Mey House

Top choice


Beautifully situated among green fields running down to water and with majestic views of Orkney, Dunnet Head and the nearby Castle of Mey, this modern top-drawer sleep is a welcoming, sumptuous place to stay. They've thought it all through: the huge, luxurious rooms have arty designer decor, excellent custom-made beds, Nespresso machines, flatscreen TVs, sound bar and stunning modern bathrooms.

Breakfast comes with a view. The friendly owners offer free transfers to the Gills Bay ferry and can set you up with tours on Orkney. No toddlers are allowed, as there's an interior balcony. There's a minimum two-night stay.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby attractions

1. Castle of Mey

0.54 MILES

The Castle of Mey, a big crowd-puller for its Queen Mother connections, is 6 miles west of John O’Groats. The exterior is grand but inside it feels…

2. Dunnet Bay Distillery

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There's something rather fetching about this small-batch distillery on the main road through Dunnet. The very tasty Rock Rose gin and Holy Grass vodka are…

3. Seadrift

5.36 MILES

Backing the dunes of Dunnet Bay, this is a small wildlife display and base for local rangers, who organise walks in summer.

4. Mary-Ann's Cottage

5.66 MILES

Mary-Ann lived in this 19th-century croft, on the headland near the main road, for nigh on a century. In-depth guided tours take you round her humble but…

5. Dunnet Bay

5.9 MILES

Just west of the Dunnet headland, the sweeping curve of Dunnet Bay offers one of Scotland’s finest beaches, backed by high dunes and a campsite. Rangers…

6. Dunnet Head

6.21 MILES

Eight miles east of Thurso a minor road leads to dramatic Dunnet Head, the most northerly point on the British mainland. There are majestic cliffs…

7. Duncansby Head

6.65 MILES

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8. Longhope Lifeboat Museum

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At the southern end of Hoy, Longhope’s former lifeboat launching station holds a small lifeboat museum, centred around one of the old boats itself, the…