View all photos for Standard Double Room, Ensuite, Sea View (First Floor )
Standard Double Room, Ensuite, Sea View (First Floor )
Highlights
Heating
TV
Hypo-allergenic bedding
Premium bedding
Separate bedroom
Heating
Hair dryer
Private bathroom
Sea view
Sleeps 2
1 Double Bed
View all photos for Superior Double Room, Ensuite, Sea View (First Floor )
Superior Double Room, Ensuite, Sea View (First Floor )
Highlights
Heating
TV
Hypo-allergenic bedding
Premium bedding
Separate bedroom
Heating
Hair dryer
Detached private bathroom
Sea view
Sleeps 2
1 King Bed
View all photos for Classic Suite, Ensuite, Sea View (First & Second Floor )
Classic Suite, Ensuite, Sea View (First & Second Floor )
Highlights
Separate dining area
Fireplace
Heating
Kitchen
Refrigerator
TV
Hypo-allergenic bedding
Premium bedding
Sea view
Sleeps 4
1 Double Bed and 2 Twin Beds
View all photos for Traditional Suite, Ensuite, Sea View (Second Floor )
Traditional Suite, Ensuite, Sea View (Second Floor )
Highlights
Heating
TV
Hypo-allergenic bedding
Premium bedding
Separate bedroom
Heating
Shower/tub combination
Private bathroom
Sea view
Sleeps 3
1 Twin Bed and 1 Double Bed
About the neighborhood
Pier Road, Burray, Scotland, KW17 2SS
What's nearby
Orkney Fossil and Heritage Centre - 5 min walk - 0.5 km
Orkney Fossil & Vintage Centre - 2 min drive - 2.0 km
Italian Chapel - 7 min drive - 6.3 km
Highland Park Distillery - 14 min drive - 16.7 km
Gills Bay Ferry Port - 93 min drive - 35.5 km
Getting around
Kirkwall (KOI) - 22 min drive
Restaurants
Robertsons - 6 min drive
The Creel - 6 min drive
Commodore Restaurant & Bar - 7 min drive
Sands Hotel - 3 min walk
The Watersound Hotel - 3 min walk
About this property
The Sands Hotel
Property highlights
Take advantage of free cooked-to-order breakfast, laundry facilities, and a bar at The Sands Hotel. Be sure to enjoy kids' meals at the on-site restaurant. Stay connected with free WiFi in public areas.
Other perks at this hotel include:
Free self parking
A billiards/pool table, wedding services, and smoke-free premises
Guest reviews give top marks for the helpful staff
Free cooked-to-order breakfast available daily 7:30 AM to 9:00 AM
A bar/lounge
A restaurant
Things to do
Billiards/pool table
Family friendly
Laundry facilities
Conveniences
Laundry facilities
Guest services
Housekeeping (daily)
Wedding services
Accessibility
If you have requests for specific accessibility needs, please contact the property using the information on the reservation confirmation received after booking.
No elevator
Wheelchair-accessible parking
More
Smoke-free property
Room amenities
Entertainment
TV
Policies
Check-in
Check-in start time: 2:00 PM; Check-in end time: 10:00 PM
Minimum check-in age: 18
Check-out
Check-out before 10:30 AM
Special check-in instructions
Front desk staff will greet guests on arrival at the property
Access methods
Staffed front desk
Pets
Pets not allowed
Children and extra beds
Children are welcome
Property payment types
Important information
You need to know
Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card, or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
This property accepts credit cards and cash
Property Registration Number OI/PL/86
We should mention
This property does not have elevators
This property welcomes guests of all sexual orientations and gender identities (LGBTQ+ friendly)
Property is also known as
The Sands Hotel Hotel
The Sands Hotel Burray
The Sands Hotel Hotel Burray
Frequently asked questions
Is The Sands Hotel pet-friendly?
No, pets are not allowed at this property.
How much is parking at The Sands Hotel?
Self parking is free at this property.
What time is check-in at The Sands Hotel?
Check-in start time: 2:00 PM; Check-in end time: 10:00 PM.
What time is check-out at The Sands Hotel?
Check-out is at 10:30 AM.
Where is The Sands Hotel located?
Situated in Burray, this hotel is within 1 mi (2 km) of Orkney Fossil and Heritage Centre and Orkney Fossil & Vintage Centre. Orkney Wine Company and Italian Chapel are also within 6 mi (10 km).
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The Sands Hotel Reviews
Reviews
9.8
Exceptional
All reviews shown are from real guest experiences. Only travelers who have booked a stay with us can submit a review. We verify reviews according to our guidelines and publish all reviews, positive or negative.
Rating 10 - Excellent. 38 out of 44 reviews
10 - Excellent
38
Rating 8 - Good. 6 out of 44 reviews
8 - Good
6
Rating 6 - Okay. 0 out of 44 reviews
6 - Okay
0
Rating 4 - Poor. 0 out of 44 reviews
4 - Poor
0
Rating 2 - Terrible. 0 out of 44 reviews
2 - Terrible
0
10/10
Cleanliness
10/10
Staff & service
9.6/10
Amenities
9.8/10
Property conditions & facilities
9.4/10
Eco-friendliness
Reviews
10/10 Excellent
Jill
11 May 2025
Liked: Amenities
We loved staying at the Sands hotel and wished we could have stayed longer! Facilities, location and food fantastic,
Thankyou for making our Orkney trip memorable - You even laid on lovely weather too !!
Very comfortable, relaxed hotel with helpful staff and good hearty food. Great location for the ferry from Gills Bay, and all the major places of interest.
The staff were brilliant and truly went out their way to make my stay very enjoyable. I would return here and recommend others to stay here also. The food was excellent and a very good selection to choose from.
They are lovely people and it is a nice enough hotel. It’s in an out of the way location which was fine for us as we had a car. The food was ok. The room was light, clean and comfortable.
Lovely quiet hotel being an old Herring Warehouse. Rooms were comfortable and had a nice view of the boat ramp. We stayed 2 nights and meals were nice both nights. We needed washing done and were able to pay 15 pounds for a small bag to be done for us, which saved having to go to Laundromat in Kirkwall.
This property is exceptionally clean! The restaurant staff were friendly, outgoing and accommodating to a food allergy. This hotel is convenient for morning ferry departures from St. Margaret's Hope.
Everything at this hotel was just lovely- staff, ocean views, food. The room was simple but nicely updated and maintained. This hotel was a highlight of our trip. The restaurant is also delicious and we loved breakfast.
Our brief stay at the Sands Hotel was just what we were looking for in that part of Orkney. We wanted to see Skapa Flow, the Italian Chapel, and we discovered a fascinating private museum with fossil collection.
The staff were helpful and welcoming and the room comfortable.
A beautifully restored building with rooms tastefully decorated and having views over the water. A warm welcome and great food served. Only sorry that I was there for one night.
For someone who stays in hotels a lot The Sands was a wonderful experience. All the tiny things that you’d wish for in other hotels are just done perfectly here! I can’t recommend this hotel highly enough. The restaurant is great, breakfast is cooked to order so absolutely no food waste and the evening meals are delicious.
The Sands Hotel is a lovely small hotel in a tranquil island within the Orkneys. There is absolutely no noise in any of the rooms, they are equipped with WiFi and everything you need.
The restaurant serves excellent-quality food with locally sourced ingredients. The staff are first rate, every single one of them. They helped us out with everything we needed. Very prompt and professional service. Best Hotel in the Orkneys, bar none!
Stayed at the Sands with my wife for one night. All the staff in the hotel we came into contact were very friendly and helpful. Our room was tastefully decorated and very comfortable.We enjoyed a beautiful evening meal in the restaurant and the cooked breakfast provided in the morning was one of the best I have had in any hotel.Our only complaint is we could only stay one night.
The property is somewhat remote and located in an industrial area with a boat repair adjacent. However, the hotel has a good restaurant and bar so we didn't feel the need to leave the property.
This was an excellent hotel in a lovely location overlooking Watersound. We booked an apartment and were delighted with the spaciousness and facilities. It was spotless and looked like it had been recently refurbished.
The staff couldn't have been more friendly and the food at breakfast and dinner was super, with a good choice of vegetarian and vegan dishes.
We would highly recommend this hotel and will definitely stay there again.
We had alwasy said we wished to stay at the Sands whenever we have visited the Orkneys before. We booked Watersounds which was a family suite and was not disappointed. The suite, facilities, friendliness, food well....everything was so much more than we hoped for and some. Excellent place to tour the islandsas a base or just to relax and enjoy the scenery and pace of life.