V-Flyer

Know some of you have been up to Edinburgh for the fringe its years since I have been any experience with the Hiltons.

JP

What are your options?

I have not stayed at any of the Hiltons up there, as I use the Marriott, which is on the main road from the airport to the city centre.

If you are flying up, and will be without a car, then I will say that the Edinburgh public transport system is brilliant! The buses clean, very frequent, and very cheap. [y]

Nick

Either Caledonian Hilton Edinburgh or Hilton Edinburgh Grosvenor going on the train so public transport will be useful thanks Nick.

Are you going to be up for the Fringe itself? If so, the main area now is very much the bit between Princess Street and George Square, north to south, and between Pleasance to Grassmarket, east to west. If you can get something close to that area, you won't have far to walk for the majority of the festival.

Although the Grosvenor is located in a residential street further away from Princes St you could easily walk there in less than 10mins. The hotel is only a 2 min walk from Haymarket station. Rooms are on the small side - actually very small - so if you want space then the Caledonian would be a better option. Having said that, I liked the Grosvenor for its quiet location and proximity to the city centre as well as the excellent buffet breakfast (don't usually say that about Hilton).

Hilton Airport - avoid.

Hilton Grosvenor - a good deal cheaper than the the Caley, a 10 minute walk from town, with three excellent indian restaurants close by. Also, very close to Haymarket Station. Many of the rooms have been refurbished to quite a good standard, but there's still the risk of getting lobbed into the hell that are the club rooms over the road (and there is the strange odour that permeates the Haymarket area some days).

Hilton Caledonian - expensive, but home when I'm in Edinburgh (due a project manager striking a startlingly good deal). Castle view rooms can be very large and wonderful. Excellent corridors and a wonderful staircase to swan down in a diva like manner. Stunning collection of whiskies. Close to Rebus's local, the Oxford Bar, and well positioned for Grassmarket and the like.

I agree with Nick about the public transport. Most mornings I take the bus out to our office for a £1 rather than the £15 it would cost in a cab. Only downside is that the Lothian Buses drivers seem to have been trained (or perhaps recruited for) very heavy feet on either accelerator or brake.

Paul

Thanks everyone Caledonian it is, 80k HH points for 2 nights[y]