The Best Hotels to Book Near Rosslyn Chapel
Countless mysteries surround Rosslyn Chapel in Scotland. The 15th-century building featured in the novel and blockbuster film The Da Vinci Code – whispers say that the Holy Grail and the treasures of the Knights Templar are hidden here. But there’s no mystery involved in finding a place to stay nearby – here are a few of the most memorable to book on Culture Trip.
Dalhousie Castle Hotel and Spa
Boutique Hotel, Spa Hotel, Bed and Breakfast
This 13th-century castle, with its turrets and toothy ramparts, is wrapped up in 11 acres (4.4ha) of private parkland, a 10-minute drive from Rosslyn Chapel. There are 29 guest rooms, including a few that feature antique four-poster beds. The hotel has a long list of facilities: highlights include the Dungeon Restaurant – with its exposed stone walls and suits of armour – and the castle falconry, where visitors can have hands-on experiences with the estate’s owls, falcons and eagles.
The Craigie Hotel
Hotel
In the late 19th century, zebras roamed the grounds of the Craigie Hotel, a 10-minute drive from Rosslyn Chapel. The mansion was originally built for zoologist James Cossar Ewart – photographs of the man and his animals still hang on the hotel’s walls today. There are a few zebra-print chairs next to the fireplace in the bar, too. Don’t miss the chance to have a cocktail here – the menu features inventive drinks, such as raspberry ripple martinis.
Kildonan Lodge Hotel
Hotel
Expect sherry and shortbread on your arrival at this Victorian-era hotel, 20 minutes from Rosslyn Chapel. Inside, the place is filled with period features, and some bedrooms feature dark-wood, four-poster beds. There’s an antique fireplace and wing chairs in the guest lounge, where you’ll also find the honesty bar. The dining room, meanwhile, has chandeliers on the ceiling. A full Scottish breakfast is served here in the mornings – porridge, potato scones and haggis are all on the menu.
Hotel Ceilidh-Donia
Hotel
There are 17 rooms at this townhouse hotel, a mile from Edinburgh’s centre and a 20-minute drive from Rosslyn Chapel – some look out over Arthur’s Seat. There’s no restaurant at the hotel, but a hearty Scottish breakfast is served in the light-flooded conservatory area. There’s a bar on site, too, and an al fresco drinking area – where you can enjoy a tipple after a busy day of sightseeing or before heading out to dinner.
The Lane Boutique Hotel
Boutique Hotel
Set inside two renovated Victorian villas, this boutique hotel is in the Morningside area of Edinburgh, a 15-minute drive from Edinburgh Old Town and a 25-minute drive from Rosslyn Chapel. No stay here is complete without an evening in Canny Man’s – this pub-restaurant is dripping with antiques and curios, and its whisky list features 250 drams. The food menu, meanwhile, showcases Scottish seafood alongside smorrebrod (open sandwiches). The Duchess smorrebrod, for instance, comes with salmon, capers and dill.
Prestonfield House
Hotel, Luxury
Peacocks roam free in the 20 acres (8ha) of gardens that surround Prestonfield House, 25 minutes from Rosslyn Chapel. This grand entrance sets the tone for the rest of the hotel – rooms are like sets from historical Hollywood films. Each one is different, but features include grand four-poster beds, chaise lounges, antiques, silky wallpapers and rivers of velvet and taffeta. For the ultimate Prestonfield experience, book into the Rhubarb restaurant, where the menu celebrates Scottish ingredients.
Black Ivy Hotel
Boutique Hotel
Black Ivy looks out over leafy Bruntsfield Links Park, a 10-minute drive from Edinburgh Old Town and a 25-minute drive from Rosslyn Chapel. Though the location is ideal for exploring, there’s plenty to enjoy on site, too. There’s the Conservatory restaurant – with its chandeliered ceilings and flooring made from the wood of carriages that were used to transport troops in France during World War I – and the Terrace, where you can sip cocktails until 1am.
The Dunstane Houses
Hotel, Luxury
The rooms at the Dunstane Houses are spread between two Victorian townhouses, which sit across the road from one another in Haymarket, a 25-minute drive from Rosslyn Chapel. The room roster here ranges from Cosy Wee Singles, which are dressed in tweed and Scottish wool, to suites with in-room copper roll-top baths. Be sure to make time for a drink in the hotel’s Ba’ Bar – it serves 80 different Scottish single malts and offers whisky tasting sessions.
Melville Castle Hotel
Hotel
54 acres (22ha) of wooded parkland surround this 18th-century castle hotel, a 20-minute drive from Rosslyn Chapel. Inside, the rooms have been refurbished, but they still reflect the hotel’s heritage – they’re full of features like four-poster beds, period lighting, gilded mirrors and antiques. The hotel also has its own brasserie and Library Bar – the Chesterfield sofas by the fireplace here are a great place to enjoy an old fashioned cocktail on a cold Scottish night.