The Hotel is well past it's best. The rooms span the whole street above anything below. Unfortuately non of the buildings in this hotch potch had been built on the same level. Every corridor was linked by 2-3-4 or more steps some up, some down with narrow corridors and many awkward firedoors. A major struggle with luggage and a disabled person.

The Traffic lights outside our room shone through inadequate drapes. The night club opposite our room was closed but was a congregation point for local youth till late into the evening.

Food was in an off-street bar, The restaurant was closed for a function. Don't go and try and find food on a Sunday in the town, the locals out on the streets in the early evening are the worse for drink and form an intimidating nuisance. The Breakfast was swimming in grease and badly cooked.

Thurso is a great, friendly wee town.

We booked this hotel online, staying for two nights:
Thu June 1 (£49 special website offer),
Fri June 2. (£85 regular website price).
I phoned to confirm our arrival the day before.

When we arrived at the hotel, we were told that there was some kind of mix up with the reservation system, and there were no rooms available for us, but we had been booked in across the square at The Pentland Hotel. I asked where we were booked in for the second night. At first, they did not know that we were here for two nights, then after checking, we could either remain at the Pentland or stay at The Royal. We decided to stay one night in each hotel (Thursday in The Pentland, Friday in The Royal.)

The Royal Hotel was nice enough, it had a cosy wee bar.
The rooms were adequate - small bathroom, tea/coffee and kettle, tv, chair.
However, we had a room overlooking the main street. This was a big mistake for a Friday night! The main street is used for drag racing from midnight onward. It was loud engine noise, pimped rides, roaring up and down. I like to open a window at night, but the Indy500 outside made this impossible. It kept me awake for a time.

The next days breakfast was distinctly uninspiring. This is one of the swallow chain of hotels, and had a nicely printed, generic menu. However, our stuff tasted cheap, and was only lukewarm. You know the way that you would rather go outside than bother eating?

After some confusion over the room bill (no-one knew what to charge me, because I had stayed across the road for one night), I was charged my original online rate.

The staff were helpful and friendly, if a little too relaxed.

To summarise:
If you are paying £80 - stay at The Pentland.
If you are paying £50 (hotel website offer) stay here.

Just back from our first, but not last, visit to Thurso, one of the friendliest of place we've ever been to.

The Royal (Swallow group) is an older style hotel but clean and comfortable with the most welcoming and helpful of staff. A great base from which to explore Caithness and Orkney.

Food: 10/10 excellent value and lots of it.

Bar: 9/10, losing a mark for the unwelcomed input from the local loudmouth/bore/"comedian" on our last night. Not the hotels fault.

Thanks to all of the staff, Emma 1, Emma 2 Tegan etc. for a wonderful stay, we wish it could have been longer than it was, we didn't want to leave!

We'll be back.

Recommended.

Our stay at the Royal was a very very pleasant experience. This is an older hotel, but the rooms are comfortable and the staff is extremely accomodating. We had no heat when we checked in, but a member of the staff went immediately to work and replaced the fuse in the heating system and we had heat. A most congenial fellow, he even showed us a shortcut to the dining area and bar. The food was very good, not gourmet but more of a home style dining. The bar/pub was friendly and we met a few locals who were especially cordial and nice. The only complaint I have is the shower had no hot water, and it was a challenge to jump in and brave the chillly spray. My husband got quite a kick out of my squeals as I showered as quickly as possible..which actually was pretty funny!