The Watersound Hotel in Orkney Islands

Ondanks het feit dat we laat waren door de ferry was er op het eten niks aan te merken. Heel lekker en de zaak zat goed vol dus reserveren is geen overbodige luxe..

In vacanza sull'isola, nella parte sud cerchiamo qualcosa di più appetitoso del solito sandwich. La signora dello shop, che qui...

Wer abends in sein Zimmer in dem Small-Hotel mit zehn Räumen zurück kommt, wird sich wundern, warum der Parkplatz so...

Su un’isola lontana un posto intimo e riservato. Cibo essenziale ma gustoso, ottime birre, vista sul mare. Prenotare conviene

Die Auswahl am Sonntag auf den Orkney ist nicht allzu groß; Das Sands Hotel war bei uns in der Nähe...

Je recommande très fortement cet hôtel, tout y es agréable (le personnel, la vue qui donne directement sur l'eau, et...

We had never eaten at the Sands Hotel, but recently stopped by for a Sunday lunch. The inside of the hotel and restaurant is as nice as any in Orkney, and the food was excellent as was the service. We'll definitely return again!

I dined here as part of a group booking. We received an extremely warm welcome from our waiting staff. Our waitresses were attentive to our needs and we enjoyed the relaxed atmosphere. The food was delicious. There was a little delay in receiving our dessert...

We had a meal here whilst on holiday this year. Staff were very friendly and accommodating. Food was excellent and good value.

Quaint,quiet, charming and a great view. The food was wonderful. Had a wonderful lunch with friends while driving out to see the chapel. Thank goodness they had a sign on the turn or we never would have known it was there. Definitely worth a stop...

A very nice Cullen skink and soup of the day but no local beer on draught which was a shame. very quiet when we visited

The Sands Hotel, Burray, Orkney is about 20 minutes drive from Kirkwall and across the bay, about 10 minutes drive, from St Margaret's Hope, where the Pentland ferries come in from Gills Bay. We ate at The Sands on two nights of our three nights...

This homey and comfortable hotel on the Burray waterfront is ideal. The food cannot be beat, the rooms well appointed and comfortable, and the best staff encountered in a long time. When we come to the Orkneys, we will not stay anywhere else.

Nice food, a little on the dear side, but not too bad! View over water was nice. Nice local brewed ale was on when I went.

We live locally and have often had lovely meals here (when the previous owners were in charge). Having seen the good reviews we decided to take two friends out for dinner - what a mistake! On arrival we had to wait for the 3 waiting...

Excellent steak pie - enormous portion. Delicious creme brulee dessert. Really nice relaxed atmosphere.

We had guests with a range of tastes and the menu catered for everyone and was strong on local seafood based specials. There was a real buzz in the restaurant with folks of all ages enjoying them selves. Thank you Sands.

We arrived in a very busy night as there was a private party on, but that did not stop the great service or lovely food we had, had to wait a wee while for food to be cooked but that was due to what was ordered , everything was lovely and staff friendly

Het eten in het restaurant was erg lekker en verzorgd. Alleen hadden we wat meer keuze op het vlak van vis en zeevruchten verwacht.

Fantastic food! Lots of fish dishes prepared and presented beautifully! The restaurant is busy so I advise booking ahead.

Well worth a visit. The service was fast and efficient, the food was superb yet inexpensive, the staff were all extremely friendly and helpful and the surroundings and location were very pleasant. We visited the Sands Hotel in July of this year (2015) on a family trip to Orkney. Some of the family had already eaten there and had given a glowing report, so we decided that all eleven of us would have our farewell to Orkney meal there on our last night. We booked beforehand and when we arrived our table was nicely set, we were seated immediately and the friendly staff were soon bringing our drinks. I ordered the home-made steak and ale pie, the meals arrived reasonably quickly but took long enough to tell that they were freshly prepared. My steak and ale pie was full of tender steak, the puff pastry was cooked to perfection and the ale gravy was to die for. As head of the family, I of course had a taste of other peoples meals and can vouch that the enormous pieces of fish were also cooked to perfection with golden crispy batter and the large succulent white flakes of the fish, the fillet steak was medium rare, exactly as my sister wanted it, I had a taste and must say it was up there with the best steaks that I've ever tasted (Even in the USA). Even the beef olives were delicious even though I didn't like the sound of them at first, once I had tasted them I was won over. The choice of sweets was varied and tempting but because I had been tasting everyone else food, I only had room left for the ever delicious Orkney Ice cream. All in all a very pleasant experience which I thoroughly recommend.

This restaurant is sited right on the water and is in a nice quiet village. The food and service was excellent with a broad menu.

Sbarcati affamati a St.Margaret's Hope dal ferry della sera (sul quale non si mangia!) abbiamo scelto questo ristorante perchè situato a pochi km e con buoni giudizi su tripadvisor. E' stata una scelta felice: buono il cibo, ragionevolmente veloce il servizio (nonostante fosse molto frequentato). Prezzi nella media

We ate there twice during our week's stay at St Mary's. Would have eaten there on the Saturday evening, too, but we hadn't booked and there were no tables available when we turned up. Good food in the restaurant, at least one cut above 'pub food'. Nice view out to sea, too.

Spotlessly clean and wonderfully comfortable. All of the staff were very friendly and made us feel at home.Food was excellent. Do try the haggis! The morning kipper was great and the fry up was excellent too.

We ate here twice and both times the food was excellent, Well served, tasty and well served piping hot. Portions were more that adequate and the cost was reasonable.

Went out for family lunch with relatives, food was first class, "especially the cajun chicken ". Staff are friendly and nothing is too much of a bother for them. Planning regular visits from now on.

Based on the good reviews, we visited for lunch on a Sunday in June. We were hoping for plenty of fish/seafood choices but all that offered to us was a set menu - two courses for £9.95 - no a la carte or bar menu (as shown on the website) and the only fish dish on offer was fishcakes, which were homemade. This place is not expensive but you get what you pay for. The fishcakes were potato dominant and served with yet more potato in the form of chips and a salad. The dessert of a mango mousse was quite tasty. Overall just passable pub food although the service was friendly.

The Menu was excellent with seasonal dishes and a daily 'specials' board. The waitresses were friendly and helpful. But the views from the restaurant out over looking the quayside to Scapa Flow were spactaclar.

Biked our way from John o Groats against a force seven winds to be finally blown across the Churchhill causeway to the Sands Hotel, a refurbished seafood factory. A warm welcome was extended and we were shown to our rooms. All was in order and the rooms were warm and cosy. Orkney was experiencing its coldest June since the Stone Age. Meals were fab and plenty of choice. Local roads are quiet and good and all interesting sites easily reached. An ideal rural location.

Was there for lunch. Good food with big portions. Recommend the beef olives. Friendly good service a place to return to.

My son, wife and I popped into The Sands after a wee outing in South Ronaldsay.We were greeted nicely and shown to a table. The restaurant was busy, but the waitresses were over to us quickly to take our drinks order.My wife and I had a burger and my son had a kids meal of Fish Fingers. My wife and I were both very impressed with our meal, the burger was very tasty, the chips homemade and very good. My son cleared his plate, which he never does.We then had the Sands' own ice-cream, we each had different flavours. This too was excellent an would recommend to everyone.The restaurant was busy, but the waitresses were attentive and we didn't have very long to wait.All in all a very enjoyable lunch, I'm sure we will be back.

We visited as a party of 5 for a long weekend. We were in the Watersound suite which was lovely, like a home from home. The welcome at the hotel was warm and friendly and the staff were helpful . We had a lovely time. The hotel is fresh and clean and has a unobtrusive nautical theme running throughout. Amazing water pressure in the shower too! It's ideally placed at the end of the 3rd/4th Churchill barriers and overlooks a lovely bay. The restaurant serves good food, well prepared. The menu didn't change while we were there but that didn't matter at all as there was loads of choice. Thanks so much!

We stayed for 2 nights at this lovely positioned hotel. We were greeted warmly and shown to our room, which was lovely with everything required, all rooms have a view of the Scapa Flow. The local pub, with billiards and darts board is part of the hotel, and adds an excellent atmosphere, with the friendly locals, guests and staff always eager to help - nothing was a problem. Dinner was very, very tasty and well priced, and breakfast was memorable. If we are in Orkney again we would definite make this hotel our base. Thank you Alison for a great stay.

Recommended by locals (after looking and failing to find anywhere decent in St Margaret's Hope) - service very friendly, food very good, prices reasonable

Ate at the Sands on three occasions after it was recommended by locals. Delightful ambience, with a view over the water from the restaurant conservatory, good food, with both bar and restaurant style food available- and well priced. Put together with some happy and helpful staff and it all contributes to a very relaxing way to pass an evening. Recommended.

We were taken here for tea/coffee, shortbread and scones during a trip organised by our Cruise Ship. It was all done very efficiently - around 50 of us served quickly and cheerfully. Would recommend.

I know the Sands decided not to open on Christmas Day so we were lucky that they were open this year. It was a really special lunch - wonderful monkfish, scallops and prawns for the main course. As always, the vegetables served with the meal were outstanding. This restaurant is good anytime of year, but it was a real treat to celebrate with their Christmas Day menu. If you go, you must try their homemade ice-cream (the flavours change throughout the year). The Sunday lunch is also great, but you need to book in advance because it is usually very busy.

Overall a very nice little hotel. I look forward to returning.The first thing you'll notice about the Sands Hotel is it is as far away from the ferry crossing at Stromness as you can be. It is well worth the drive however. The hotel staff also pointed out that there was a smaller private ferry (google Burray Ferry and you'll be set). I recommend taking that ferry as it saves time on both sides of your trip.Anyway, back to the hotel.The hotel is decorate in warm wood panels and the staff are very friendly. The rooms are on the slightly smaller side, but still there is adequate room and storage for two and you don't feel boxed in. There is a nice view of the water outside the window and the showers are pretty decent. The food - wow. Delicious. Super fresh locally sourced ingredients, well prepared, good presentation and just... well... yummy.Next time I go back to Orkney, I will absolutely be staying here again.

We ate in the conservatory overlooking the sea. There was an extensive menu including several vegetarian options, to my delight.Service was fast and friendly and portions were a decent size - too big for us really. The second time we ate there we did not have a starter.A very pleasant experience

No complaints about the service or hospitality.Let down slightly on the foodScallops were steamed or stewed and disappointed when we expected crispy outer coat- to be fair, the menu did not specify that they would be pan fried, we've just never had them served any other way.I had a perfectly cooked steak but the Diane sauce lacked Brandy and mustard. Chips were overcooked and while I like my veg al dente the broccoli was solid.Others in the party were happy with their dishes.Overall solid if not spectacular food, reasonably priced

On the final night of our holiday we booked a meal as we usually do in the restaurant and it was as good as it always is and very reasonable priced. Once again thank you for a most enjoyable evening and a first class meal and excellant service

Old fashioned menu - somewhat lacking in variety.Visited twice during week 8 - 16 August 2014 - once for dinner, once for lunch.Same menu offered for both until we asked whether there was another menu for lunch - a "lighter" menu was produced. Meals on both occasions very ordinary and not well prepared nor well presented. Vegetables at dinner overcooked and poor colour. Suggested to the waitress that the Macaroni cheese lunch choice was not well cooked and tasted of raw flour - she seemed to understand the problem - but did nothing about it and presumably did not report to the Chef.Needs to get updated and take some clues from mainland restaurants. Staff friendly. Dining room very pleasant, overlooking the harbour.

We went with friends for a meal the restaurant was not to busy and did wait quite a while for our food but it was lovely and very filling the atmosphere was nice and very relaxed a great place to go for a meal if you are in orkney

This busy little hotel is well worth a visit if you are in this part of Orkney. The staff were very courteous and efficient and obviously well trained. The food is traditional and use mainly local produce. Our meals (Salmon & Haddock) were very well cooked and presented.

Was here last night with my aunt for dinner great food great staff keep up the good work. I will be back the next time i am back 8n orkney

We phoned ahead to say we'd be late arriving off the ferry from the mainland and would they be able to accommodate us for an evening meal - yes very happy to was their answer.Service with a smile and great food. I had the scallops - yummy!We returned later in our holiday for a second meal at the end of our 2 week stay on the islands with pre-order for lobster. They need 48hrs notice for this so the fisherman has time to go out and lay the pots and wait for the catch to arrive. It was excellent, cooked hot with a thermidor sauce and vegetables, couldn't be fresher. Orkney is great for seafood! I had the chocolate mousse to finish.

Our meal was very nice though not outstanding. However the fish was fresh - always a plus, and the portions were a good size. The shock came when the bill arrived. We were being charged £30+ for my glass of white wine! When we queried the cost the girl we asked was shaking visibly. A slip of the fingers on the till? Well maybe, but a visitor with little knowledge of our currency might well have paid up without questioning the cost. An interesting experience given my career in Scottish tourism management and ourconstant emphasis to the hospitality industry on customer care and value for money. Hmm.

Turned up by chance and given place in restaurant with no view though better spaces appeared to be available. Reasonable service with a smile. Good first courses. Main course of pork was tender enough but lacking a sauce. Overall no major complaints but not a meal to remember anything special.

The service was really good, attentive and cheerful. Our meal was freshly cooked and the stars of the show were the Orkney lamb and beef - clearly treated with respect by the chefs and much appreciated by us!

Went here after being recommended by our very nice landlady at the Richmond Villas in St Margarets Hope we had age at meal I really enjoyed the scallops and the cheesecake also with a bottle of wine it was a very reasonable price

We had our meal in the public bar and were made to feel most welcome. Our locally caught haddock was nicely cooked and tasted very good. Warm atmosphere in the bar and nice to see local people using the hotel.

We chose the fish pie from the lunch time menu. It took a while to arrive, but this was acceptable as it was cooked to order, and indeed it was tasty - haddock and smoked haddock - no egg, but the sauce was nice enough too. Not sure about breadcrumbs as a topping though. The pie was accompanied by average frozen?chips and a very plain salad - no dressing. The sands were not visible from our table in the conservatory - the view was nothing special especially not for Orkney. Waitress very good. Overall disappointing.

Whilst I couldn't fault anything with the food - it was simply just OK nothing special and a little bit overpriced. Service was a bit slow - took 1/2 hour to get starters and 1 hour from arriving to receiving main courses. Granted they had a couple of large tables, however no more than 20 diners.

We were at the Sands hotel tonight (4th may 2014) for a family meal as a party of 9, following a recommendation from a friend. 3 of 5 steaks ordered were medium rare however I would not have liked to have seen a well done steak as mine was both dried out and cold, as was my wife's, and I won't even tell you how bad the sauce was! Whilst some of our party were still eating we were asked if we would like desert and passed some menus, with finished plates being cleared around those still eating as we were told by the waitress that they had a couple of big tables coming in and were going to very busy so we would have a long wait. With all 9 of us having 3 courses plus drinks I feel that this was particularly poor service to the extent of being rude.

Had a fantastic Sunday lunch here, amazing Beef Olives! Good 3 course menu at a very reasonable price.

Superb location lovely service and great cheap food Would recommend this place to anyone visiting Orkney Only ate there but would love to stay

Siamo capitati per caso in questo ristorante annesso all'omonimo hotel,situato in un piccolo villaggio e di fronte al mare.Il posto è molto bello,c'è una sala principale e una sala tipo veranda con vista sul porticciolo,perfetta in una giornata di sole.Si mangia bene e ad una cifra normale.Personale molto cortese.

nebbia freddo acqua abbiao girovagato in cerca di un ristorante tutti prenotati,ma ci hanno indicato sands hotel non proprio al porto...era piena ma ci hanno fatto accomadare in salottino comodo comodo..la ragazza molto gentile e abbiamo pranzato divinamente

I read up on this hotel in Tripadvisor before going, therefor I did not book. The place was completely empty when we arrived there but from all the consulting that went on I think they were expecting more. That is the last negative thing I will say. We had a lovely tableoverlooking the harbour and two lovely local waitresses. We read the menu and were shocked. One expects to pay more in Orkney than at home so this was delightful. We both started off with blackpudding rolled in oatmeal with onion marmalade and apple sauce. We bought some baer yesterday to try this at home it was so good. My husband had a steak an ale pie which he thoroughly enjoyed. I surprise myself and didnt have fish but went for beef olives stuffed with oatmeal. If i could extoll the virtues, freshness and tastyness of these dishes and pay them full homage I would be a food critique. I am not a food critique so I will confine myself to saying if you get a chance, try it! We were too full for a sweet. We loveld it so much last week we are going back this week. Oh I do hope its every bit as good as I can't write about it. Marking it down on romace because of the noisy people who came along and shared their conversation with the whole resturant.

You would have to drive a distance like to Skerries on South Ronaldsay or to the Creel on St. Margaret's Hope to get a better meal. Value was good here and the service very conscientious. They tend to use a bit more butter than I would like but overall do a nice job. You won't go wrong with seafood options but if you are looking to lighten the caloric burden, ask for no butter or check on preparation. And double check on the soup if you do not like cream/milk based soups. Be sure to arrive on time given the eve dining hours especially if you are not staying at the hotel.

If you are looking for a good place to eat in Burray Village then look no further than the Sands Hotel. Food is good quality and reasonably priced, staff are friendly, service is quick and there are great views across the harbour. Called in on spec with no prior booking but were immediately shown to a table. I found the vegetarian lasagne a little solid for my liking, but this is only a matter of personal taste as I prefer more sauce, there was nothing wrong with the flavour. Would definitely recommend the Orkney Fried Cheese starter - its to die for! Would definitely eat here again if I am ever back in Burray.

First time eating out in Orkney and I would recommend this place to anyone. We went to the restaurant (there's a bar menu too). Staff were friendly and polite, food was prompt, well cooked and tasted great. Beautiful location and a great veew fro the restaurant.Not massively expensive either

This has always been my favourite place for a meal out when I come home, it's great value and some of the best pub food I've had. On visiting recently, the menu has been completely changed over and I was a little apprehensive (I loved their prawn salad and they don't do it any more!!), however the whole meal was delicious and still great value, service was great as always and it's in a lovely location by the sea. Highly recommend this restaurant if you're in the area, it's a little out of the way of Kirkwall and the main attractions but a fantastic local place!As a little addition, we are having a big family gathering next year and it looks like this may well be the venue for it, it would be ideal for something like that with the restaurant and bar area split with the open conservatory room.

Set on the harbour front overlooking fishing boats, The Sands is a modern, clean and welcoming building (park at the back and enter through the back door) with a friendly greeting and attentive service from young staff trying hard. You have a choice, either a reasonably priced Bar Menu or A La Carte. You will be happy with either. We went twice and roamed through the choices, all of which we selected were good and sensibly priced. The scallops with chirozo and black pudding were particularly fine. Cleverly set up to not challenge the high end of restauranteurship it nevertheless does a fine job looking after its guests. Parties of locals and divers clearly enjoying their suppers was a testimony to the value and quality.

Hand dived scallops - huge juicy and cooked to perfection. Good price and nice cosy atmosphere. Have been here in a group as well and the food was also very good with many people to feed. Food and plates are always hot which makes a difference on cold days.always a pleasure and we tend to take our visitors to the island here because we can rely on the food and service. please don't ever change

The Sands Hotel serves a really good Sunday lunch, 3 courses for around £12, excellent value!Choice of 3 starters, 3 mains and 3 deserts followed by tea or coffee.We chose the Orkney beef which was fabulous, very tasty and tender, highly recommended. Restaurant has seating near the front windows that look out to the pier and to Scapa Flow.Its a lovely area, friendly staff who are happy to help with anything.We were not resident at the hotel but were made to feel very welcome during our stay on Orkney.

Visited a couple of weeks ago. Called in advance to ask if we needed to book & told "No".On arrival asked if we'd booked, said had phoned & told no need, but told we had to book & there were no tables....Told we could eat in bar so sat down. Staff were young girls chatting & laughing behind bar, no concern for customers. Took 20 mins to get a drink (had to ask), which one of us sent back as guest beer (from Cornwall!!!!!) was off.Then brought menus & ordered before being taken through to out table in.....the restaurant - and there were 4 other large empty tables.....Full my [--]!!Right gripe over, now to the food - we had the haddock & chips & whoever complained about the fish seems to have had the desired effect. It was awesome. Fresh, cooked to perfection & amazing light batter.So Sands, some staff training's required as today is all about the whole customer experience. The food was great but come on girls know who the customer is plus do you need to book or not?

I went to the Sands with friends for dinner - it's an attractive restaurant, with good views, and excellent, attentive service. However, I thought the food was a real let-down. Presentation was good, but I felt that the quality and taste was just average.I've had better (and bigger) haddock in several local restaurants, and the Orkney fudge cheesecake was tasteless, with a distinct shortage of cheese. A friend commented that the sherry trifle was also disappointing. Unfortunately, until I hear better reports of the food, I don't think I'll be heading back to the Sands.

This is a surprising restaurant. From the rear it looks unpromising but once inside it is warm and welcoming with lovely views.The menu is fairly standard fare but uses local ingredients cooked well to give a rather special flavour of Orkney.Perhaps not the best restaurant around but a regular place to visit due to the quality and value.