Thurso is a town you can probably skip, but there aren't a lot of other options for larger settlements on the north coast section of the NC500, and it does seem the most populated. It may be the only one with Chinese takeout open until 11:30pm at least, and with a pub open after midnight. Sandra's itself is fine, nothing to write home about. They accommodated my late arrival with minimal griping and the place itself was ok. There is street noise all night and hallway noise from the flooring whenever someone walks by, which, if you're staying in one of the single rooms, is frequent because you're near the kitchen. WiFi didn't work in the room. Good budget option if you're passing through.