Sandra's Backpackers Hostel

The kitchen was the worst part, especially the disgusting fridge. The photos don’t show its current condition at all. Our room was extremely dirty too, with hair in the bed and stains in the toilet. The host wasn’t there during the advertised check-in time, so we waited over an hour. We left again within 10 minutes of arriving.

It was cheap, but kind of gross and not the nicest hostel I’ve stayed in. The rooms were dusty and fairly dirty, with random people’s hair in the bathroom. The towels had holes and stains, and the sleeping bags on the beds looked old and small enough for a child. I’m 5'5ft and my feet stuck out of the one I was given. I’d bring your own sleeping stuff and towel.

The host was very helpful, and both the room and bathroom were clean. The TV in my room was broken, but there’s another one in the dining room.

Sandra’s Backpackers in Caithness was a big disappointment towards the end of our Scotland tour. We’d had much better stays at a well maintained Edinburgh hostel and a guesthouse in Aberdeen city centre, both for just under £70 a night and with towels and toiletries included. We paid £71 for one night here, which didn’t feel justified. The building isn’t welcoming, and the accommodation is old and basic. Our small double room was basically an old bunk bed. There were no towels or bathmat in the ensuite bathroom, and the silicone around the shower tray was black. A generator and two seagulls above the bunk near the skylight kept us awake all night. We booked through Booking.com, where the reviews were average. I wouldn’t recommend it.