Lynnfield Hotel

For a vegan looking for somewhere to stay on Orkney, Lynnfield is the place I'd choose. There was always at least one vegan evening dish, several vegan desserts including sticky toffee pudding and vegan pavlova, plus a vegan cooked breakfast and porridge. They offered wonderful tea with non-dairy milk all day. A dream for a travelling vegan. Our room was a suite, with a delightful deep jacuzzi bath and a separate shower with both rainfall and regular shower heads. The outlook was gorgeous, even in winter. Lynnfield is right next to Highland Park distillery, and the bus stop, or the place to hail a bus, is at the end of the drive, very convenient for getting into the town centre. We won't stay anywhere else.

The hotel is quiet, so we slept wonderfully, and it has four-poster beds too. Breakfast was a treat, and it's very handy for central Kirkwall. There's free parking and free WiFi with decent speeds, not the weak signal and dire speeds you often get. Dogs are welcome as well. The rooms combine wonderful antique fittings with wonderfully modern ensuite bathrooms, and the food made in house was the best I've ever tasted. If you're curious about staying somewhere truly luxurious while visiting the interesting Orkney islands, this is the place. I can't praise it eloquently enough. Eat in, you won't be disappointed!

We went to try the North Ronaldsay mutton after finding out this was the only restaurant serving it. The dining room has extensive views, and the food lived up to expectations. The prawns came in an enormous portion and the meat was delicious. The mutton was very tender and much leaner than other mutton dishes I've tried. We didn't stay at the hotel, though all the foreign cars in the car park make it seem like a popular destination.

We stayed two nights at Lynnfield Hotel and found it a great base for exploring the Orkney Islands. The rooms were large, with great views, and the ferry was only a short drive away.