Lynnfield Hotel

We won't stay anywhere else on Orkney. The Lynnfield was a dream for a travelling vegan: there was always at least one vegan evening dish, several desserts including sticky toffee pudding and vegan pavlova, and vegan cooked breakfast and porridge options. They had lovely tea with non-dairy milk available all day. Our room turned out to be a suite, with a delightful deep jacuzzi bath and a separate shower with both rainfall and regular heads. The view was gorgeous even in winter. Highland Park distillery is right next door, and the bus stop, or place to hail a bus, is at the end of the drive, making it very convenient to get to the town centre.

The food here is the best I've ever tasted, so come here and eat in, you won't be disappointed. It's a quiet hotel, and I slept wonderfully in a four-poster bed. Breakfast was a delight, and Kirkwall centre is very handy to reach. There's free parking and WiFi with decent speeds, and the place is dog-friendly too. If you're curious about staying somewhere truly luxurious while visiting the Orkney Islands, this is the place. The rooms have wonderful antique fittings, while the ensuite bathrooms are modern.

We hadn't stayed at the hotel, but all the foreign cars in the car park made it look like a popular destination. We came for dinner after learning it was the only restaurant serving North Ronaldsay mutton. The views from the dining room stretch a long way, and the food lived up to expectations. The prawn plate was enormous, and the meat was delicious. The mutton was very tender and lean compared with other mutton dishes I've tried.

We spent two nights at Lynnfield Hotel and found it a great base for exploring the Orkney Islands. The rooms were large, with lovely views, and it's only a short drive to the ferry.