The Scotsman Hotel

Return visit to this hotel after a Festive hiccup. We stayed in a lovely large corner room with lots of windows looking out onto the Balmoral, Carlton Hill and out onto the North sea. Nice big comfy, cosy bed. Sofa sitting area and my favourite, a round dining table by the windows which we took advantage of the following morning by ordering up breakfast. Large shower cubicle, spacious bathroom and plenty of amenities which allows me to pack light. Due to circumstances, I cancelled our evening restaurant reservation and later headed down to The Grand Café hoping on a Saturday night they'd be able to accommodate us. They were very busy, but luckily we got a table. There was a really good singer playing the piano too, which created a really relaxing snd enjoyable evening. So pleased we ended our night here.

This hotel is so conveniently located if arriving by train. A back entrance is located at the rear exit of Waverly station on Market street where you then take a lift up to the reception floor. Couldn’t be easier! Especially if the weather is bad. We had a wonderful 5 star welcome. The staff were fantastic. We arrived before check in time, but our luggage was taken care of while we dined in the Grand Cafe for lunch, which was lovely! We then made our way to our suite where our luggage was already waiting for us, along with a bottle of Prosecco on ice and chocolates. The only negatives noted were that the carpets are noticeably dirty and stained, and the walls in the room were scuffed and marked. Time for a bit of a refresh or refurbishment I think. Especially since the cost per night for a room isn’t exactly cheap. We had issues with the bath in our room. The bath plug wasn’t working and the water kept draining out. We eventually managed to fix it by adjusting the screw of the bath plug. These things should be checked to make sure they are working really. But we didn’t complain as we managed to fix it and enjoy our lovely bubble bath! The breakfast room was a bit of a disappointment. It’s underwhelming when you’ve dined at the Grand Cafe which is beautiful and impressive. I actually thought residents of the hotel would eat breakfast in the Grand cafe, not a bland function room which was lacking in style and ambience, and which felt more like a soulless corporate venue. The service was terrible. The staff didn’t have the professional finesse you’d expect. They seemed a bit vacant and not in control of the situation. It took us ages to get our food order. We ordered the pancakes which unfortunately were very floury and chalky. The buffet seemed to offer the usual fry up and continental items. The breakfast experience was nothing more than average unfortunately. Next time we may rather choose a room only rate and have breakfast elsewhere with a more pleasurable atmosphere. Or, order room service. We still had a special time though and will be back I’m sure!

From the moment we entered the hotel until the moment we left, every member of staff was a credit to the hotel. We were made to feel at home and feel welcome. Yes, I have to admit noise was an issue in the wee small hours from party goers passing the hotel but it’s only expected from a city centre hotel. Special mention to Amelia in the Grand Cafe who excelled in her role

Room was clean and well presented the bathroom was stunning, beautiful traditional building with cinema and grand cafe and other facilities The breakfast was amazing value we had Scottish fried breakfast and Greek yoghurt with fresh blueberries and raspberries and I had eggs royale with poached eggs and salmon and spinach and wife had lochfyne kippers and they had fresh juices not that concentrated rubbish The reception staff were especially good including the rhodesian guy and the Scottish guy Charlie

We arrived in Edinburgh for Burns Night celebrations in January 2025, first time staying at the Scotsman and our expectations were exceeded by miles. The hotel is located next to Waverly Train Station and just around the corner from the Royal Mile so location-wise its top, upon arrival we were greeted by a very pleasant gentleman who made the whole check-in experience a breeze. We chose one of the Director Suites for our room, very cozy and a fully stocked mini bar offered a selection of great items, fairly priced, complimentary tea and coffee and even a wee dram of whisky on the house. As we arrived late, the restaurant was closed, and we came up a day earlier at the last minute due to the storms battering the UK and enjoyed a full day inside the hotel due to the weather, waiting out the storm. There was plenty to keep us entertained and the staff worked hard to make sure the guests had a full bar and restaurant service, despite being short staffed due to the storm. We stayed for 3 days and enjoyed a Burns Night supper with pipers, traditional Scottish music and dancing, the manager and his amazing staff even found time to assist me with a marriage proposal to my girlfriend, they orchestrated the delivery of the ring to our table, which was presented on dinner plate with the words "Will you marry me" written in chocolate - Absolutely amazing service, despite being run off their feet serving so many guests. The food choices are great in the hotel restaurant, amazing selection of drinks including many premium wines, champagnes and whiskies, the staff a very friendly, engaging, and helpful, always make time to chat and service is simply excellent. We cannot wait to return to the Scotsman, the hotel will always have a special place in our lives now.