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See why so many travellers make Fort Charlotte Guest House their bed and breakfast of choice when visiting Lerwick. Providing an ideal mix of value, comfort and convenience, it offers a quaint setting with an array of amenities designed for travellers like you. You’ll enjoy relaxing rooms that offer a flat screen TV and a refrigerator, and you can stay connected during your stay as Fort Charlotte Guest House offers guests free Wi-Fi. Given the close proximity of popular landmarks, such as Fort Charlotte (0.0 mi) and Town Hall (0.1 mi), guests of Fort Charlotte Guest House Hotel can easily experience some of Lerwick's most well known attractions. During your visit, be sure to check out one of Lerwick's popular restaurants such as Da Steakhoose, THE GREAT WALL, and Phusiam Restaurant & Takeaway, all a short distance from Fort Charlotte Guest House Hotel. Plus, during your trip, don't forget to check out an ancient ruins, such as Mousa. We’re sure you’ll enjoy your stay at Fort Charlotte Guest House as you experience all of the things Lerwick has to offer.
Places to stay are graded on a 0-100 scale. The higher the grade, the easier it is for travellers to find restaurants and things to do within walking distance.
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Fort Charlotte Guest House garners high praise for its exceptional value and prime location in the heart of Lerwick, with guests frequently commending the hotel's ease of access to local shops and eateries. The cleanliness of the establishment is a recurring highlight, with spotless rooms and meticulous bathrooms.
A warm and hospitable service is a standout feature, with staff commended for their dedication to guest comfort, including the provision of a delicious breakfast. The guest house's cozy ambiance, coupled with well-furnished rooms and thoughtful amenities, ensures a pleasant and welcoming stay for travelers.
Location
Central
Atmosphere
Welcoming
Rooms
Comfortable
Value
Great
Cleanliness
Spotless
Service
Attentive
Amenities
Well-appointed
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It was a very pleasant surprise to find accommodation where we felt comfortable, as if we were in our own home. Everything was well designed to make us feel part of Lerwick! The soft beds and well-designed wardrobes provided an excellent environment to recharge your batteries and explore the charms of the Shetland Islands.
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Date of stay: December 2024
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Trip type: Travelled with family
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 Ryan Jozwik, Owner at Fort Charlotte Guest House
Responded 3 weeks ago
It was a pleasure to meet you and your daughter and so glad you had a good stay with us. All the very best The Fort Charlotte Team
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Truly wonderful mini break spent at the Fort Charlotte Guest House. Ryan and Anita run a very clean, comfortable and homely place to stay. There was a very friendly welcome and they couldn't do enough for us. The room was well sited on the main street and had lots of thoughtful extras including a small fridge and a towel for cleaning dirty boots, etc if required. The home cooked breakfasts were delicious and the hosts were very flexible regarding take-aways permitted to be eaten in the dining room.
All in all a very relaxing break and we are planning to stay here again later this year.
Bruce and Lesley Watt, Orkney
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Date of stay: February 2024
Value
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Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Room Tip:Â Lots of locations locally for fans of the TV series 'Shetland'.
The stained glass windows at...
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 Ryan Jozwik, Owner at Fort Charlotte Guest House
Responded 3 Mar 2024
Bruce & Lesley, We are so glad we were able to make your delayed honeymoon such a great experience. We would be delighted to welcome you back later in the year, fantastic guests and are welcome anytime :) Best Regards The Fort Charlotte Team
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A superb comfortable Guest House in the centre of Lerwick. I arrived around 8.30 am following disembarkation from the overnight ferry, to drop my bag into the Guest House as previously arranged, only to find my room was ready. An early check in, which was unexpected, was a great bonus. The single room was ideal with a very comfortable bed, great shower and personal toilet facilities together with a wall mounted television and tea and coffee making facilities. A quality breakfast was wholesome and substantial with a great selection to choose from. The dining room was also available to use for take away meals. Plates and cutlery were made available. The personal touch by the hosts Ryan and Anita and all the staff conveyed a warm and homely welcome. Great location, great people and great value for money. I could not ask for more.
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Date of stay: August 2024
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Location
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Trip type: Travelled solo
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 Ryan Jozwik, Owner at Fort Charlotte Guest House
Responded 24 Aug 2024
Thank you so much for taking time out of your day Eddie, to leave us such a glowing review. It was a real pleasure to have you stay here and we really look forward to seeing you again next year hopefully :) Best Regards The Fort Charlotte Team
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I stayed in the guesthouse after my flight got cancelled and I couldnt get off the island. The friendly host gave us a very warm welcome and was organising everything to make us feel at home after coming in at short notice. The guesthouse right in the middle of Lerwick has beautiful equipped sparkly clean rooms that guarantee you a relaxed stay with nothing missing. Breakfast is served in a sweet cosy breakfast room and you have the choice of a continantal breakfast or a cooked to order fry up and more. I would definitely stay there again.
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Date of stay: January 2024
Value
Location
Service
Trip type: Travelled solo
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 Ryan Jozwik, Owner at Fort Charlotte Guest House
Responded 3 Mar 2024
Thank you, Katja, for such a great review. We're glad we could make your long day of cancellations a little better All the best and see you soon :) The Fort Charlotte Team
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Our thoughts; This accommodation is a little gem amongst the beautiful old world Lerwick stone buildings built in the latter half of the nineteenth century. The small attention to detail offered at this accommodation is notable. Little things here and there that we noticed during our short stay did make a difference. This place is centrally located in the heart of old Lerwick, what more could we ask for. The people that own and run the Fort Charlotte Guesthouse were very communicative and mindful of our needs. The room was very clean and neat plus beautifully appointed. We loved it. Big tick from us.
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Date of stay: May 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 Ryan Jozwik, Owner at Fort Charlotte Guest House
Responded 28 May 2024
Thank you for such a fantastic review. It was a real pleasure to meet you both and have you stay out our guesthouse. Hopefully we will see you again sometime :) Best Regards The Fort Charlotte Team
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Ryan Anita Kelly and Linda made us feel part of the family for up Helly Aa week. The guesthouse is beautifully furnished, clean, warm and right in the centre of town. Having said that, even for up Helly Aa week, it's not noisy at all. We had room 2, overlooking the main street. The bed was very comfortable and we both slept well. Plenty of tea and coffee with fresh milk not little plastic cartons which was nice for us tea drinkers 😉. There is a 'mucky towel' for cleaning boots or luggage wheels which was a good idea to keep the carpets clean. Bathroom had everything you need and was modern and spotlessly clean. Breakfast, pre ordered the night before was freshly cooked and served by Kelly, who was always smiling and always had a great story to tell you. She knows the islands well and always gives good advice on a little cafe or somewhere to go. Parking is very easy and close by, with no traffic wardens so no worries about tickets. The owners live off site so the guests have the place to themselves but they are always contactable and respond quickly. Overall we can't fault this guesthouse, it's probably the nicest place we have stayed.
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Date of stay: January 2025
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Trip 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.
Please do not make the same mistake as we did and book this property without realising that flights get cancelled many days in a row to The Shetland Islands. The cancellation policy for this property is very strict (ie no refund if you can not stay).
We were unable to reach Shetland Islands as our flights were canceled due to bad weather. This was the case also for the next day.
This was something that we did not expect. It might also be something that you might not be aware of.
Fort Charlotte did not show any compassion with even a slight refund. So if you are to book to stay here we highly recommend you only do so once you are certain that you can reach the Shetland Islands. We made a costly mistake - we lost the money that we paid to stay here.
We just don’t want you to make the same mistake.
Buyer beware.
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Date of stay: November 2024Trip type: Travelled with family
Room Tip:Â Look at a place that offers flexible booking policy:
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 Ryan Jozwik, Owner at Fort Charlotte Guest House
Responded 26 Nov 2024
Hi Curraweena H, As I said in my email communication to you, I am so sorry for the travel disruption you faced and your flight being cancelled, not a pleasant experience at all. I do know however that alternative flights were offered to customers the next day and I did reach out to ask if you were going to be arriving, but I never heard back and you didn't arrive so presumed you had decided to just cancel your trip, which is such a shame as we were looking forward to meeting you, as we do with all of our guests. Whilst there can be travel disruption to our beautiful Islands, it is rare and in most cases people are able to arrive and depart, albeit possibly being delayed by hours or even a day or so dependant on extreme weather conditions. As you'll see from recent reviews, when these things happen we are always very accommodating with guests and have moved, extended or shortened bookings to try and help as much as possible. To say we showed no compassion to even offer a slight refund is both unfair and inaccurate. I was in constant e-mail communication with you and asked if there was anything I could do to help the situation. I was only ever asked for a full refund of the room on the day of check-in (not a slight refund), to which I responded asking if you had travel insurance and as I said, if you were able to make it the next day, but didn't receive a response. Just for clarity also, our cancelation policy is 28 days. As I said, whilst we are business owners in hospitality, we also are guests and travellers ourselves and a lot of accommodation and hotels we book now are non refundable at the time of booking so we don't feel our cancelation policy is particularly strict, however, we are sorry that you think this. If will try to e-mail you again to see if there is a resolution on this for you as we certainly do not want any of our guests, past, present or future to be unhappy with the service we provide. We pride ourselves on gaining 5 star reviews and giving our guests the best possible service and stay with us that we possibly can. Again, I am so very sorry you have had such a poor experience trying to get to Shetland and stay with us, I really do sympathise and as promised, I will e-mail again to see if there is a satisfactory resolution for you on this. Kindest Regards The Fort Charlotte Team
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This is a family-run, warm and welcoming guest house right in the centre of Lerwick. Ryan and Anita have added so many special touches to their guest's experience that it's clear they are passionate about making it the best stay possible. The rooms have adjustable heating, a window that opens (some places don't!), a seriously cozy bed, and a newly renovated en-suite. Breakfast is a full meal with lots of choices, and if you bring your own food back for dinner, you are welcome to use the dining room to eat.
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Date of stay: April 2024
Value
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Trip type: Travelled solo
Room Tip:Â Once you book, you'll receive an information-packed welcome package by email. Parking is ample,...
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 Ryan Jozwik, Owner at Fort Charlotte Guest House
Responded 14 Jun 2024
Thank you for such a fantastic review. We are so glad you had a good stay with us and we really appreciate such lovely comments :) Best Regards The Fort Charlotte Team
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Wonderfully welcoming, warm and spotlessly clean. Ryan and Anita, and their team, couldn’t have been more helpful and friendly. The milk and bottled water in the fridge every day was a bonus that very few places offer. For those guests not wanting to eat out the dining room was made available for takeaways with plates and cutlery etc provided. I had a fantastic few days here, and as a solo traveler, in the very well appointed and spacious single room, felt valued and secure. Great shower as well! Highly recommended. Thanks to all.
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Date of stay: April 2024
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip type: Travelled solo
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 Ryan Jozwik, Owner at Fort Charlotte Guest House
Responded 28 May 2024
Thank you for such a fantastic review. It was a real pleasure to meet you and have you stay out our guesthouse Best Regards The Fort Charlotte Team
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My wife and I live in the North Isles of Shetland, on Yell, and visit Lerwick regularly, mainly for shopping. It is years since we have stayed in Lerwick but, due to my wife having to go into hospital for an operation, we had to stay, in order to be certain of getting into hospital at the appointed time. In fact, we had to leave two days early because of horrendous snow conditions and forecast gales, which would impact the inter-island ferry service. We own a tourism-related business in Yell, and have heard all the horror stories of staying in Lerwick hotels, so did some research and discovered Fort Charlotte, which several of our favourite tour guides had recommended. We are so glad that we did. We did not know whether we would be there for two nights or four nights, but Ryan, the owner, was amazingly sympathetic and flexible. He called on two occasions, to find out how the operation went. We ended up staying two nights together, with me staying for one night by myself, while my wife was in hospital. I ended up confirming a fourth night, which I then had to immediately cancel because the hospital had decided to discharge my wife earlier than expected. Ryan had already processed the payment, but promised to refund immediately. You don't find that sort of customer service attitude in hotel groups. Fort Charlotte is perfectly located, on the corner of the main street, and is less than 100 yards walk from the three best restaurants in Shetland. We had Room 2, The Suite, which is on the first floor, with great views along Commercial Street. It had an excellent king bed, with very soothing bed linen. It had two comfortable arm chairs and was immaculately clean, as was the good-size bathroom. Kellie, the housekeeper, was also incredibly helpful. We did not have the opportunity to sample breakfast, but have heard very good reports. We were so impressed by Fort Charlotte that we promised one another we would book in regularly, and have romantic dinners in Lerwick. Very highly recommended.
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Date of stay: January 2025
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip 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 Ryan Jozwik, Owner at Fort Charlotte Guest House
Responded 3 weeks ago
Wow! What a fantastic review Alan, thank you so much for taking the time to leave such a detailed and glowing review. We are also delighted to hear you will now book in regularly. We look forward to welcoming you both again We hope your wife is recovering well! The Fort Charlotte Team
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Hello Andrew & Gillian
Unfortunately we are fully booked for the dates you requested, you could try my friend Carina at Fort Charlotte Self Catering, she may have availability for you.
Lynette
Yes there is! Manson Lauderette and Dry Cleaners are at Kantersted Road. Probably easiest to get a taxi (there are usually plenty around the cruise liner passenger drop off point). The fare is generally about £5.00 to go anywhere in the town. Whilst waiting for your laundry you could have a look at the Clickimin Broch or go to Fjara for a coffee and hopefully watch the seals that like to sunbathe on the rocks nearby!!
Hello
Thank you for your email and yes we do have a twin en-suite room available for the dates you require. The cost per room per night for bed and breakfast is £80.00.
We do not have private parking but there is plenty of free on-road parking very close to the guest house.
Lynne Manson
Owner - Fort Charlotte Guest House
There are more places to choose from in the Lerwick area.
PRICE RANGE
£131 - £153 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
ALSO KNOWN AS
fort charlotte guest house hotel lerwick
LOCATION
United KingdomScotlandShetland IslandsMainlandLerwick
NUMBER OF ROOMS
5
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