Payments made by partners impact the order of prices displayed. Room types may vary.
The listings of booking offers for each property take into account the compensation paid to us by our partners. Prices shown may be for varying room types. Prices displayed are the lowest available, corresponding to the least expensive room type available, as provided from our partners as of the time of the user’s search.
Ulbster Arms Hotel
Bridge Street, Halkirk KW12 6XY Scotland
Full view
View all photos(111)111


Dining (28)

Room & Suite (20)
What is Travellers’ Choice?
Tripadvisor gives a Travellers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travellers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
Did you already book this hotel?
Tell us so we can help you plan.
Avg. £115 /night, 2/12 - 2/13
£120
per night
£118
per night
£115
per night
Feb
Mar
12 Feb
Today
14 Feb
16 Feb
18 Feb
20 Feb
22 Feb
24 Feb
26 Feb
28 Feb
2 Mar
4 Mar
6 Mar
8 Mar
10 Mar
12 Mar
14 Mar
Reflects recent average nightly prices reported by our partners, and may not include estimated taxes or fees. Price at checkout may differ.
Cheaper
Average
Higher
About
#1 of 2 hotels in Halkirk
Location
Rooms
Value
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Tripadvisor gives a Travellers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travellers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
Suggest edits to improve what we show.Improve this listing
Good to know
HOTEL CLASS
Star ratings are intended to indicate the general level of features, amenities, and services to expect. This property is classified according to Giata.
HOTEL STYLE
Family
Business
Languages Spoken
English
Property amenities
Free parking
Free High Speed Internet (WiFi)
Free breakfast
Hiking
Fishing
Children Activities (Kid / Family Friendly)
Highchairs available
Pets Allowed ( Dog / Pet Friendly )
Street parking
Internet
Bar / lounge
Restaurant
Breakfast available
Complimentary Instant Coffee
Complimentary tea
Kids' meals
Special diet menus
Wine / champagne
Newspaper
Non-smoking hotel
Express check-in / check-out
Room features
Room service
Bottled water
Flatscreen TV
Room types
Non-smoking rooms
Family rooms
Location
Bridge Street, Halkirk KW12 6XY Scotland
Getting there
1 Restaurant
within 5 miles
Reviews
4.5
309 reviews
We perform checks on reviews.
Tripadvisor’s approach to reviews
Before posting, each Tripadvisor review goes through an automated tracking system, which collects information, answering the following questions: how, what, where and when. If the system detects something that potentially contradicts our community guidelines, the review is not published.
When the system detects a problem, a review may be automatically rejected, sent to the reviewer for validation, or manually reviewed by our team of content specialists, who work 24/7 to maintain the quality of the reviews on our site.
Our team checks each review posted on the site disputed by our community as not meeting our community guidelines.
Learn more about our review moderation.
Reviews summary
This summary was created by AI, based on recent reviews.
Powered by AI
Nestled in a haven for fishing enthusiasts, the Ulbster Arms Hotel garners high marks for its warm and inviting atmosphere, which guests frequently mention. The staff's attentive service and the comfortable amenities, including the local cuisine, contribute to a homely experience that guests rave about.
The variety and coziness of the rooms are often praised, though there's a note of caution regarding occasional dust and pet hair. Overall, the hotel's commendable cleanliness and friendly vibe make it a popular choice among travelers.
Atmosphere
Welcoming
Rooms
Comfortable
Cleanliness
Mixed
Service
Attentive
Amenities
Well-appointed
Was this helpful?
Tripadvisor is not responsible for this summary or the opinions in it. For more information, please read the traveller reviews and learn more about how the site works.
Traveller rating
- 215
- 59
- 22
- 8
- 5
Time of year
Traveller type
Language
Selected filters
- Filter
- English
Popular mentions
Sort by:
Detailed Reviews
Myself and my son had a night's stay here we booked the lodge to the rear of the property, the room in the lodge was huge along with the bed and the shared living quarters downstairs, super cosy in excess but given the outside temperatures its not surprising it was warm. The room was well equipped and provided all amenities and more, we had our evening meal in the hotel and it was excellent! Fantastic choices and nothing was too much trouble, we opted for the continental breakfast however there were many cooked options as well and all looked lovely. The staff were the absolute highlight of our stay ! They made it for us fantastic customer service and just a great atmosphere throughout. The only thing I would highlight is the cleanliness of the lodge sadly alot of dust and dog hair throughout the property (inc downstairs there was alot) even our bathroom had black dog hairs, I appreciate this property can and is pet friendly however a premium is charged I assume to those bringing pets to cover the clean up. This aside we had a brilliant stay and cannot thank the staff enough !
Read more
Date of stay: July 2024Trip type: Travelled with family
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Room Tip: Great for food and accommodation. Staff were exceptional
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Terri Munro, Guest Services / Front Office at Ulbster Arms Hotel
Responded 30 Jul 2024
Thank you so much for your review! We are so happy you had a lovely stay with us, and we appreciate your feedback greatly. I have passed a note on regarding lodge. Thank you so much again and we hope that you come back and visit us again! :)
Read more
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
My company booked this hotel for two of us at a cost of £900 for two rooms with breakfast. The staff on breakfast were extremely helpful and friendly and couldn’t do enough for their guests however the night staff are a different experience. It nearly the end of our stay and I asked the very young lady manager the following; we’re going to be checking out a day earlier than expected & I’m not asking you to refund me however with us leaving early it’s going to mean you can book the two rooms to someone else and it would be very nice if you could by way of thank you possibly giving us both a basic dinner free or a discount for the restaurant. She simply said NO we don’t do that end of conversation. Nice touch I thought!
Read more
Date of stay: January 2025Trip type: Travelled on business
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
A lot to digest? Read an AI-generated summary of recent traveller reviews.
We stayed here in August to celebrate our engagement and we were looked after so well!
Breakfast and dinner were extraordinary (we never had lunch so cant comment on it) and they have a beautiful selection of wines to go with dinner. The bar is full of local gins and whisky and the decoration of the bar is so welcoming, the restaurant for breakfast is beautifully decorated also and is so spacious. I had crab and prawn cocktail to start and it was so fresh and delicious. I then followed on with a rare steak which was cooked to perfection. My fiance had the scotch egg to start which was beautifully cooked and then the haddock and chips for main and again the haddock was so fresh and so tasty! The staff are very pleasant to talk to and very helpful for any requests we had. Check in / Check out was a very simple process, and our room was immaculate. We really couldnt fault our stay, and we will 100% be back very soon.
Thank you to all the staff at the Ulbster Arms Hotel!
Breakfast and dinner were extraordinary (we never had lunch so cant comment on it) and they have a beautiful selection of wines to go with dinner. The bar is full of local gins and whisky and the decoration of the bar is so welcoming, the restaurant for breakfast is beautifully decorated also and is so spacious. I had crab and prawn cocktail to start and it was so fresh and delicious. I then followed on with a rare steak which was cooked to perfection. My fiance had the scotch egg to start which was beautifully cooked and then the haddock and chips for main and again the haddock was so fresh and so tasty! The staff are very pleasant to talk to and very helpful for any requests we had. Check in / Check out was a very simple process, and our room was immaculate. We really couldnt fault our stay, and we will 100% be back very soon.
Thank you to all the staff at the Ulbster Arms Hotel!
Read more
Date of stay: August 2023Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Value
Location
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Terri Munro, Guest Services / Front Office at Ulbster Arms Hotel
Responded 18 Dec 2023
Thank you so much for your review! We are so happy to hear you had such a lovely time on your visit to us and that you really enjoyed your food! We would love to see you again - We really appreciate your feedback :) Thanks again for your review!
Read more
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
We stayed overnight in a room in one of the Lodges which was large and comfortable and I particularly appreciated having a bath to soak in. Dinner offered a good choice and was one of the best meals we had in Caithness. The staff were very helpful and overall the standard of service and accommodation was very good. We would happily stay there again.
Read more
Date of stay: June 2021
Location
Cleanliness
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.



The Ulbster Arms got everything right and I strongly recommend it for anyone who expects first class service. Our lodge was comfortable stylish and warm, the restaurant had great atmosphere and the staff are professional and friendly but the food is outstanding and you can understand why it’s so popular. One stand out was the children’s menu which was the same quality and presentation as the full menu even the “ mocktail” was no problem even although it was not on the menu. Highest praise goes to breakfast and again the quality is superb, there are skilled chefs at work here, special mention to Liz who saw to our every need and gave great advice on the area and the history of the hotel. The hotel sits right on the river Thurso and is popular with fishermen but I think it’s the food that attracts them, it is a must try it if you are anywhere near Halkirk.
Read more
Date of stay: October 2024Trip type: Travelled with family
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Room Tip: Superb quality food and service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

A last minute booking leads us to this great find. Staff, food and room were all great. A real find. Will come back next time we’re up this far north. If it’s for fishing, golfing, walking or bird watching the location is perfect. The local produce was great to see.
Read more
Date of stay: July 2024Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Terri Munro, Guest Services / Front Office at Ulbster Arms Hotel
Responded 30 Jul 2024
Thank you so much for your review - we are so delighted to hear you enjoyed your stay with us and we hope you come and see us again! :)
Read more
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Love this place, right next to the NC500, huge car park, fantastic food, staff where incredible and could not do enough for my 5 year old son. The breakfast was fantastic with many options all custom cooked as well as the standard options. The hotel sits right on the beautiful Thurso river, great for fishing. It's also just a few minutes from the port of Scrabster which we used to get to Orkney.
Read more
Date of stay: October 2024Trip type: Travelled with family
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Room Tip: Huge carpark
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
The best staff who will look after you, great food in the best 4 restaurant , really well furnished rooms with comfortable beds for a great nights sleep. Access to the best salmon fishing in Scotland . A friendly atmosphere and I would thoroughly recommend.
Read more
Date of stay: August 2024Trip type: Travelled with friends
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Terri Munro, Guest Services / Front Office at Ulbster Arms Hotel
Responded 22 Aug 2024
Thank you so much for your review, we are so glad you enjoyed your visit and we hope to see you again soon :)
Read more
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Ok, we're local and feel rather spoilt to have the Ulbster Arms Hotel just a very short drive. Having dined in the beautiful restaurant and the bar many times, honestly it was such a lovely treat to dine in the Library, with all the sofas removed and tables spaciously set, to enable social distancing at this difficult time.
The cosy log fire and tasteful country house decor creates a very peaceful, intimate and welcoming atmosphere. The staff were so attentive and so welcoming, it was such a treat to dine with our friends close by. The hotel has gone to great lengths to ensure processes are in place to aid physical and social distancing. It is not an easy balance and yet we felt truly cared for.
The food... too delish. Hats off to the chef and all the team. My duck breast was so tender and the crispy black pudding log just melted in the mouth. My husband enjoyed a very tender sirloin steak with the best peppercorn sauce and accompaniments enough to feed the hungriest of appetites. I almost tucked into one of his onion rings, but I was already replete! The desert menu had my eager sweet tooth at the ready, but I was too full to place an order. Leisurely coffees followed.
We were the last to leave, which gave us a few moments to soak up the atmosphere, so homely, with the best dressed windows. At no time did we feel rushed. On leaving, hand sanitiser is strategically placed to allow everyone to once again be reminded how cared for we felt. Well done the Ulbster Arms Hotel, our thanks to Anthony and Sonia and all the team for a thoroughly enjoyable evening.
A wee tip for others... book in advance, they are so good, they do fill up quickly.
The cosy log fire and tasteful country house decor creates a very peaceful, intimate and welcoming atmosphere. The staff were so attentive and so welcoming, it was such a treat to dine with our friends close by. The hotel has gone to great lengths to ensure processes are in place to aid physical and social distancing. It is not an easy balance and yet we felt truly cared for.
The food... too delish. Hats off to the chef and all the team. My duck breast was so tender and the crispy black pudding log just melted in the mouth. My husband enjoyed a very tender sirloin steak with the best peppercorn sauce and accompaniments enough to feed the hungriest of appetites. I almost tucked into one of his onion rings, but I was already replete! The desert menu had my eager sweet tooth at the ready, but I was too full to place an order. Leisurely coffees followed.
We were the last to leave, which gave us a few moments to soak up the atmosphere, so homely, with the best dressed windows. At no time did we feel rushed. On leaving, hand sanitiser is strategically placed to allow everyone to once again be reminded how cared for we felt. Well done the Ulbster Arms Hotel, our thanks to Anthony and Sonia and all the team for a thoroughly enjoyable evening.
A wee tip for others... book in advance, they are so good, they do fill up quickly.
Read more
Date of stay: September 2020
Location
Cleanliness
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Very average, unfortunately poor staff service. Taking "extra" long for basics such as clearing plates( we were one of 3-4 tables so not busy)
A note to the staff too.... please please don't say you have a whisky list only NOT to have a whisky list.
Note for management, a drinks menu wouldn't go a miss either alongside some staff moral (I know it's a Thursday night but hearing staff more interested about their latest trip to skins than getting the job done wasn't great!)
Overall for the chefs, good quality food. And a steak cooked brilliant. 👌👌
A note to the staff too.... please please don't say you have a whisky list only NOT to have a whisky list.
Note for management, a drinks menu wouldn't go a miss either alongside some staff moral (I know it's a Thursday night but hearing staff more interested about their latest trip to skins than getting the job done wasn't great!)
Overall for the chefs, good quality food. And a steak cooked brilliant. 👌👌
Read more
Date of stay: June 2023Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Value
Location
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Terri Munro, Guest Services / Front Office at Ulbster Arms Hotel
Responded 18 Dec 2023
Thank you so much for your review! Im very sorry to hear about your poor service you received, we take pride in our service and we are terribly sorry that you didnt get the very best. We hope you return and that we can exceed your expectations and hopefully you enjoy your time with us! :) We will take on board your comments about a drinks menu. Were delighted you enjoyed your meal and will pass the comments on to the chef. Thanks again for your review!
Read more
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
John, his yes we have a car park to rear of hotel and also more parking in front of lodges again at rear of hotel in hotel grounds, hope this helps
Hello, thank you for getting in touch.
Yes, some of our rooms do have the lovely leather armchairs that you can see in some of the photographs. If you wish to book a room with us, please make sure that you mention this to whoever you make the booking with, so that we can assure you can get exactly what you need.
We look forward to hearing from you.
…
PRICE RANGE
£98 - £115 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
LOCATION
United KingdomScotlandScottish HighlandsCaithness and SutherlandHalkirk
NUMBER OF ROOMS
50
Prices are provided by our partners, and reflect nightly room rates, including all taxes and fees known to our partners. Please see our partners for more details.
Is This Your Tripadvisor Listing?
Own or manage this property? Claim your listing for free to respond to reviews, update your profile and much more.
Claim Your ListingULBSTER ARMS HOTEL - Updated 2025 Reviews, Photos & Prices
Frequently Asked Questions about Ulbster Arms Hotel
Which popular attractions are close to Ulbster Arms Hotel?
Nearby attractions include Geise Farm Activities (3.7 miles) and Halkirk Heritage and Vintage Motor Society (0.2 miles).
What are some of the property amenities at Ulbster Arms Hotel?
Some of the more popular amenities offered include free wifi, an on-site restaurant, and a lounge.
What food & drink options are available at Ulbster Arms Hotel?
Guests can enjoy an on-site restaurant, a lounge, and breakfast during their stay.
Is parking available at Ulbster Arms Hotel?
Yes, free parking and street parking are available to guests.
Is Ulbster Arms Hotel located near the city centre?
Yes, it is 0.02 miles away from the centre of Halkirk.
Are pets allowed at Ulbster Arms Hotel?
Yes, pets are typically allowed, but it's always best to call ahead to confirm.
Are there any historical sites close to Ulbster Arms Hotel?
Many travellers enjoy visiting Old St Peter's Church (5.7 miles) and St Mary's Chapel (5.6 miles).