The Grand is very tired. It is potentially a lovely old building in a precious location but there has been no investment in it for decades, apparently. Paint is peeling off the walls and ceilings. The reception is unstaffed and tatty. The staff are demotivated and have no wish to upsell anything ("Can I have a dessert?" "Sorry, I think the chef needs to be away by 9pm.") The bar is closed on Sundays and Mondays. The plumbing is gravity fed and so the shower is a trickle on the top floor.
On Sundays, many restaurants are closed in Lerwick, as is the restaurant in the Grand. The Queens hotel is the option offered for residents at the Grand. We were one of just two tables occupied in the Queens' restaurant on Sunday, served by unenthusiastic staff. There were many empty tables. At the bar in the Queens, we saw several customers turned away and advised to try the Chinese take away, as "we are full; we have to keep tables for residents from both the Grand and the Queens". The restaurant was almost deserted. Those potential customers were unnecessarily lost to the business and left with a bad impression of Lerwick.
The Queens is up for sale (£0.5m). New owners could transform the Queens Hotel and the Grand to exploit the superb locations and the latent demand from tourists to create great businesses for Lerwick and more jobs for local people. But the leadership, investment and customer service flair is just not there at present.