Front of property

Reviews of Karrawa Guest House

3 out of 5
Karrawa Guest House
Inganess Road, Kirkwall, Scotland

Reviews

9.6

Exceptional

Rating 10 - Excellent. 62 out of 78 reviews" "
Rating 8 - Good. 12 out of 78 reviews" "
Rating 6 - Okay. 2 out of 78 reviews" "
Rating 4 - Poor. 1 out of 78 reviews" "
Rating 2 - Terrible. 1 out of 78 reviews" "

9.8/10

Cleanliness

9.8/10

Staff & service

8.8/10

Amenities

9.6/10

Property conditions & facilities

9.6/10

Eco-friendliness

Reviews

10/10 Excellent

Jean, Plymouth

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Very nice place, clean and quiet, nice breakfast. Host was very nice. Highly recommend Karrawa Guest House.
Stayed 2 nights in Oct 2023

8/10 Good

Jeffrey

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Food and service excellent. Just a bit too far for a comfortable easy walk to town.
Stayed 2 nights in Oct 2023

10/10 Excellent

Richard

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
A really great week on an enchanting island
We had the best of experiences possible. Everything was just perfect. All the furniture and fittings are as new and everything worked as it should. Couldn't find a fault. As a guest house you couldn't find better. Fyona is really very helpful with superb breakfasts.
Stayed 7 nights in Sep 2023

8/10 Good

Cynthia

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 3 nights in Sep 2023

10/10 Excellent

Linda

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Great hospitality, very friendly host, wonderful breakfast and easy parking for our car
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2023

10/10 Excellent

Donald, Coburg

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Spacious room and bathroom. Nice breakfast. Host very approachable and knowledgeable.
Stayed 1 night in Jun 2023

10/10 Excellent

susan

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Carefully planned guesthouse in Kirkwall suburb. Well maintained facilities, really clean, good breakfast option including vegetarian, ample off street parking. Only issue was key access following a late arrival, but Fyona graciously refunded for that night. Highly recommend!
Stayed 3 nights in May 2023

10/10 Excellent

Glenn

Stayed 1 night in May 2023

6/10 Okay

Elizabeth

Liked: Property conditions & facilities
Disliked: Amenities
No heating during the day. £20 for one washing machine load/no ironing. Last breakfast sitting 8.30.
Stayed 8 nights in Apr 2023

10/10 Excellent

Deborah, West Roxbury

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Nice place. Friendly owner. Very clean. Would highly recommend.
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2022
Response from Aileen & Albert Bruce on 15 Oct 2022
Thank you for your feedback, much appreciated.

10/10 Excellent

Rita

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2022
Response from Karrawa Guest House on 9 Jul 2022
Thank you Rita, we hope you enjoy the rest of your tour. Best Wishes, A&A

10/10 Excellent

Daniel

Travelled with group
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Karrawa Guest House is a lovely place to stay. The hosts are warm and welcoming, great with local knowledge and served filling, hearty breakfasts. Would recommend to others
Stayed 3 nights in Sep 2021

10/10 Excellent

Lucille M

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Good location.
It was extremely clean - looked brand new look.
Stayed 1 night in Sep 2021
Response from Aileen & Albert (Owners) on 22 Sept 2021
Thank you for your lovely comments.

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
A great stay in Kirkwall
We had a lovely stay in this superb guesthouse. The room was modern and clean and the breakfast was great. Thank you to the friendly and welcoming owners!
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2021
Response from Aileen & Albert (Owners) on 16 Aug 2021
Thank you for choosing to stay at Karrawa, your kind feedback is much appreciated.

10/10 Excellent

Jan

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Great Guest House
Had a lovely 3 night stay, the host was friendly and attentive, breakfast was very good, and the beds comfy and the room spacious. Easy onsite parking and within walking distance to Kirkwall.
Stayed 3 nights in Jun 2021
Response from Aileen & Albert on 20 Jun 2021
Thank you for your lovely feedback. We are pleased that you had a nice stay.

10/10 Excellent

David

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Would go there again in a heartbeat.
Lovely guest house. Very comfortable stay. Management and staff just great. Helpful and friendly and really care about what they do.Highly recommended!
Stayed 2 nights in May 2021
Response from KGH on 14 May 2021
Thank You David for your lovely feedback. We do like to look after all guests the best we can help out with local advice & knowledge. Best Wishes

10/10 Excellent

Steven

Travelled with family, Travelled with group
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Kirkwall
Lovely owner and a nice stop off on our way home great breakfast too👍
Stayed 1 night in Mar 2021
Response from Karrawa Guest House on 30 Mar 2021
Thank You Steven for the positive feedback. Happy we are safely able to cater for key workers during these lockdown periods. Kind Regards,

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Business traveller
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
5* would 100% recommended and return if in the area
Stayed 1 night in Jan 2021
Response from Albert & Aileen on 14 Jan 2021
Thank You, delighted to host you during your stay and although we are going through strange times... we remain open and have your best interests & safety in mind :)

10/10 Excellent

Dave

Business traveller
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Great hotel
Beautiful hotel, very friendly staff. Would highly recommend.
Stayed 1 night in Jan 2021
Response from Albert & Aileen on 14 Jan 2021
Thank you for the kind words. Glad you enjoyed your stay and welcome you back anytime you require accommodation on the Orkney Islands. Best Wishes

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Stayed 2 nights in Sep 2020
Response from Albert & Aileen (Owners) on 23 Sept 2020
Thank you for your positive feedback. We are pleased that you had a nice stay.

4/10 Poor

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Disliked: Room comfort
Overall friendly reception and nicely maintained place. However it can be quite noisy at night (we can hear everything through the walls) and beds aren’t comfortable.
Stayed 4 nights in Aug 2020
Response from Aileen & Albert (Owners) on 26 Aug 2020
Hello Anthony, Thank you for your feedback. We are disappointed that you didn't mention this during your 4 night stay, as you were asked if everything was ok for you. We gave you a bigger room at check in also without extra charge. All beds/ matresses are of excellent quality and are pocket sprung for extra comfort. Mattress firmness is very personal and it is impossible to please everyone! We wish we could. Apologies if you experienced some extra noise during your stay, a family of 5 were staying in the room above. Unsure about this being problematic overnight as I would have thought they would have been sleeping. If you had asked we could have easily moved you into our other kingsize room without problem as we are operating at a reduced capacity at present. We are a small family business aiming to offer guests a home away from home with comfortable rooms and a tasty breakfast. I feel your rating of poor does not reflect the brand new modern room with quality finishings and a spacious modern bathroom with walk in power shower etc.

10/10 Excellent

John

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Lovely friendly welcome, beautiful room, great breakfast
Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2020
Response from A.Bruce (Owner) on 7 Aug 2020
Thank you for your lovely feedback and for choosing to stay at Karrawa Guest House. Best Wishes, Albert & Aileen

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Business traveller, Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Warm welcome, comfortable room, very pleasant stay.
Stayed 1 night in Mar 2020
Response from Aileen & Albert on 16 Mar 2020
Thank you for taking the time to leave us a lovely review. It is much appreciated.

10/10 Excellent

Arthur W., Lerwick, Shetland

Liked: Cleanliness
Excellent Stay
This was a really lovely property. It was so clean, and the facilities were superb. Highly recommended.
Stayed 1 night in Jan 2020

10/10 Excellent

Jeff

Business traveller
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
I would definitely stay here again, the owners were very friendly freely sharing their local knowledge. The room was exceptionally clean and comfortable, the breakfast was also top notch.
Stayed 3 nights in Dec 2019
Response from Albert & Aileen (Owners) on 12 Jan 2020
Thank you very much for your review... we are delighted you enjoyed your stay with us and look forward to welcoming you back in the future. Best Wishes, Albert & Aileen

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Business traveller, Travelled with group
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Breakfast was brilliant. Rooms were fitted with very good quality furniture.
Stayed 4 nights in Oct 2019
Response from Aileen & Albert Bruce (Owners) on 3 Nov 2019
Thank you for your lovely feedback. We are pleased that you had a nice stay at Karrawa.

10/10 Excellent

Joel, Cambridge

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Would stay again No complaints.
Stayed 2 nights in Sep 2019
Response from Aileen & Albert (Owners) on 13 Oct 2019
Thank you for your kind comments. We are pleased that you would stay again.

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Family run property, the love and attention really shows!
Stayed 1 night in Sep 2019
Response from Ailene & Albert Bruce (Owners) on 13 Oct 2019
Thank you for your lovely comments. We are delighted that you enjoyed your stay at Karrawa.

10/10 Excellent

John, Rochester, NY

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Beautiful place with super friendly and helpful hosts. It was the best room we had during a 2 week vacation in Scotland, out of 10 different places. Parking was great, location is a pleasant 3/4 mile walk to town center. Breakfasts were very good and hosts had great recommendations for dining. Perfect!
Stayed 3 nights in Sep 2019
Response from Aileen & Albert Bruce (Owners) on 13 Oct 2019
Thank you for taking the time to write us such an honest review. We appreciate it and we are glad that you had a nice stay at Karrawa.

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Lovely house in quiet area. There were plenty of information sheets about things to do and places to see in the vicinity. Also a a cabinet with treats for a snack with an honesty box. Rooms were immaculate and en-suite first class. Food selection was varied and service good. Cooked breakfast was excellent. Staff very pleasant and helpful. Highly recommend.
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2019
Response from Aileen & Albert (Owners) on 13 Oct 2019
Thank you for your excellent comments. We are so pleased that you would highly recommend Karrawa.

2/10 Terrible

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Disliked: Room comfort
clean room with usual amenities , bed hard and uncomfortable, good breakfast but very overpriced at £89 per night, would not pay that again for B & B.
Stayed 1 night in Jun 2019
Response from Aileen & Albert (owners) on 19 Jun 2019
Thank you for your feedback Mary. We are glad that you found your room clean and that you enjoyed your tasty hearty breakfast! Im sorry that you found your bed uncomfortable, everyone is different and likes different mattresses, ours are less than 2 years old and Medium/Firm. Our rooms are beautifully furnished with solid oak furniture and we pride ourselves in offering a friendly service with a home away from home feel, we regularly turn our mattresses for guest comfort and in our opinion are nice and comfortable. Our rates are set for the summer months and are on par with the rest of Kirkwall however, as you initially cancelled your room and then turned up without letting us know that you wanted to keep your booking which is very unusual, this might be why you have left us this review. You didn't say a goodbye on departure or let us know of any problem at the time sadly. It is just a shame that you decided to leave us a very harsh review score online which is very unnecessary. We are a small family run business that we have been working very hard to build up the last 7 years. A hotel might offer more of what you wanted next time, a room above a noisy bar with single glazed dirty windows which you would undoubtedly pay a lot more for!

8/10 Good

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Nice
Nice place but if like me and you suffer from a bad back the beds are not very good.
Stayed 3 nights in May 2019
Response from Manager on 29 May 2019
Thank you for your feedback. Unfortunately we can't assume all our guests have bad backs, and as such can't provide mattresses specifically for that! All our mattresses are medium/firm and all less than 5 years only, with the exception of the family room which were just replaced in December 2018.

8/10 Good

Sue

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Great stay in Lerwick
A fantastic stay, very comfortable and Albert made u s feel right at home. If there was a lounge area to sit in, it would have been pretty much 100%
Stayed 5 nights in Feb 2019
Response from Albert & Aileen (Owners) on 5 Mar 2019
Thank you for your lovely feedback, we are delighted that you enjoyed your stay at Karrawa. We used to have a guest lounge but it was very rarely used by guests, we have plans to renovate our reception area to include a nice seating area with comfortable seating in the future. We hope you enjoyed the rest of your holiday to Scotland. Please note for possibly future guests reference, we are based in Kirkwall, Orkney not in Lerwick, Shetland as stated in the title of the review :) Thanks

10/10 Excellent

Kathleen

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Fabulous Stay in Kirkwall ..Orkney
Lovely owners...very helpful and efficient..gave excellent service and brilliant recommendations for local restaurants attractions etc
Stayed 5 nights in Sep 2018
Response from Aileen & Albert on 25 Sept 2018
Thank you for you're lovely review. We are delighted that you had a nice stay at Karrawa. Best Wishes, Aileen & Albert

10/10 Excellent

Carolyn

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2018
Response from Aileen & Albert on 12 Sept 2018
Thank you for you're lovely feedback score. We are pleased that you had a nice stay at Karrawa.

10/10 Excellent

Anthony

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Positive experience altogether.
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2018
Response from Aileen & Albert on 5 Sept 2018
Thank you for your nice feedback.

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Great hosts, location is very quiet and within walking distance to downtown area. Very friendly staff with great suggestions for restaurants and attractions. Highly recommend!
Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2018
Response from Aileen & Albert on 8 Aug 2018
Thank you for your lovely feedback.

8/10 Good

Ron, Cambridge, UK

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Lovely guest house in Kirkwall
We stayed at the Karrawa in Kirkwall during our recent visit and were very pleased with our experience. The owners and staff were extremely kind and efficient and helpful. The accommodation was very bright and comfortable and the breakfasts were lovely. We enjoyed our stay very much.
Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2018
Response from Aileen & Albert Bruce on 3 Jul 2018
Thank you for taking the time to write us a lovely honest review. It is much appreciated. We are pleased that you had a nice stay at Karrawa and enjoyed your holiday to Orkney.

10/10 Excellent

Graham, Lincoln

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
A friendly, high-standard B&B
A very comfortable, friendly and high-standard B&B with modern decor and well-maintained. Good large rooms with easy access.
Stayed 3 nights in Jun 2018
Response from Aileen & Albert on 16 Jun 2018
Thank you for you're lovely feedback. We are glad you enjoyed your stay at Karrawa.

10/10 Excellent

Linda, Louisiana

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Lovely place to stay
We spent 3 nights at Karrawa House in mid April. The room was as described. My bed was super comfy. Our hosts were very friendly and helpful. Breakfast was exceptional. Would stay there again and would definitely recommend the place.
Stayed 3 nights in Apr 2018
Response from Aileen & Albert on 1 May 2018
Thank you for you're lovely comments. We are delighted that you had an enjoyable stay at Karrawa. Best Wishes, Aileen & Albert

10/10 Excellent

Dan

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Nice experiance friendly owner clean B$B and room clean and comfertale bath room
Stayed 2 nights in Apr 2018
Response from Aileen & Albert on 25 Apr 2018
Thank you for you're lovely feedback.

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Great stay.
We stayed here for 2 nights. The room was spacious and comfortable. And the huge bathroom looks like it was recently renovated to a high spec. The room exceeded our expectations. Breakfast good and our host was very friendly. We would definitely stay here again.
Stayed 2 nights in Jan 2018
Response from A. Bruce on 23 Jan 2018
Thank you for your excellent review, we are delighted that you had an enjoyable stay and we hope to welcome you back at Karrawa in the future. Best Wishes, Aileen

10/10 Excellent

brian, aberdeen

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Very friendly hosts with great rooms
Immaculately clean room with great bathrooms. Breakfast was lovely. Could not fault the warm reception and great service
Stayed 1 night in Nov 2017
Response from Albert & Aileen Bruce on 10 Nov 2017
Thank you for you're lovely feedback. We are delighted that you had a nice stay at Karrawa.

10/10 Excellent

James, aberdeenshire

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Lovely guest house
Excellent for touring Orkney and very central for the show week
Stayed 4 nights in Aug 2017
Response from Aileen & Albert on 26 Aug 2017
Thank you for you're lovely review, it was nice to meet you all and we are glad you enjoyed your stay during the show week. Best Wishes, Aileen & Albert

10/10 Excellent

lucilu, tennessee

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Wonderful hosts
We loved our stay at Karrawa House. It was very clean with spacious bedrooms and modern baths. It was very close to town and the airport. Breakfasts were delicious and offered a nice variety. The couple who own it and the staff were very friendly and helpful.
Stayed 5 nights in Jul 2017
Response from Aileen & Albert on 15 Jul 2017
Thank you for you're lovely feedback, it is very much appreciated and we are delighted that you had an enjoyable stay at Karrawa.

6/10 Okay

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Karrawa is an excellent guest house. I would suggest that the walk from the town center, while not terribly long (about 3/4 mi) is uphill. Also, staff is not necessarily on the premises unless they know your time of arrival....don't expect a red-carpet greeting if you have not alerted them to your plans. Kirkwall is extremely quiet after six people, so do not expect to find a taxi or advice after six pm.
Stayed 1 night in Jun 2017
Response from Aileen and Albert on 8 Jul 2017
Thank you for your feedback, we are delighted that you found our guest house to be of an excellent standard. We are a small family run guest house with a young family and are always happy to help with any information guests require but it is just not possible for us to be at home 24/7 but one of us is usually home to assist and we are always just a phone call away if not. At the time of your stay we were away from the guest house more than usual as we had extended family visiting and can only apologise if this caused inconvenience. It is clearly stated that our guest house is situated 1km out of the town centre in a quieter part of the town, it is an easy 15-20 minute walk straight down the road into the town or a very short car journey. We are also located near 3 bus routes. It was nice to meet you both and we hope you enjoyed your time spend on the Orkney Islands. Best Wishes, Aileen & Albert

10/10 Excellent

chris, Norfolk

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Great B&B on the outskirts of Kirkwell
On arrival, met proprietor, she was very welcoming and friendly. Our room was very clean and comfortable. Breakfast was freshly cooked with a good choice. My partner and I stayed for 3 nights and we felt as though we looked after as 'one of the family' would have been. Many thanks for a great stay.
Stayed 3 nights in Jun 2017
Response from Aileen & Albert on 1 Jul 2017
Thank you for you're lovely review. We are delighted that you had an enjoyable stay at Karrawa. Best Wishes, Aileen & Albert Bruce

8/10 Good

Wombat, Australia

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Quiet and pleasant stay
Comfy room and good breakfast. Friendly hosts and staff. I suggest hiring a car as Karrawa is about 25 minutes walk from Kirkwall and busses not that frequent. However I would stay here again.
Response from Aileen & Albert Bruce on 29 Jun 2017
Thank you for you're lovely review, we are glad that you enjoyed your stay at Karrawa. We are located 1km from the town centre a simple 15 minute walk straight down the road, slightly longer on the way back as it is a gradual uphill most of the way. The no 4 bus runs every 30 minutes from 6.20am until 7pm at night and you can catch this bus just around the corner from the guest house. The No 9 bus runs hourly and stops right outside. Otherwise, we have a large off road parking area ideal if you have a car with you. We hope to have you back to stay at Karrawa in the future.

10/10 Excellent

Swimming Sal, Vermont

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Super friendly Orcadian hospitality
We booked the night before our stay and upon arrival decided that we needed to stay another night. Unfortunately, Karrawa was full but Albert very quickly found us a place to stay for the following night. Something to think about in Orkney is that you generally need to book in advance for dinner, even a simple pub meal. Again, Albert to the rescue! He called his favorite local and got us booked for the next night. So, all 'round just a pleasant experience with friendly staff and a lovely home.
Response from Aileen & Albert Bruce on 31 May 2017
Thank you for you're lovely feedback, we are delighted that you had an enjoyable stay at Karrawa.

10/10 Excellent

Adam, Walnut Creek, CA

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Absolutely wonderful
This was a great place to stay on Orkney. Nice central location to all the things we wanted to do, very nice proprietors. Room was nice, comfortable bed. Great breakfasts. Strongly recommend.
Response from Aileen & Albert Bruce on 10 May 2017
Thank you for you're lovely review :) Much appreciated.