Kirkwall Youth Hostel
About About this youth hostel
Friendly and welcoming, in a quiet location 15 minutes’ walk from the town centre, Kirkwall Youth Hostel is the perfect base for exploring the historic sights and wonderful wildlife of Orkney.
Perfect for groups, families and individual travellers, this warm and welcoming youth hostel offers a wide range of room types, all available to be booked as private rooms. None of the rooms are en-suite but there are ample shower and washroom facilities available.
Guests can opt for a continental breakfast served in the dining room or take advantage of the well-equipped self-catering kitchen.
WiFi is available in the lounge area and is free for all guests. Other facilities include a large, comfortable lounge with TV and well-stocked library, a laundry, drying room, secure cycle store for up to 15 bikes and free onsite parking for up to 20 cars. The hostel is licensed and guests can enjoy a Scottish craft beer or glass of wine while relaxing in the evening.
Basic provisions, confectionery and soft drinks are available to purchase at reception.
Orkney is a Neolithic and Viking treasure trove, with many attractions, like St Magnus Cathedral, Earls palace, Bishops Palace and the Orkney Museum all within walking distance. Highland Park and Scapa Distilleries are also within walking distance of the hostel and other attractions worth a visit include Skara Brae, Maeshowe and The Ring of Brodgar - all reached by local buses departing from Kirkwall.
The hostel is also available for exclusive private rental.
Hostellers Love...
Friendly and very helpful staff
Central location within easy reach of the town centre
Great breakfast
Private rooms available
Kirkwall Youth Hostel
Facilities & Services
Season
April - September (RentaHostel available all year)
Reception Hours
08:00 - 10:00 and 17:00 - 22:00
Check in
17:00 - 22:00
Check out
08:00 - 10:00
Access Hours
Reception is closed 1000-1700, but guests arriving early have access to the communal areas of the hostel
Amenities
Free Wifi
Private Rooms Available
Family Rooms Available
Catering Available (Breakfast Only)
Self Catering Kitchen
Complimentary Tea and Coffee available in Self Catering Kitchen
Lounge/TV Room
Laundry Room
Towel Hire Available
Drying Room
Bike Store
Shopping Nearby
Free Parking (nearby or onsite)
Guest Reviews
26/11/18
Friendly and helpful staff. Hostel was perfect for our requirements.No
26/09/18
Nice hostel with comfy beds and a well equipped kitchen. Handy for all the sights of Kirkwall and beyond. Ferries and shops in easy walking distance.Frances
21/09/18
The receptionist was amazingly helpful and pleasant. A credit to your organisationSteven Smith
16/09/18
The young lady who booked us in was very friendly and helpful sorry didn't get her name she had short hair & glassesYes you may use it
12/09/18
Friendly welcome, everything was lovely thank youAlexandra Wright
24/08/18
SO MUCH TO DO, so little time (4 days!). Strongly recommend all local Historic Scotland sites esp Ness of Brodgar (FREE tours!). A special bonus was the pleasure of visiting the excellent Orkney Fossil & Heritage Centre, which we considered to be one of the best small museum displays we've ever see. Also the Italian Chapel is a must-see. We've had a superb tourist experience around all the mainland of Orkney.Terry & Ali Goodall (New Zealand)
09/07/18
A lovely youth hostel. We recommend taking the bus and then the ferry to hoy, taking a minibus and walking to the Old man of Hoy.Nora
26/06/18
Staff were accommodating, staying up to welcome us in after arriving at 23:00 on the ferry. Room was comfortable.Carina
21/06/18
Lovely hostel with very helpful staff. Very quiet,great atmosphere,easy to meet other travellers. Basic facilities overall, but very well equipped kitchen.Really enjoyed staying here.Chrissie B.
26/09/17
Excellent, quiet hostel with easy access to Kirkwall and the surrounding area.Frances L
22/09/17
Highly recommended hostel. Four night stay in September whilst scuba diving on Scapa Flow. Central location easy access to local facilities. It it somewhere I will plan to return to.R. Madge
20/09/17
Quiet city hostel with plenty of parking and good kitchenDB
12/09/17
As a cyclist it's a good position to visit many sites of interest in a 15 -20 mule radius, and there's plenty to see and do in Kirkwall itself, especially on a rainy day.Mac.C
25/08/17
Nice location, convenient and close to downtown. recommendedMauro Tortato
22/08/17
Really enjoyed my stay at the Kirkwall Youth Hostel. It enjoys a quiet location that is only a 10 minute walk to the bus station and the town centre. My private (twin bed) room was comfortable and a towel was kindly provided. The bathrooms and kitchen were always clean and there was never a wait to use these facilities. The dining room and lounge provided a good space to meet and socialise with other guests. The staff were all friendly and helpful. I would definitely stay here again.Elizabeth
21/08/17
Was a great location and facility. Me, my husband and our son really enjoyed your facility.MsTee
12/08/17
Very Nice youth hostel...an amazing breakfast can be proposed, people and location are absolutely perfect. I recommand warmly this youth hostel !!!Emmanuel
07/08/17
Visit HoyRobert
31/07/17
Friendly helpful staff at both the booking and arrival stages made for a very pleasant experience. The public areas are large and quiet with a well stocked kitchen.Peter
22/07/17
It was quite which was good and everyone was super nice. Had a great time!!happy_aussie
14/07/17
I had a lovely time at this hostel - the atmosphere is very friendly, and the staff were very welcoming and helpful. Comfy beds, clean rooms and linen, and well kept facilities meant that my stay was a pleasant one. Finally, it is only a short walk from Kirkwall travel centre and the docks, making it a great place to base an exploration of the isles!Jake
12/07/17
Great service with JohnO'Groat Ferry & all the local Bus Services & DrversHazelnutty
12/07/17
Simple accommodation but comfortable, quiet and excellent valueSarah George
10/07/17
Friendly and helpful staffJo
04/07/17
This is a clean and basic hostel, located in a quiet part of Kirkwall. The kitchen has everything you need and there's lots of good information about Orkney.Helga
01/07/17
Great location for archeology and cycling.Rod
19/06/17
Great hostel friendly and helpful staff suggesting areas for me to hike. Dining room and kitchen was great. Very reasonable for a private room which was a nice change for me. Would recommend and when come back will book it again.Sue G and helpful staff
05/06/17
Close to centre of town, Kitchen facilities and utensils enabled easy self catering, however fridge getting full in May. Wifi free in public areas, parking great, laundry facilities appreciated, pleasant and spacious dining area fostered interactions with other hostelers. Frank was responsive to any requests and we enjoyed our stay here.Jocelyn
02/06/17
Good value for a single room. Showers not so good.John B
22/05/17
A really good, welcoming hostel with plenty of space to sit and relax, hot showers, a well-equipped and clean self catering kitchen and splendid buffet breakfast. It's within walking distance of the cathedral, museum, cafes and the excellent "Reel bar" with regular live, local music.Sue
Perfect for groups, families and individual travellers, this warm and welcoming youth hostel offers a wide range of room types, all available to be booked as private rooms. None of the rooms are en-suite but there are ample shower and washroom facilities available.
Guests can opt for a continental breakfast served in the dining room or take advantage of the well-equipped self-catering kitchen.
WiFi is available in the lounge area and is free for all guests. Other facilities include a large, comfortable lounge with TV and well-stocked library, a laundry, drying room, secure cycle store for up to 15 bikes and free onsite parking for up to 20 cars. The hostel is licensed and guests can enjoy a Scottish craft beer or glass of wine while relaxing in the evening.
Basic provisions, confectionery and soft drinks are available to purchase at reception.
Orkney is a Neolithic and Viking treasure trove, with many attractions, like St Magnus Cathedral, Earls palace, Bishops Palace and the Orkney Museum all within walking distance. Highland Park and Scapa Distilleries are also within walking distance of the hostel and other attractions worth a visit include Skara Brae, Maeshowe and The Ring of Brodgar - all reached by local buses departing from Kirkwall.
The hostel is also available for exclusive private rental.
Hostellers Love...
Friendly and very helpful staff
Central location within easy reach of the town centre
Great breakfast
Private rooms available
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Reasons to visit
Capital of Orkney, the historic town of Kirkwall is dominated by the 12th century St Magnus Cathedral. Constructed from local red sandstone, it's one of Scotland's most interesting cathedrals.
Orkney is a Neolithic treasure trove and Kirkwall Youth Hostel is a superb base for exploring its historic sites. Many attractions, like Skara Brae, Maeshowe and the Ring of Brodgar are a short distance away and the hostel is only a mile from historic Scapa Flow and a quiet sandy beach.
South of the centre, the Highland Park Distillery is well worth a visit. An hour long tour will give you the opportunity to see how they malt their own barley and use a peat kiln to dry it.
The island is famous for its hand-made arts and crafts, from exquisite designer jewellery to fine knitwear and locally inspired artwork and souvenirs.
Orkney is well known for the quality of its fresh local larder. From fine quality meats to seafood and cheese, you will have plenty of opportunities to pick up a posh picnic or take home an edible souvenir.
