Edinburgh

[Bluespider]

This has just been renamed from hotel Misoni:
G&V Hotel, Edinburgh - A five-star luxury hotel on the Royal Mile

boutique hotel with a really nice cocktail bar and its on the royal mile.

[pjclarke]

Up there myself this weekend for a birthday .

What everyone else said. The Castle is a must, remembering the 1 'o' clock gun. Its more than 'just' a castle, plus give yourself time to get lost in the Royal Mile and the wee Wynds, passageways and steps leading off it, Victoria Street, Grassmarket etc.

If you get the weather (you won't) its about 45 mins walk up Arthur's seat for the view, failing that Calton Hill gives the classic view down Princes Street, gorgeous at dusk, great for photography.



Dining, we like La Piaza for great Italian food and service, plus the restaurant at Hotel du Vin, especially the steak - or there's Steak restaurant itself , and Kyloes. Ryan's bar does a good breakfast.

Accomodation: StayCity do some nice serviced apartments in and around Haymarket.

If you tire of the tartan and bagpipes, try a trip to the beach at Portobello, or the Sheep's Heid 'village inn' at Duddingston…

Nae Botha

[pjclarke]

Return thither on
some clear, dark, moonless night,
with a ring of frost in the air, and
only a star or two set sparsedly in
the vault of heaven; and you will
find a sight as stimulating as the
hoariest summit of the Alps. The
solitude seems perfect; the patient
astronomer, flat on his back
under the Observatory dome and
spying heaven's secrets, is your
only neighbour; and yet from all
round you there come up the dull
hum of the city

RL Stevenson on the view from Calton.

Edinburgh Picturesque Notes (free download from Project Gutenberg).

[Gumbo Robot]

Went up with the missus for a long weekend in December.

Stayed at the Sheraton - nice place but rooms had en-suites with glass walls. Not good for sound/light proofing.

Found some nice places for cocktails - Monteith's, & the bar of the Scotsman Hotel. If I went back, I'd definitely stay at the Scotsman. Seemed to have all the grandeur without feeling it was part of a chain.

Also would well recommend eating at the Witchery up by the castle - has a very dark, gothic feel to it & food was excellent; you'd need to book in advance though.

[MrMarkyMark]

FTFY

Stayed at the Sheraton - nice place but rooms had en-suites with glass walls. Not good for having a swift bit of "self love", when the missus wasn't up for it

[Jeebo72]

I'm taking the missus to Edinburgh next month for the weekend. Somehow I've never got round to visiting there before. I've been told the place is full of Scotch people. Not booked a hotel yet but any recommendations for a contractor stylee place to stay and what to see would be welcomed!

Scotsman hotel. Fishers for dinner.

[expat]

I recommend The Glasshouse. We stayed there a few years ago and it has closed and been renovated since but if it is up to the same standard it is a fine boutique hotel very close to the centre.

I have never been in the North British but I have to say it has a reputation as a fine old railway hotel.

[ContractorHardman]

My home city:-

Hotel - Avoid Malmaison in Leith, it is going through a refurb until Feb although generally nice. For high roller: Scotsman, Balmoral, Waldorf are all within the City Centre.

Dinner:-

Leith has some of the nicest places to eat in Edinburgh. They have Martin Wishart, Tom Kitchin which are Michelin starred. They also have the Flying Dog which is my favourite place. The top 3 place in the UK to have a hot dog and yes, its definitely an amazing hot dog, gourmet with no crap. Fishers is amazing for Sea Food. Chaoprya (Sp) for Thai food and it also has a nice view. Kings Wark is the best place to have a Sunday Roast and that is in Leith.

Bars:-

Cocktails - I recommend Panda & Sons, it looks like a barber shop from the outside but it has some really cool cocktails. Tonic is also another great place for cocktails. The Bar in the Scotsman also gets an honourable mention.

Nice ones - Guildford Arms, its a really cool old man style bar. Brauhaus has an amazing selection of German beers and 3 selections of wine... House Red, House Rose and House White.

Areas:-

Leith - Amazing wee place and it is full of history. You can learn of the history between Leith and Edinburgh. They didn't always get along and they were separate until 90 odd years ago. The people of Leith voted not to join Edinburgh but were ignored. It also has converted Whiskey Bonds, etc. If you read up before you go then its a cool place to visit.

City Centre - Castle, Bus tours is good, Dynamic Earth is nice and of course a visit to the National Museum is worth a visit. Jackie Stewarts F1 Car is on display. The Royal Mile is a very scenic place to visit and usually get the usual tourist attractions of ghost tours.

Any help, just post in here and I can try and answer your questions

[ContractorHardman]

I recommend The Glasshouse. We stayed there a few years ago and it has closed and been renovated since but if it is up to the same standard it is a fine boutique hotel very close to the centre.

I have never been in the North British but I have to say it has a reputation as a fine old railway hotel.

It has actually, my old manager stayed there and it is a really nice place to stay! Good shout!

[d000hg]

Guildford Arms IS nice although it seemed to me Edinburgh is chock-full of small, characterful pubs.

We went here for breakfast, it was pretty cool: The City Cafe | Diner by day, drinks by night.