Forss House Hotel - Forss by Thurso, Caithness, North Scotland

We spent one night at this hotel on 24th sept 2007 as part of our 4-night stay in Scotland.

We arrived late after a delay at the airport (well after 8.30) - it was dark - and drove straight past the massive hotel signs, which you can’t miss during the day, but really need to be illuminated after dark. Eventually found it though.

Hotel was warm and friendly, and Mrs Mackenzie (the manager) was most welcoming. There were plenty of magazines in the reception sitting area, with a log fire burning away merrily. Our room (Hallum room) was lovely, warm and spotless and the bathroom ditto. We managed to get a late dinner (we had pre-booked) which was first class & retired for the night.

Bed was very comfy, as were the pillows, though we are not keen on fabric-covered headboards and think it ought to have been panelled wood in keeping with the rest of the hotel or something more easily cleaned between guests.

Breakfast was traditional Scottish, delicious, and service was quick & friendly both morning and the previous night.

In summary, a lovely friendly hotel. Would definitely go back there.
(And as it turned out, probably the nicest hotel of the 4 we stayed at).

B&B was £105.00, a one-course dinner for two was a little over £45

This is the fourth of six reviews covering our 2007 tour of Scotland.
Our tour takes us from our home in Hampshire up the West coast of Scotland and over to Orkney back over to Scotland and down the East coast to Aberdeen then home via York.

The Forss Country House at Thurso was the 4th hotel of our marathon tour.
We only stayed here because we could not book at the Inver Lodge for two nights as they were fully booked for the Sunday so I decided that another stay at the Forss would make up for only staying at Inver Lodge for 1 night.
Well another reviewer uses the word quirky and I quite agree there is plenty quirky about the Forss. It is an older property by far than most hotels we stay at.
It has also had three different owners in recent years, and it shows. They have all had different ideas on decoration and presentation.
We stayed in one of the four superior rooms upstairs.
The rooms are very good indeed, amongst the larger rooms you will ever stay in at a hotel in this class. Could be described as huge. The bathroom is bigger than some city hotel rooms. The bed is super king size and very comfortable. The furnishings are somewhat antique but quite in keeping with the general ambiance of the hotel. Quite incongruously the Television is super modern flat screen and quite out of place really. But nice.
The bathroom has a large bath and separate power shower again quite a surprise - ultra modern in an old world setting.
Old almost antique wardrobes, chests, chairs and above all doors! The one thing we did not really like was that there are no curtains at the windows, only wooden shutters. Much prefer curtains especially as you can see right in from the garden even though you are upstairs.
The pre dinner bar/lounge area is nice, very cosy superbly stocked with about 300 different malt whiskies. Unlike the Wine list which could be kindly described as pathetic a choice of 12 wines of which 5 were ‘out of stock’ 3 undrinkable & 3 very ordinary… The dinner menu was also somewhat limited with very little choice but the food is quite excellent well cooked, well presented and well served.
This really is a quirky hotel I think that the present owners have done lots to improve the rooms, the décor & the facilities but lost a bit in character & style.

Would I return? Probably not - but then I would not try and put anyone off staying here either.. It really is a quite unique hotel worth a stay.
Not too sure everyone would want to stay again though. I think it comes under the category of you will love it or dislike it but you should really try it yourself.

Stayed for one night en route to Orkney. On previous trips had always stayed overnight at the Portland Arms in Lybster, which used to be very good. But am glad that we've now discovered Forss House. One of the best rooms I've ever stayed in.
I endorse all the praise that has been included in previous reviews. This is quality, offered in a very relaxing, comfortable and unpretentious way. And that's what makes it different. Mrs Mackenzie is relaxed and knows her business. She and her staff don't need to display any artificial friendliness or professionalism. They've just naturally got it.
ps - The very healthy measures of Old Pulteney Liquer after dinner helped enormously.

Set in lovely gardens, with maybe the only trees on this very barren area near Thurso, this hotel offer a very comfortable stop over if you need access to the Orkney Ferry leaving from Scrabster. Large, well appointed rooms and friendly, if sometimes a bit quirky service. One problem that they need to fix, is the heavy doors leading into their kitchen from the dining room...they bang so hard that the whole hotel shakes, and that goes on while dinner is being served...not much fun for those trying to get an early night!