Enjoy Scottish Hospitality in the Best Hotels in Edinburgh

The InterContinental Edinburgh is New Town at its most remarkable. A short stroll from Princes Street on spacious George Street, the hotel is housed in five townhouses from 1775. The luxurious rooms and suites combine traditional grandeur with modern comforts, and they’re decorated with an eye to the Scottish landscape in subtle shades of forest fern and mountain heather. The hotel’s Printing Press Bar & Kitchen has a beautiful stucco ceiling and serves modern Scottish food.

Prestonfield House is perhaps Edinburgh’s most luxurious accommodation, offering country charm and seclusion near the heart of the city. This 1687 gabled mansion lies by Duddingston Loch under the crags of Arthur’s Seat, Edinburgh’s very own wilderness. The hotel’s decor is lavish and borderline kitsch, with antiques and generous swaths of fabric at every turn, while rooms are opulent. Having a gourmet dinner at the on-site Regency-style restaurant, Rhubarb, is part of the experience.

Charlotte Square sits at the western end of George Street, the hotel’s splendid Georgian façade concealing a surprisingly light and funky interior, with splashes of bold colour, bright tiles, rugs and contemporary artworks. The garden is lush with plants, creating a private green space for reading and relaxing. In addition to the guest rooms and suites, the hotel has a pool and spa.

In the city’s West End (near Haymarket station), you’ll find the Dunstane Houses, an intimate hotel comprising two Victorian townhouses that reflect the owners’ Orkney roots. The Ba’ Bar has an incredible collection of single malts in its vintage whisky cabinet, while the restaurant serves a variety of northern Scottish delicacies, such as Orkney scallops and haggis bonbons. The hotel’s rooms have an elegant yet pared-down style.

Now for something completely different – a Victorian church stylishly transformed into a boutique hotel. The Glasshouse is in a wonderful location, near the east end of Princes Street and underneath the green slopes of Calton Hill. Rooms and suites have floor-to-ceiling windows and some of the best views in the city. In the hotel’s lounge, the Snug, you can sip rare single malts around the firepit – the lounge opens onto the hotel’s expansive rooftop garden.

This smart urban hotel is on the city’s Southside, a short walk from both the open spaces of Holyrood Park and the tourist honeypot of the Royal Mile. A Georgian façade conceals a thoroughly modern hotel, with calm interiors brightened by pops of orange and turquoise. The price is particularly good for the location.

To generations of Edinburgh folk, this handsome building next to Waverley station means just one thing: The Scotsman newspaper. But the paper moved on, and the decorators moved in several years ago, keeping the luxurious marble, stained glass and panelling of the earlier incarnation. Today, the grand hotel features the cosy Hide Bar and lovely modern rooms and suites with a traditional twist. Views of Princes Street, a central location and a historical interest combine to make this one of Edinburgh’s best hotels.

If you’re prepared to stay a little way from the centre, leafy Stockbridge, with its vintage shops and riverside walks, is an excellent choice. An elegant Georgian townhouse is the setting for the Nira Caledonia, with rooms looking onto lush gardens and the surrounding sandstone terraces. The boutique hotel offers singles, doubles and suites, with the most opulent suite featuring a Jacuzzi.

Lauderville Guest House is a warmly welcoming option lying a mile south of the centre, within walking distance if you don’t mind starting your day with a pleasant wander. The rooms are cosy and traditional with a few lavish twists – the guest room with a four-poster is at the fancier end of things – and guests rave about the breakfast options.

Edinburgh is known for its characterful streetscapes, and Cockburn Street, arcing up from Waverley station, is one of the most striking examples. The Inn Place was once the printworks for The Scotsman newspaper, and you’ll still see the paper’s gilded masthead on the exterior of the building. The hotel features minimalist modern bedrooms, and while the functional decor isn’t for everyone, the location is an absolute winner.

Rugby fans who’ve come to the city to see a game at Murrayfield Stadium could opt for the handsome Edinburgh Lodge in the West End. If you’re looking for Scottish decor, you can find your fix here – the style is modern, with some eye-popping tartan carpets. It is a cosy, clean and quiet guest house, where you can savour a hearty full Scottish breakfast.

These chic suites sit in the beating heart of the New Town, just a few blocks back from Princes Street. All rooms are decked out in soothing shades of cream and grey, with each featuring a sofa and stylish bathroom. The suites make a good option for Edinburgh Festival-goers who want to be in the middle of the action.

Edging just into the West End, a short stroll from Princes Street and the castle, the Malt House comprises one- and two-bedroom apartments that lie inside a former whisky warehouse. While the accommodation has undergone thorough renovations, the stone exterior looks pretty much as it would have back in 1850, and all the apartments are comfortably furnished in an unobtrusive modern style. It’s a self-service option, but you’ll find plenty of cafés nearby for breakfast if you don’t feel like cooking.