The Stromness Hotel

We were glad we ate here. The hotel is a funky old place with an atmosphere that takes you back in time. It was the only restaurant with availability for dinner. The front desk clerk was helpful, talked us through the menu and made recommendations. Since we were the only ones in the restaurant, service was great, and the food was good.

The restaurant was shut when I visited, but there are places to eat nearby: a good little café across the street that's closed Sundays, and a takeaway a block away on the water for Sunday. The Ferry Inn is also a block away and has a great pub restaurant, though it can get busy, so book dinner online. Most places, even the town's one gas station, are closed Sundays; there's a small supermarket at the start of town for essentials. The hotel itself is a fine old building in the middle of town, right on the waterfront with the main dock in front. Rooms are a nice size and have some good waterfront views. Reception is on the second floor, but there's an elevator. Free parking is behind the hotel and can be hard to find, so ask reception. There's a rear entrance from the parking area straight into the hotel.

We couldn't leave quickly enough. There was no staff on hand, just a sticky note with a number to call if we needed anything. The lounge had a moldy coffee pot and dirty water jugs on the counter. Our room was disgusting: stains all over the carpet, mold in the shower, a broken chair that felt like you could fall through, and a glass with a whole lipstick stain when I just wanted water. We left instead of staying for our three-night reservation and went to a much nicer hotel down the street. Don't waste your money here. They have zero standards for great hospitality.

If you've ever wondered what it feels like to stay in a dirty, cold, abandoned building, the stromness hotel is the place. I've never stayed somewhere this filthy. If this hadn't been a one-night work trip, I would've walked out straight away. There were stains everywhere I looked in the room, along with peeling wallpaper patched with white and yellow. Please look at the attached photos before booking. The owner, payman investments, says on its website that the hotel makes an impressive turnover and is profitable, so it's shocking they can't make basic improvements. The restaurant had closed seven days before I arrived, with no attempt to notify me. Given the lack of cleaning, that may have been a blessing.