Ayre Hotel, Ayre Road, Kirkwall

Circa 1791 with later alterations and additions. 2-storey and attics, 13-bay hotel comprising former pair of 3-bay crowstepped gabled houses to left, with (later) gabled dormers, breaking eaves, (2 dormers to right finialled), further box dormers to left block, and 2 flat-roofed single storey entrance porches; 2-storey 4-bay addition slightly recessed to right; flat-roofed single storey addition to outer right; modern 2-storey projection at right angles to rear, (S). Harled. Ashlar dressings to entrance porches.

N (PRINCIPAL) ELEVATION: bays grouped, 3-3-3-3. 3-bay group to left of centre: window in entrance porch at ground in bay to centre; Doric pilasters flanking modern, part-glazed door with letterbox fanlight in left return; window in right return; window at 1st floor above. Window at each floor in bays flanking. 3-bay block to outer left: window in entrance porch at ground in bay to centre; part-glazed modern door with letterbox fanlight in left return; window in right return; window at each floor above; window at each floor with 2, evenly disposed box dormers above in each bay flanking. Recessed 4-bay block to right of centre: window at each floor in 2 bays to centre. Part-glazed modern door at ground in bay to outer right; windows at 1st floor above. 2-leaf boarded doors to round-arched doorway in single storey, rectangular-plan porch with cast-iron balcony to internal angle to outer left; window at 1st floor above to main block. Window in each bay to 3-bay block to outer right.

S (REAR) ELEVATION: irregularly fenestrated with additions spanning bays at ground, 4, evenly disposed gabletted attic window breaking eaves and 7-bay piended projection at right angles to outer left.

Predominantly 4-pane timber-framed windows with top-hung upper lights. Grey slate roof; stone ridge; stone skews; predominantly cast-iron rainwater goods.

INTERIOR: converted as hotel; not fully seen, 1998.