Orkney & Shetland Self-drive Traveller Reviews

visited Orkney and Shetland . Accomodation on both islands was good .Suggestions for places to see was extremely helpful . We had such a good experience that we would have no hesitation on using this company again

McKinlay Kidd were so easy to work with .We were sent an app with a summary of our holiday ,hotels, ferry times and even suggestions of places to see which was really useful and informative . They have kept in touch throughout which made this holiday experience so enjoyable .

Lovely holiday, all the hassle re travel/ hotel bookings taken from you, plus advice on where to visit.

They continue to maintain their high standards of excellence and customer satisfaction

It was a most memorable trip, made so by the excellent accommodation and tour schedule recommended by McKinlay Kidd.

McKinlay Kidd's advice on setting up the tour, and subsequent back-up documentation and support were superb. Our only regret was that we were not able to spend more time on the islands.

A mixture of excellent B&Bs and one hotel gave us a great variety of interesting and beautiful settings. We had a range of experiences, from wonderful wildlife to fascinating pre-historic sites.

McKinlay Kidd could not do enough for us, from first information to pre-trip details. They even got in touch with us during the holiday to rebook an unmissable boat trip that was in danger of cancellation because of rough weather.

A short flight from Edinburgh took us to Sumburgh on the southern tip of Shetland, where our hire car was waiting for us, and half an hour on virtually empty roads took us to our b&b. The warm welcome from Mary, and the beautiful views across fields to the sea and St Ninians isle, made us relax. In four days, we saw fabulous scenery, a knitting museum, seals,puffins, kittiwakes,fulmars, loons, eider ducks ,owls and we puzzled over the local dialect. Another 4 days on Orkney gave us more lovely beaches, and more birds, plus Neolithic villages, and Scapa Flow. Not long enough, we plan to return.

McKinley Kidd was excellent, they put together an itinerary at fairly short notice, taking into account our particular needs. When our flight was delayed they responded promptly. It was a great help that we were able to speak to the same person at their office.

Travel from south of England to Scrabster for ferry to Orkney, Three days touring and then took the ferry for four days on Shetland. Interesting as have never been to the Shetlands, plenty of walking and visiting ancient sites. Overnight ferry back to Aberdeen which was again a very pleasant experience. Covid 19 did impact what could be done but went with an open mind and prepared to be flexible.

My wife and I have used McKinley Kidd in the past and as before everything ran like clockwork, good choice of hotels which were always of a good standard. the whole holiday including ferries just run smoothly without me having any hassle.

Staying in hotels, travelling around the islands, experiencing the people there.

An interactive supportive company

We did a two centre holiday to travel around the two Northern Islands.

The care that McKinlay Kidd gave us was excellent. The app from them allowed us to get all our documentation in one place. The documentation also gave us travel tips that gave us extra information.

An amazing experience combining archaeology, wild-life and more modern history. Comfortable friendly accommodation and tasty local food.

Friendly telephone interactions, informative emails and efficient arrangements. When a boat trip needed to be rescheduled because of changed weather conditions, we were informed by a phone message to my mobile as well as a phone call to our hotel to ensure we had received the news.

This was the first time we had visited these islands and we took lots of warm clothing expecting rain and the famous Shetland wind! However, we actually had only one rain shower and sunshine every day. The trip was a delight. Both hotels very welcoming and comfortable with very good food. All the arrangements made by McKinley Kidd went like clockwork and entirely to plan. The boat trip from Lerwick out to the islands was extra special and our captain and his mate very friendly and informative about the wildlife we encountered. These islands are a delight! We saw them at their very best due to the exceptional weather but the scenery really is spectacular.

McKinley Kidd gave a very personal service, always eager to answer any questions we had and could not have been more helpful. The arrangements such as flights, car hire and hotel locations were just perfect.