Guest Rating
Bay Cottage is a charming, detached cottage set right by the gorgeous beach at Bay of Skaill, less than half a mile from the ancient settlement of Skara Brae on the history steeped Orkney isles.
Quick Info
| Sleeps: 4 | Bedrooms: 2 |
| Changeover Day: Sat | Pets Allowed: No |
| No smoking | Bathrooms: 1 |
| Licence No: OR00144F |
What would have originally been a simple croft house has been extended to create a spacious and inviting retreat that makes the very most of its views out to sea and is an ideal base for exploring the islands.
At the heart of the house is the snug sitting room that has a wood-burning stove to keep it nice and toasty. The kitchen is well-equipped for whipping up some culinary delights and it is partly open to the bright dining room where additional seating has been set up by the window to allow guests to take advantage of the wonderful sea views.
All laid out on the one level (apart from one small step in the corridor), the hallway at the back of the cottage leads through to the two attractive and comfortable bedrooms, a colourful double bedroom and a neat twin room. The bedrooms share a chic, modern bathroom that has the luxury of having a large walk-in shower and a lovely claw-footed rolltop bath.
Pretty grassed garden grounds around the cottage extend to several acres and peter off into wild croftland beyond with sea views and stunning sunsets to enjoy.
Skaill Bay’s delightful sandy beach is only 300 metres away so it is just a short stroll across to spend the day enjoying the beach with easy access back to the cottage for meals, etc.
One of the first places to visit is Skara Brae itself that is in easy walking distance just along the road. This fascinating settlement dates back to the late Neolithic period and lay covered over by sand for approximately 4,000 years before it was exposed by storm winds and was later carefully excavated.
Over the years the sand perfectly preserved an amazing amount of the original detail in the eight dwellings with their stone-built furniture that although perhaps not terribly comfortable would certainly have been functional at the time. There is a replica construction that shows detail of how the houses would have looked and the visitor centre has a shop, café and interesting interactive exhibits on the site’s history.
Entry to Skaill House is included on a joint ticket with Skara Brae and it is interesting to tour this 17th century mansion that was home to William G Watt who originally unearthed Skara Brae. At nearby Skaill House Falconry there are captivating bird of prey displays featuring hawks, falcons and owls.
There is a local shop at Quoyloo (1.5 miles) and a small supermarket in Dounby (5 miles) where the Smithfield Hotel has a café menu to choose from during the day and excellent meals with lots of fresh seafood in the evenings.
The ferry across from the mainland arrives into Stromness (7 miles) where there is an 18 hole golf course to try out and a diving centre that offers guided dives out to see the shipwrecks at Scapa Flow. There is also an airport at Kirkwall (17 miles) where car hire is available.
Local Events and Attractions
Please note: while we make every effort to be as accurate as possible, the actual position of the cottage indicated on the map above and the proximity of the amenities in the Local Info section cannot be guaranteed to be precise and should be used as a guide only.
Accommodation
Single Storey
Sitting room with wood-burning stove and TV/DVD
Kitchen with wood-burning stove, electric double oven and induction hob, fridge/freezer, dishwasher, washer/drier, microwave etc
Dining room
Double bedroom (king-size)
Twin bedroom (can be zip-linked to make king-size)
Bathroom with bath, separate shower, WC and wash basin.
What's included
- Linen (Double Bed)
- Free
- Linen (Single Bed)
- Free
- Sets of towels (per person)
- Free
- Travel Cot (excluding linen)
- Free
- Highchair
- Free
- WiFi
- Free
Services
Bed linen and towels are INCLUDED. The first £25 of electricity is INCLUDED with any additional usage payable at the end of your stay. Heating is by electric air source heating (INCLUDED) and wood-burning stove. WiFi is INCLUDED. Sorry pets are not accepted. No smoking.
Weekly Prices
The weekly guide prices for this property are shown below. Use the availability & book sidebar on the right to select your holiday or calculate short break rates (where available).
From 20/02/2026 to 23/02/2026
From 13/02/2026 to 16/02/2026
From 10/10/2025 to 13/10/2025
From 17/10/2025 to 20/10/2025
From 25/07/2025 to 28/07/2025
From 08/08/2025 to 11/08/2025
From 03/04/2026 to 06/04/2026
From 03/10/2025 to 06/10/2025
From 24/10/2025 to 27/10/2025
From 17/10/2025 to 20/10/2025
From 10/10/2025 to 13/10/2025
From 20/12/2025 to 23/12/2025
From 27/12/0001 to 30/12/9999
From 18/07/2025 to 21/07/2025
From 01/08/2025 to 04/08/2025
Changeover Day: Sat
| Rental - Date Range | Sleeps 4 |
| 28 Jun 2025 - 18 Jul 2025 | £895.00 |
| 19 Jul 2025 - 29 Aug 2025 | £950.00 |
| 30 Aug 2025 - 12 Sep 2025 | £750.00 |
| 13 Sep 2025 - 03 Oct 2025 | £650.00 |
| 04 Oct 2025 - 24 Oct 2025 | £750.00 |
| 25 Oct 2025 - 19 Dec 2025 | £550.00 |
| 20 Dec 2025 - 27 Dec 2025 | £895.00 |
| 28 Dec 2025 - 05 Jan 2026 | £895.00 |
| 06 Jan 2026 - 30 Jan 2026 | £550.00 |
| 31 Jan 2026 - 03 Apr 2026 | £650.00 |
| 04 Apr 2026 - 24 Apr 2026 | £750.00 |
| 25 Apr 2026 - 01 May 2026 | £650.00 |
| 02 May 2026 - 22 May 2026 | £750.00 |
| 23 May 2026 - 29 May 2026 | £895.00 |
| 30 May 2026 - 26 Jun 2026 | £750.00 |
| 27 Jun 2026 - 17 Jul 2026 | £895.00 |
| 18 Jul 2026 - 28 Aug 2026 | £950.00 |
| 29 Aug 2026 - 11 Sep 2026 | £750.00 |
| 12 Sep 2026 - 02 Oct 2026 | £650.00 |
| 03 Oct 2026 - 23 Oct 2026 | £750.00 |
| 24 Oct 2026 - 19 Dec 2026 | £550.00 |
| 20 Dec 2026 - 27 Dec 2026 | £895.00 |
| 28 Dec 2026 - 05 Jan 2027 | £895.00 |
| 06 Jan 2027 - 05 Jan 2028 | POA |
| 06 Jan 2028 - 05 Jan 2029 | POA |
Please note: Prices are calculated based on your party size at the time of booking. If your party size changes for any reason after booking, please let us know so we can ensure the accommodation provided meets your exact requirements.
Reviews
(Supplied Independently through Feefo)
‘Orkney’ was exceptional. So much to see.
Really lovely conversion of a traditional property. Great views and location opposite beach but up a short track so quie...
Our response:
Thank you so much for your kind words. We're delighted to hear you enjoyed your stay. We would love to welcome you back ...
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Great cottage in superb location, well worth the wait to book this cottage
Ideal place for countryside and sea pursuits
Our response:
We are pleased that you enjoyed your stay, and your trip to Orkney.
The house was in a lovely location and had everything we needed. We enjoyed our stay. It was very cold when we arrived a...
Our response:
Thank you for your feedback. We're glad you enjoyed the location and that the house had everything you needed for your s...
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INDEPENDENT FEEDBACK
