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Northern Sands Hotel

3.0 star property
Travelers find coastal serenity at this Dunnet Bay retreat where local Scottish cuisine meets entertainment, all with Atlantic Ocean views

Choose dates to view prices

The Northern Sands Hotel overlooks Dunnet Bay, offering relaxation and entertainment. Guests enjoy meals at two restaurants with local cuisine. The garden is a peaceful retreat, and the arcade offers lively fun. Visitors appreciate the attentive staff.

Reviews

9.6 out of 10
Exceptional

Popular amenities

  • Parking included
  • Free WiFi
  • Business services
  • Bar
  • Housekeeping
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About this property

Northern Sands Hotel

  • Hotel near Dunnet Bay Beach
  • Located close to Mary-Ann's Cottage and Dunnet Head Lighthouse, Northern Sands Hotel provides a garden, an arcade/game room, and 3 bars. At the two on-site restaurants, enjoy breakfast, lunch, dinner, and local cuisine. Free in-room WiFi and a conference center are available to all guests.
  • You'll also enjoy the following perks during your stay:
    • Free self parking and extended parking
    • A roundtrip airport shuttle (surcharge), smoke-free premises, and tour/ticket assistance
    • A banquet hall, luggage storage, and meeting rooms
    • Guest reviews say great things about the helpful staff
  • Room features
  • All guestrooms at Northern Sands Hotel have amenities such as free WiFi.
  • Other amenities include:
    • Hypo-allergenic bedding and Select Comfort beds
    • Tubs or showers, free toiletries, and hair dryers
    • Smart TVs with digital channels
    • Electric kettles, heating, and daily housekeeping

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The price is CA $185
CA $222 total
includes taxes & fees
May 21 - May 22
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Policies

Check-in

Check-in start time: 4:00 PM; Check-in end time: 10:00 PM

Minimum check-in age: 18

Check-out

Check-out before 10 AM

Contactless check-out available

Special check-in instructions

This property offers transfers from the airport (surcharges may apply); guests must contact the property with arrival details before travel, using the contact information on the booking confirmation

The front desk is open daily from 6:30 AM - 9:00 PM

Guests will receive an email within 72 hours before arrival with check-in instructions; front desk staffed during limited hours

This property doesn't offer after-hours check-in

Information provided by the property may be translated using automated translation tools

Access methods

Front desk (limited hours)

Pets

Pets not allowed

Children and extra beds

Children are welcome

Property payment types

Important information

Optional extras

  • Airport shuttle fee: GBP 70 per vehicle (one-way)

The above list may not be comprehensive. Fees and deposits may not include tax and are subject to change.

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 debit cards; cash is not accepted
Cashless transactions are available
Safety features at this property include a fire extinguisher

We should mention

This property does not have elevators

National rating

This establishment has received its official star rating from VisitScotland, the National Tourist Board for Scotland.

Frequently asked questions

Is Northern Sands Hotel pet-friendly?

No, pets are not allowed at this property.

How much does it cost to stay at Northern Sands Hotel?

As of May 20, 2026, prices found for a 1-night stay for 2 adults at Northern Sands Hotel on May 25, 2026 start from CA $230, excluding taxes and fees. This price is based on the lowest nightly price found in the last 24 hours for stays in the next 30 days. Prices are subject to change. Choose your dates for more accurate prices.

How much is parking?

Self parking and extended parking are free at this property.

What time is check-in at Northern Sands Hotel?

Check-in start time: 4:00 PM; Check-in end time: 10:00 PM. After-hours check-in is not available.

What time is check-out at Northern Sands Hotel?

Check-out is at 10 AM.

Does Northern Sands Hotel provide a shuttle to the airport?

Yes, there's an airport shuttle that runs 6:00 AM–10:00 PM on request. A fee of GBP 70 per vehicle applies.

Where is Northern Sands Hotel located?

Situated in Thurso, this beach hotel is 0.5 mi (0.8 km) from Dunnet Bay Beach and within 6 mi (10 km) of Mary-Ann's Cottage and Dunnet Head Lighthouse. Castle of Mey and Scrabster Ferry Terminal are also within 12 mi (20 km).

Can I cancel my reservation for free and receive a full refund?

Yes, this property offers free cancellation on select room rates, because flexibility matters! Please refer to the property cancellation policy on our site for more details about any exclusions or requirements.

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Reviews

Reviews

9.6

Exceptional

9.6

Cleanliness

8.8

Location

9.6

Staff & service

9.4

Property conditions & facilities
Rating 10 - Excellent. 171 out of 225 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 46 out of 225 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 5 out of 225 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 2 out of 225 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 1 out of 225 reviews

Reviews

Verified

10/10 Excellent

Nirav

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Courteous, friendly staff. Nice bar, restaurant. Breakfast was decent. Overall great experience
Stayed 1 night in Apr 2026
Verified

10/10 Excellent

fiona

Liked: Cleanliness, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Great place. Comfortable and lovely food and staff. Thanks
Stayed 1 night in Feb 2026
Verified

10/10 Excellent

MARY

Liked: Cleanliness, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Great stay and wonderful service
Stayed 1 night in Nov 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Megan

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Enjoyed our stay, very comfortable and staff were wonderful.
Stayed 1 night in Sep 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Colin

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Great service, friendly staff, nice food and great location for NC500 and beach access etc.
Stayed 1 night in Oct 2025
Verified

8/10 Good

Tracey and Mark

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Overnight stop that fitted our needs to be near ferries Welcoming staff, well presented accommodation, reasonably priced A good find for us which we will probably use again in the future
Stayed 1 night in Dec 2025
Verified

8/10 Good

Susan

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Really nice stay

We had a really nice stay in this hotel. The staff were fantastic and the restaurant food and breakfast was very good. We highly recommend this hotel for your stay.
Stayed 1 night in Oct 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Louise

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Lovely staff, amazing gluten-free menu, right next to the Distillery!
Stayed 1 night in Oct 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Genevieve

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Clean, modern, amazing food, great staff.
Stayed 1 night in Sep 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Lynne

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Lovely hotel within minutes to the gorgeous beach! Loved our stay here…food was excellent as were the staff. Would highly recommend.
Stayed 1 night in Oct 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Elizabeth

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
A lovely hotel, staff were very friendly. I would definitely stay again.
Stayed 1 night in Jun 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

martin

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Wonderful Location

Fantastic overnight stay, evening meal and breakfast excellent, staff friendly and very efficient. Wonderful location, would definitely stay here again.
Stayed 1 night in Jul 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Rebecca

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Lovely hotel in a good location for the beach. Had a single room which was plenty big enough with a nice shower room. Dinner and breakfast were very good. Would stay again.
Stayed 1 night in Oct 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

John

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Super nice staff, clean comfortable rooms, good quality bed, well situated in an incredible part of the country.
Stayed 1 night in Mar 2025
Verified

8/10 Good

Ian

Liked: Cleanliness, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Directly on NC500, friendly staff, excellent breakfast.
Stayed 1 night in May 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

wee

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Outstanding amazing rooms brilliant food and great customer service
Stayed 2 nights in Feb 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Pete

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Very clean, helpful staff,lovely food would highly recommend anyone to stay here.
Stayed 1 night in May 2024
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Craig

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities
A massive thankyou for the care and attention to detail from the staff. I arrived late and even though the kitchen closed at 8pm the chef remained to freshly prepare my evening meal. Delicious inc breakfast
Stayed 1 night in Jan 2026
Verified

10/10 Excellent

luc

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Wonderful place and great local fresh food
Stayed 1 night in Sep 2024
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Daniel

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Really enjoyed our stay, it was short but sweet. Very comfortable and spacious room, loved the touch of naming rooms after clans
Stayed 1 night in Jul 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Sue

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Great Location, Clean,Freindly staff Ann was fantastic an asset to the hotel Would stay again
Stayed 1 night in Apr 2024
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Simon

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

10/10

Excellent hotel. Friendly staff, clean room, great breakfast.
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2025
Verified

8/10 Good

James

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
1 night stay, very comfortable friendly staff and good food
Stayed 1 night in Nov 2023
Verified

10/10 Excellent

David

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
This was my forth stay at this property it's clean and tidy with friendly staff and on the NC500 route definitely recommend staying here
Stayed 1 night in May 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Robinson

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Fabulous hotel

Fabulous hotel, staff really friendly and helpful
Stayed 1 night in Dec 2024