink’s Hatston terminal is separate from Kirkwall’s central harbour. Arrange onward transport for your sailing and have your access instructions before reaching the property. A dated guest-house reply describes flexible self-check-in, while Booking gives a formal 15:00–23:30 window.
Council bus services connect Kirkwall Airport with Kirkwall Travel Centre. Check the timetable for your flight date and plan the final leg to Main Street separately; an airport-to-centre bus time is not a door-to-door guest-house transfer.
St Magnus Cathedral, Orkney Museum and the Bishop’s and Earl’s Palaces sit in the central visitor area. Allow for seasonal opening and services at the cathedral.
Visitor informationThe guest house is room-only. Lucano on Victoria Street is one researched Italian restaurant, café and pizzeria option; confirm its service for the day you intend to visit.
Visitor informationThe area
Start around Broad Street for St Magnus Cathedral and the Orkney Museum, then explore the shops and harbour. Keep a separate day for wider Mainland Orkney if you want archaeological sites or coastal outings. Opening times and ferry, air and bus services change with the season. Check the attraction or operator for your travel date.
Guest reviews
242 Guest reviews
Location and cleanliness earn repeated praise in the retained guest sample, and several guests appreciated staff help when available. Read the individual comments for the trade-offs: stairs and building layout, periods without on-site help, weak lighting, an unanswered early-arrival request, a sticking front door, an adequate bed and one report of shower water changing between scalding hot and cold.
Location and cleanliness earn repeated praise in the retained guest sample, and several guests appreciated staff help when available. Read the individual comments for the trade-offs: stairs and building layout, periods without on-site help, weak lighting, an unanswered early-arrival request, a sticking front door, an adequate bed and one report of shower water changing between scalding hot and cold. These are dated personal experiences, not a claim about every stay.
Guest feedback is paraphrased. Scores reflect the source on the date shown. October 29, 2026
Michael
Michael said the stay met his expectations and gave it a high score, with no detailed criticism recorded in this sample.
Chris
Chris praised the cleanliness and room layout, the lounge for a takeaway meal, the welcoming staff and convenient parking. He also enjoyed what he described as a recently introduced bar, and had no complaint to add.
Sue
Sue liked being close to cafés and shops while finding the setting quiet, and enjoyed the guest lounge. She felt the bed was only adequate.
Esther
Esther praised the immaculate room. She found the stairs and maze-like layout difficult and reported having nobody nearby to ask for help.
Christopher
Christopher enjoyed the room’s space and the friendly service at the bar during a one-night family stay. He reported no drawback.
Sally
Sally found check-in easy and the room clean and comfortable. She thought the lighting was weak and said her early-check-in request went unanswered.
Robert
Robert liked the central location, cleanliness and helpful staff. He did not identify a problem.
Anna
Anna praised the quiet setting, cleanliness and helpful staff. On one night the front door stuck, and she had to call a manager to let her in.
Walton
Walton found the stay warm, comfortable and conveniently located. He noted the absence of breakfast and said staff were not on site when he needed something.
Allan
Allan liked the quiet setting, cleanliness and friendly welcome. He reported shower water fluctuating between scalding hot and cold during his stay.
Explore the full reviews for more perspectives on staying here.
Photos
The practical details
West End Guest House
Check-in starts at 15:00. Booking’s stated window ends at 23:30. The owned website describes self-service key-box access after 15:00 with instructions in the booking confirmation; a dated Booking reply says the code arrives on the morning of arrival. Follow the instructions for your reservation. If a late ferry is essential to your plans, establish access arrangements in advance. Self-check-in does not promise continuous staffed help.
Check out by 10:00; Booking lists departure between 01:00 and 10:00. The property does not offer left-luggage storage, so arrange bags around transport times.
Rooms occupy three floors and there is no lift. The rear car-park entrance comes in on the first floor, with reception on the ground floor. Individual room floors, thresholds and stair routes are not published. No step-free bedroom or accessible bathroom has been established.
Free private parking is advertised behind the building without a reservation requirement. Drivers should approach from Manse Lane. A dated reply says Blue Badge holders can use the car park and mentions street spaces at the front; it does not establish a designated accessible bay or unrestricted street parking.
Booking welcomes children of any age and states no minimum age for check-in. Cots and extra beds are not available. Add the children’s ages when checking your chosen room’s occupancy and booking conditions.
Pets and smoking are not allowed. Booking also excludes parties, events and hen, stag or similar groups. Assistance-animal arrangements were not separately established.
All rooms are sold room-only and breakfast is not supplied. Short-stay rooms are not serviced daily; the property says a room can be serviced after every two nights. A regular restaurant, fixed bar schedule and recurring themed-dinner programme have not been verified.
Booking cancellation and prepayment conditions depend on the accommodation option you choose. Read that option’s terms, including any deposit and refund conditions. The property’s direct-booking deposit and payment policy belongs to that channel and should not be assumed to apply to a Booking reservation.
FAQs
No. The property sells rooms on a room-only basis and does not supply breakfast. Your room has tea and coffee facilities and a kettle; plan morning food elsewhere.
There are two twin choices, two Double Room variants, several singles, a King Room and a Family Suite. Compare size, bed arrangement and group capacity. The same-named doubles and singles are separate supplier variants. All ten captured room choices have private bathrooms; their exact floors are not published.
It accommodates up to four with two single beds and a large double bed, described as a king bed by the property. A dated reply describes two sleeping rooms linked by a small hallway with one private en-suite bathroom, with entry through the king-bedroom side. It is worth considering that shared access when deciding how your group will use the rooms.
The property uses a key box, with access after 15:00. The owned site describes instructions in your booking confirmation; a dated Booking answer says the code arrives on the morning of arrival. Keep the actual instructions for your reservation available. Booking states a 15:00–23:30 check-in window.
A February 2026 property reply says self-check-in can accommodate late ferry arrival. Booking still states a 23:30 endpoint, so establish your own late access arrangements and transport before travelling. Hatston Ferry Terminal is separate from the central harbour, and the reply does not establish a walking distance from it.
The free private guest car park is at the rear, approached from Manse Lane. Booking says no reservation is needed. Entering from the car park brings you in on the first floor; reception is on the ground floor.
There is no lift and rooms span three floors. A property reply allows Blue Badge holders to use the rear car park, but designated accessible bays and a step-free room route have not been established. Ask about the exact room, stairs and bathroom before booking if these affect your stay.
Children of any age are welcome according to Booking, but there are no cots or extra beds. Include children’s ages when checking the chosen room and its occupancy conditions.
The property is pet-free. A separate policy for assistance animals was not established.
The property is room-only and Booking says there is no restaurant. Recent dated guests describe a bar, and an exact-address alcohol licence exists, but regular hours and food service are not confirmed. Themed dinner nights appear in the listing as an extra-charge activity; no current schedule was verified.
There is no left-luggage facility. Rooms are not serviced daily on short stays; the property says a room can be serviced after every two nights.
All ten captured room variants have private bathrooms, and the property describes en-suite shower rooms. No exact bathtub-equipped room was established. Booking says there are no balcony rooms.
Booking says the guest house has no swimming pool, spa or airport-shuttle service. Plan airport transport separately.
They depend on the Booking accommodation option selected. Read the terms alongside that option; the property’s separate direct-booking deposit policy does not automatically apply.
Kirkwall’s historic centre includes St Magnus Cathedral, Orkney Museum and the Bishop’s and Earl’s Palaces. Town restaurants and shops offer options around a room-only stay. Check current opening and transport arrangements for your dates, especially for wider Orkney outings.
Rooms must be vacated by 10:00. Booking’s departure window is 01:00–10:00.
The property advertises RB.ACCOMMODATIONORKNEY@OUTLOOK.COM on westendorkney.com. A current public telephone number and social accounts were not verified. Use your reservation’s contact route for booking-specific requests; self-check-in does not establish round-the-clock on-site staffing.
Shout Hotels independently publishes this accommodation guide and does not operate West End Guest House. Booking links lead to the booking partner; Shout Hotels may earn commission when a booking follows one of those links. The property’s own website and public email are separate from the publisher’s contacts. Contact the guest house about an existing stay.