Returned to the Foveran after two years. If anything, it was even better than before. We had room 1 which has a bath and shower (some rooms have shower only) and a wonderful view over Scapa Flow. The breakfasts are huge and set you up for the day. Dinner is fantastic with lots of locals coming in to eat - a very good sign. Lovely to see the use of local produce, fish and cheeses. Delicious home baked breads. Locally produced whiskies available too. The Foveran's owners do their very best to fly the Orkney flag. Will return anytime.

My wife and I spent two nights at this hotel. I've always favoured the smaller hotels and this one did not disappoint. The hotel is in a very quiet, countryside location, yet is only 5 minutes or so from the centre of Kirkwall. We found all the staff very friendly and helpful and our room was clean, spacious and comfortable. We booked our stay on a dinner, bed & breakfast basis and were very glad we did. The dinners were outstanding - obviously the locals know this as the restaurant was fully booked both nights (a Monday and Tuesday). The breakfasts were on par with the dinners and were all freshly cooked.

Nothing else to say really! This is a fantastic, well-run hotel and I thoroughly recommend staying here.

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.