While recently doing the "North Coast 500" route around the Scottish coast, we stayed at the John…read moreO'Groats Guest House as a stopping point, and are so glad we did! Under new ownership, the lovely couple that now own it have put their heart and soul into the house, and it shows! The rooms are updated with new furniture and fixtures, as well as upgraded with all the technological plug-ins you could need while traveling, such as Wi-Fi, Netflix, etc. The night before your stay you will get a message from the owners, who live on-site, asking what your special request is for any meals you would like. Since there are limited dining options at John O'Groats, this was hospitality above and beyond most B&B's we have stayed at. The owners are fabulous chefs, and only use locally sourced meat, cheese, eggs, milk, jams, etc. which are delivered to them fresh from local farms. We requested the Local Meat & Cheese Tray as our starter, and it was wonderfully fresh and delicious! Our locally sourced pork burger was fantastic as well. Breakfast is also included with your stay, and the owners did not disappoint with a list of local options for breakfast that you select the night before, and tell them what time you would like breakfast. It was such a nice way to start our day on the next leg of our journey around the Scottish coast. The warmth and hospitality we received at the Guest House was unexpected and very welcome. We would stay again.

We recently stayed at the John o' Groats Guest House, and it was a highlight of our month's…read morevacation in England and Scotland. Located near the ferry landing for trips to the Orkney Islands, we knew it would be a great location for us, surrounded by the stark but beautiful northern Scotland scenery. What we did not anticipate, though, was that the owners, Mary and Mark, would be the most welcoming and accommodating people ever. Not only did they provide a very nice room and great food, they did everything possible to make our stay pleasant. Mark even took us down to the ferry for our Orkney tour and picked us up at the end of the day. We had such a good time dining with them and the other guests and hanging out after! It was what you would always like to experience in a small B&B or guest house, but rarely do. If you are going to be in the area, you could do no better than to stay at the John o' Groats Guest House.

Burnside Cottage is a beautiful, modern, well-outfitted bed and breakfast. My friend and I were…read morebooked on a ferry to Orkney from Gills Bay, and arrived to find it cancelled. With no idea what to do, we saw a small sign on the road above the port, and followed it. The owner was gracious, welcoming and accommodating. We couldn't believe our luck to find this outstanding lodging. Our twin room was clean, spacious, comfortable and quiet. The furnishings were among the best we've encountered, providing the function we needed with tasteful design. Plenty of hooks in the modern bathroom were so welcome, and more were near the door of the room. It's remarkable how this made a difference for two women with lots of stuff to hang -- most places we stayed have one hook per room, if any at all. Eco-sensitive soap and shampoo were wonderful. Did I mention the delicious breakfast, with many choices? I highly recommend Burnside Cottage and hope to visit again before and after I finally am able to travel to Orkney.

Ommmm, so Seaview Hotel is about the only place we could find that was open before a 7:30 pm…read moresailing from Gills Bay on the Pentland Ferries (Pro tip learned quickly in Scotland: outside major cities, everything shuts up tighter than a drum in the evenings). Plus, it's just fun to say "John o' Groats." We scoped the bar area -- depressingly run down, but happily full of rowdy locals -- and the dining room -- clearly going for the "executive ballroom" feel, and probably where everyone in John o' Groats holds their wedding reception. We went with the dining room which, apparently, boasts the moniker "Groatie Room." Service was excellent, friendly and accommodating, as at most places in Scotland. Also, a variety of local craft brews was on offer, as at most places in Scotland. Food, however, perfectly matched the stuffy, outdated dining room. Exactly what you'd expect from a sit-down reception catered by Sodexho. A bland Caprese salad, run-of-the-mill paninis, season-less steamed veggies. But, considering Seaview was about the only thing going in John o' Groats and put much need sustenance in our bellies, it garners the A-OK rating.

My husband and I stayed at the very lovely Anchorage B&B during our September trip to John…read moreO'Groats. The owners of the Anchorage recommended the Seaview for our dinner and we even ran into them there that night. Admittedly, this pub is not much to look at. It's dated and a bit run down. However, don't let that deter you. If you love fish, this is the place to go. We started with scallops and they were the best scallops that we have ever eaten. We live in Los Angeles and frequently eat at high end restaurants...the Seaview had them beat! For my main, I had a grilled haddock that was amazing. My husband had a burger made from local beef. Fresh food makes all of the difference. Our meals were fantastic! Beyond that, this is clearly a place filled with locals and everyone was exceptionally welcoming. John O'Groats has the friendliest people that we encountered during our UK trip. Go here, trust me!

The location of the hotel is great. The people that work here are friendly. The breakfast is…read morestandard, the bar/restaurant has a decent selection of food and drinks. The rooms have an electric kettle with coffee and tea, a small TV and hot shower. I'm on a budget and not looking for luxury so the Royal Hotel fits me just fine. Easy walking distance to shops and the sea front. If you travel by bus or train it is a 10 minute or so walk from the station.

Really nice guest house and very central. We only stayed a couple of nights but were impressed and…read morevery comfortable. Next to the bank, the guest house was the former bank manager's house and is an elegant historic building with fine Victorian period features and reasonably spacious rooms. Tastefully decorated by the owners: a friendly and efficient local couple: a fireman and his seamstress wife. The wife's sister and mother also help out, making it a truly local family business. The rooms are all individual, with custom-made soft furnishings and elegant decor. There are no ground floor rooms. The stairs are fairly steep and there's a couple of flights to climb to get to the bedrooms, but there were offers of help with the luggage. The dining room is on the first floor. Breakfast was excellent and served on elegant plates. The rooms were en suite and well fitted out. A flask of port on the landing is available for any guest to help themselves to a nightcap a nice touch. Recommended.

we are in the river house, it's charming with a beautiful garden, birds flying about their…read morebusiness, salmon jumping about and wild flowers stretching out toward the sun. The bar in the main house is amazing as is the restaurant. All the staff are warm and friendly. we are here for 3 days, wish it was a week

Great place to stay, lovely, warm and clean. Welcoming people, would deffo stay again even tell my…read moremother to stay here! Cracking breakfast.. shame the ferry to Orkney was rough over though.

Mackays Hotel is located in Wick, in the beautiful area of Caithness. Built in 1883, the hotel has…read moregained wide recognition for its high standard of award winning service and fine food. Using only the best in local produce and fish straight from the boats at Scrabster, No 1 Bistro is one of Caithness's tastiest choices for lunch and dinner.

Great hotel, super friendly team and restaurant uses local produce. Have stayed here a few times…read morewhilst on business and main reason to stay here is being recognised on arrival. The owners Murray and Ellie are always around to support the team. The food is excellent and using local produce which is beautiful. Highly recommended and I will be back.