We stayed at the Foveran for four nights in late July. Given the good reports, maybe it was not surprising that we could not get a double room and had to settle for a twin. The room was spotlesssly clean, but rather small. The bathroom was nice and a decent size. The restaurant was good, service was excellent, but we got the impression that they were having a little trouble living up to their recent reputation. Having said that, on one evening we got our ferry times wrong and were late - they were very understanding and made sure we got our dinner! This is a small hotel, a little way out of town (own transport essential), that makes a very good base for all the amazing sites on mainland Orkney and Hoy. It is not a five star hotel, and maybe a little expensive, but we enjoyed our stay.

Spot on. Fresh cooked kippers for breakfast, looking out at the gales and rain lashing the windows. Then the next day watching the calm and sunshine and the beautiful light that you get up there in winter.

We told our friend in Orkney where we were going to stay and she said "oooh you're staying at the Foveran" like we were going somewhere really posh. It's not really posh, but that's good. Comfortable warm place, recently refurbished, nice decor, fantastic food, like a four star hotel in a cottage but without the impersonal feel of a four star hotel. Really small (about 10 rooms?) and friendly. We were the last people staying there before New Year, and the only ones in the hotel on the last morning. But still the chef was up cooking our kippers and really cheerful about it. Recommended.

We arrived late (23:45) off the ferry from Shetland.
(nb the Orphir road to the hotel from Kirkwall is not well signposted and there aren't many people around to ask at this time of night)

We received a warm welcome and were offered sandwiches & soup, which we declined having eaten on the ferry.
Our room was fairly small but well furnished - no bath but an effective power shower, comfortable bed, one easy chair, one upright chair at desk/dressing table.
The hotel has a panoramic view over Scapa Flow and you can see the buoy marking the position of the sunken HMS Royal Oak a few hundred metres offshore.
Breakfasts were excellent - standard (but carefully cooked) grill, kippers or delicious poached smoked haddock with poached eggs (my personal favourite) together with a wide selection of cereals, fruit and jams.
We had dinner at the Foveran one night which was excellent - scallops, Orkney lamb, Orkney fudge cake etc, good selection of wine. I was particularly impressed with the attentive service from the waitress(es) - knowledgable about the the menu, served from the left poured from the right, smiley & looking as if they enjoyed working there.
We also ate at the highly rated (Rick Stein, Will Self) Creel resataurant at St. Margaret's Hope which, in my view, did not reach the standard of the Foveran food (accompaniments overpowered the delicate flavours of the fish) and the service did not even come close.
We also got good food at the Hamnavoe restaurant at Stromness and at the Indian Garden in Kirkwall.
We wished we'd eaten at the Foveran on the other nights when we got pretty poor fare elsewhere in Orkney.

The Foveran is obviously a successful Hotel/ Restaurant and probably can't be betterd on Orkney. If you can, eat there and stay there for the smoked haddock breakfast.
Judging by its full dining room and reputation in the area you will need to book well in advance to eat and you may have to stay to guarantee a table.