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Reviews of Merkister Hotel 3 stars

Loch Harray, Harray, KW17 2LF, United Kingdom

#1 of 2 hotels in Harray

Guests' Choice

Review score

Based on 176 hotel reviews

8.7

Score breakdown

  • Cleanliness

    9.1

  • Comfort

    9.2

  • Location

    9.5

  • Facilities

    8.5

  • Staff

    9.5

  • Value for money

    7.9

  • Free WiFi

    9.9

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Showing 1 – 25

  • Reviewed: 3 September 2025

    10
    Great base to visit Orkney - central location and very comfortable
    • Leisure trip
    • Couple
    • Double or Twin Room
    • Stayed 3 nights
    • Submitted via mobile

    Very comfortable room but on the small side

    Amazing views, friendly staff and great fishing! Also good restaurant

    Stayed in August 2025

  • Reviewed: 25 August 2025

    8.0
    Very good
    • Leisure trip
    • Couple
    • Budget Double Room
    • Stayed 4 nights
    • Submitted via mobile

    The accommodation was dated and rooms were small.

    Loved the location and hospitality. The staff went out of their way to make us feel welcome and looked after.

    Stayed in August 2025

  • Reviewed: 24 August 2025

    8.0
    Very good
    • Leisure trip
    • Family with young children
    • Double or Twin Room with Loch View
    • Stayed 3 nights
    • Submitted via mobile

    Needed to book times for breakfast and evening meals a bit difficult when we were touring about with no schedule or plan. No lift. Staff assisted in carrying my suitcase upstairs.

    Very calm, quiet place to stay between sightseeing trips. Lovely lake but didn't fish.. Good size room.

    Stayed in August 2025

  • Reviewed: 21 August 2025

    10
    Exceptional
    • Leisure trip
    • Couple
    • Budget Double Room
    • Stayed 1 night
    • Submitted via mobile

    N/a

    Beautiful surroundings I recommend

    Stayed in August 2025

  • Reviewed: 8 August 2025

    9.0
    Nice location and lovely staff
    • Business trip
    • Couple
    • Budget Double Room
    • Stayed 2 nights
    • Submitted via mobile

    Dated decor

    Great location and staff were really nice, room was a bit dated but still cosy

    Stayed in June 2025

  • Reviewed: 6 August 2025

    9.0
    Lovely stay
    • Leisure trip
    • Couple
    • Budget Double Room
    • Stayed 5 nights
    • Submitted via mobile

    Sausages could have been better, tough skins.

    Breakfast was lovely. Nice location. Staff excellent.

    Stayed in August 2025

  • Reviewed: 27 July 2025

    9.0
    Fantastic location with beautiful views over the loch and really warm welcome with friendly staff.
    • Leisure trip
    • Couple
    • Double or Twin Room with Loch View
    • Stayed 1 night
    • Submitted via mobile

    Nothing

    The staff were very friendly and helpful

    Stayed in July 2025

  • Reviewed: 17 July 2025

    10
    A wonderful stay on the bonnie Loch Harray.
    • Leisure trip
    • Couple
    • Luxury Suite
    • Stayed 4 nights

    Exceptional location, less than half an hour from everywhere in Orkney. The room we stayed in had a great view of the Loch. The hotel is very well-maintained, and the on-site restaurant is excellent, utilizing local ingredients, including fresh fish from the Loch. The staff is very friendly and helpful. I would definitely recommend this property.

    Stayed in July 2025

  • Reviewed: 11 July 2025

    8.0
    Very good
    • Leisure trip
    • Solo traveller
    • Single Room
    • Stayed 1 night
    • Submitted via mobile

    Food was somewhat bland and outdated.

    Wonderful oldy worldy hotel with very comfortable room and bathroom, full of lovely art. The view over Loch Harray was serene. The staff were so friendly and helpful.

    Stayed in July 2025

  • Reviewed: 4 July 2025

    8.0
    Very relaxing and enjoyable
    • Leisure trip
    • Couple
    • Luxury Suite
    • Stayed 10 nights
    • Submitted via mobile

    The suite could have had a table by the sofa to put your drink on. If you had the shower fully on the water overflowed onto the bathroom floor. The wall hanging was infested by moths!!!

    The breakfast was great and served by a particularly terrific staff. The water was really hot. The position of the hotel is sensational.

    Stayed in July 2025

  • Reviewed: 30 June 2025

    8.0
    Very high standard hotel in a wonderful location with welcoming, helpful staff.
    • Leisure trip
    • Couple
    • Double or Twin Room with Loch View
    • Stayed 3 nights

    With such high-standard modern hotel facilities, much of the evening meal menu was a little old-fashioned. The food was well presented but lacked the 'wow factor' that the rest of the experience offered.

    Breakfast was excellent, the room was perfect and the hotel's location is very attractive and is ideal for exploring Orkney (we didn't venture off the main island). Very friendly and caring staff.

    Stayed in June 2025

  • Reviewed: 28 June 2025

    9.0
    A lovely place to spend a few days
    • Leisure trip
    • Couple
    • Budget Double Room
    • Stayed 2 nights
    • Submitted via mobile

    No USB ports in room and too tiny bathroom

    Comfortable and very friendly. A beautiful location with an excellent dining room

    Stayed in June 2025

  • Reviewed: 20 June 2025

    10
    Much better than I hoped for
    • Leisure trip
    • Family with young children
    • Single Room
    • Stayed 3 nights
    • Submitted via mobile

    Nothing

    The highlights were the staff and the food. Both were outstanding.

    Stayed in June 2025

  • Reviewed: 19 June 2025

    10
    Get ready to be impressed.
    • Leisure trip
    • Couple
    • Luxury Suite
    • Stayed 1 night
    • Submitted via mobile

    We loved everything.

    Everything! Beautiful, spacious, and very comfortable suite with idyllic views. The restaurant was superb. We’ve never had such attentive dinner service. Food was amazing.

    Stayed in June 2025

  • Reviewed: 17 June 2025

    8.0
    Comfortable traditional hotel with good service & good food
    • Leisure trip
    • Solo traveller
    • Double or Twin Room
    • Stayed 4 nights
    • Submitted via mobile

    Breakfast had to be pre-ordered the night before for a fixed time, and fruit portions were rather small. Scrambled eggs tended to be overcooked, despite (presumably) being prepared fresh for the selected time. Starter choices were very limited for me due to fish allergy. But there were not many real negative points.

    Comfortable & mostly traditional hotel with very good unpretentious food. Staff were friendly & helpful and service was good. Food portions were very generous, with lots of well-cooked vegetables. Staff were careful and accommodating of my fish & seafood allergy. Room and bathroom were comfortable, though a bit dated. Location on loch was very pleasant. Shortbread provided in room was lovely.

    Stayed in June 2025

  • Reviewed: 15 June 2025

    8.0
    Relaxing stay in a spotlessly clean and comfortable room. Walks from the door as the location was exceptional
    • Leisure trip
    • Couple
    • Budget Double Room
    • Stayed 3 nights
    • Submitted via mobile

    Breakfasts could have been better - cooked plates were cold

    Fabulous location. Spotlessly clean

    Stayed in June 2025

  • Reviewed: 29 May 2025

    10
    Exceptional
    • Leisure trip
    • Solo traveller
    • Single Room
    • Stayed 1 night
    • Submitted via mobile

    That I couldn't stay longer!

    The setting the staff and the comfort

    Stayed in May 2025

  • Reviewed: 11 May 2025

    10
    Very relaxing and enjoyable stay
    • Leisure trip
    • Couple
    • Double or Twin Room with Loch View
    • Stayed 5 nights

    Nothing could have been any better.

    Location was amazing, the view from our room overlooked a beautiful loch where we could take an evening stroll. The staff were lovely and the meals special. Very sad to leave.

    Stayed in May 2025

  • Reviewed: 6 May 2025

    8.0
    Great views of the island and would recommend for short stay.
    • Leisure trip
    • Couple
    • Budget Double Room
    • Stayed 1 night
    • Submitted via mobile

    The food was too salty

    The location was amazing and the food was very good. The staff were really friendly and helpful.

    Stayed in April 2025

  • Reviewed: 24 April 2025

    10
    Everyone at the hotel made us feel amazingly welcome !!
    • Leisure trip
    • Couple
    • Luxury Suite
    • Stayed 3 nights
    • Submitted via mobile

    All staff were amazing and a big shout out to Debbie for introducing us to her 6 Labrador pups as we were leaving. The location was as tranquil as it can possibly be. We were lucky to see fab sunset !!

    Stayed in April 2025

  • Reviewed: 23 April 2025

    10
    Fabulous! Sadly, the hotel is up for sale in June 2025, as the present owner is retiring.
    • Leisure trip
    • Solo traveller
    • Single Room
    • Stayed 4 nights

    Staff are super friendly. I was upgraded to the Suite 1 on arrival (no extra charge) and it was delightful. I found I could park my pushbike just outside my door in the spacious and secure vestibule. The large en-suite room, with TV and other amenities, suited my needs. It is modern, quiet and with spectacular views! Bed was super comfy; shower instantly warm and powerful. Staff even provided me with clothes pegs so I could hang my cycling gear outside.

    Stayed in April 2025

  • Reviewed: 17 April 2025

    8.0
    I enjoyed my stay and I would recommend the hotel to others
    • Leisure trip
    • Solo traveller
    • Single Room
    • Stayed 4 nights

    My bathroom felt rather cramped, but it was nice and clean, which is much more important.

    Good choice of breakfast and nicely presented. Food, including the evening meal, was very good overall. I had a room with a lovely outlook across the loch. Good, quiet, country location. I liked the way the public rooms were decorated. Pleasant staff.

    Stayed in April 2025

  • Reviewed: 15 April 2025

    8.0
    Very pleasant. Would do it again.
    • Leisure trip
    • Couple
    • Double or Twin Room
    • Stayed 2 nights
    • Submitted via mobile

    Room could be a bit bigger. Need more accessible wall plugs.

    Great food, but portions are too large, a bit of a waste of food. Location is fantastic for access to sites and views.

    Stayed in April 2025

  • Reviewed: 18 October 2024

    10
    Charming old world service, with highly attentive, friendly and engaging staff.
    • Leisure trip
    • Solo traveller
    • Single Room
    • Stayed 4 nights

    If I had to nitpick then the rooms storage space and horizontal surfaces were limited especially in the bathroom, but workable.

    The breakfast experience was faultless. The evening dining was absolutely superb, I stayed four nights and the specials in particular changed each day. The views are breathtaking. Also it was well situated as a starting point for sight-seeing around the island.

    Stayed in September 2024

Showing 1 – 25

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