John O’Groats Hotel, Scotland 1973

Perched at the northeastern tip of mainland Britain, the John O’Groats Hotel stands as an iconic marker of both geography and heritage. Long associated with the famous “End to End” journey between Land’s End and John O’Groats, this distinctive hotel has played host to travellers, adventurers, and curious tourists drawn to the edge of Scotland’s rugged coastline.

The original hotel dates back to the late 19th century and was constructed by the Northern Lighthouse Board around 1875, reportedly to provide accommodation for visitors and lighthouse engineers travelling to the Orkney Islands. The building was designed in a distinctive style, with a striking turret and whitewashed walls that soon became a visual symbol of the village. For many decades, it served as a key part of John O’Groats’ tourism infrastructure, providing simple but welcoming accommodation in a remote and windswept location.

By the late 20th century, however, the John O’Groats Hotel had fallen into disrepair. It stood empty for several years, becoming something of a visual metaphor for the village itself—often criticised for failing to live up to its potential as a major tourist destination. That perception began to shift in the early 2010s, when the building was bought and redeveloped by Natural Retreats (now known as Together Travel Co.). The hotel was given a bold and modern makeover, rebranded as “The Inn at John O’Groats,” and reopened in 2013 as part of a larger regeneration project aimed at transforming the area’s tourism offering.