V-Flyer

The two of us are off to a wedding in Edinburgh the week before Christmas and I must admit I got carried away while playing on the net looking for decent hotels and booked a Lastminute 'Secret Hotel'.

We paid 200 total for 2 nights for both of us so not a bad price but I was wondering if anyone has had any epxerience of staying here or knows if there are any rooms to avoid.

Looking forward to the knowledge of the V-Flyers pouring forth.

Thank you!
Ed

Also does anyone have any recommendations for a good restaurant? Not too raucus but stylish if poss (and of course good value!)
We land at half eight so I am thinking I should book ahead, drop the bags off at the hotel and head straight out.

pjh is the Caley expert, he recommended it to us and we are staying next weekend will let you know how we get on.

Awesome, that makes me feel so much better and great timing too.
I had narrowed down what the secret hotel was down to 3 and they all looked fine but I am sure that as we didn't book direct we will be stuck in the shoebox in the basement.

Do please let me know how you get on and if you find anywhere nice for a Friday night late dinner and Sat/Sun brunch please pass on the knowledge.
Thank you again - Ed

There is nothing wrong with the Caledonian as such but as a HH Gold I wasnt overly impressed. I stayed there on business for a few nights earlier in the year. The room was very small but did have great views of the castle. There isnt a lounge for HH members and therefore everyone takes breakfast in the main room. Breakfast was waiter service which was fine, albeit a bit slow. When I am staying on business I am usually in a hurry to get out of the door so prefer to fix myself something. There were help yourself pastries but not much else and no toaster. If you are there on vacation it probably wont matter to you - and the porridge is very good.

The location is very good for Edinburgh, I just felt that the hotel lacked any real atmosphere. The building is lovely but that didnt compensate for what I felt was a very 'unspecial' stay. For the price you have paid I would not worry. The rack rates for the Hilton can be horrendous!

Thanks,
Sarah

I stayed there last time I was in Edinburgh and had a lovely sized room with a great castle view. My only gripe was the cost of water in the minibar!

Hotel is good. Just head to Rose Street for your entertainment. One of my all time fav restaurants is Get Stuffed on that street, number 192. Not sure if it is still there but man what a feed[y] It has been a few years[:#]

http://www.wildfirerestaurant.co.uk/

It seems to have a different name but loosk good. I think we will probably give it a go.

Thank you

quote:Originally posted by HighFlyer
There is nothing wrong with the Caledonian as such but as a HH Gold I wasnt overly impressed. I stayed there on business for a few nights earlier in the year. The room was very small but did have great views of the castle. There isnt a lounge for HH members and therefore everyone takes breakfast in the main room. Breakfast was waiter service which was fine, albeit a bit slow. When I am staying on business I am usually in a hurry to get out of the door so prefer to fix myself something. There were help yourself pastries but not much else and no toaster. If you are there on vacation it probably wont matter to you - and the porridge is very good.


Sarah

In which room did you take breakfast ? If it was Chisholm's on the ground floor, normally the only waiter service is for tea and coffee and the rest is the usual Hilton continental / cooked buffet offerings (including toaster...)

In general, like many Hilton offerings it suffers a bit from the fact of being an older hotel with associated issues of consistency of rooms and a building into which they can't shoehorn an exec lounge. I like it, but having spent as much time there as at home over the past two years I am perhaps a tad biased.

As to a restaurant, you could try The Dogs on Hanover St

http://www.thedogsonline.co.uk/

It's about a 15 minute walk from the hotel.

Paul

Have read everyone's comments with great interst as planning on staying here in May for 5 nights for the Edinburgh marathon.

I was just about to book with Hilton direct so any more comments would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks a mil [y]

R-P

quote:Originally posted by Roxy-Popsy
Have read everyone's comments with great interst as planning on staying here in May for 5 nights for the Edinburgh marathon.

I was just about to book with Hilton direct so any more comments would be greatly appreciated.


Downsides...as I've said, inconsistency in the room sizes. No exec lounge. As per Hilton generally, bar is expensive.

Upsides...better than any other Hilton in the area. Excellent location. The upside of the inconsistency is that (if you have Hilton status), there's a chance of getting a suite or another large room. Bathrooms are much bigger than (say) at the Sheraton. Good chance of a room with a castle view. Friendly staff. Bar staff very knowledgable about the extensive range of whiskies. Corridors and a staircase that make you want to walk rather than take the lift.

Let me know if you have any specific questions.

Paul

We had a fantastic stay at the Caledonian over the weekend,very nice junior suite upgrade and full breakfast courtesy of the diamond card.


Good size bathroom Villeroy and Boch fittings all looked brand new.

The bar is pricey but very welcoming.

Breakfast was good in Chisholm's lovely room and fantastic service.Coffee, tea and OJ are served the rest help yourself.


Room service was reasonably priced, delivery was quick, food was very good.
The staff were all superb always a smile and friendly greeting.
Glad Paul recommended it to us,have to agree the stairways are works of art and we seldom used the lifts,would have no hesitation staying here again.

quote:Originally posted by jaguarpig
We had a fantastic stay at the Caledonian over the weekend,very nice junior suite upgrade and full breakfast courtesy of the diamond card.


Excellent. I'm glad to hear it met expectation; I'm always a bit nervous when making recommendations.

I see you tried the haggis...

Paul

quote:Originally posted by pjh


I see you tried the haggis...

Paul


Yes a first for me very tasty, the potato cake not so sure about[:D]

quote:Originally posted by jaguarpig
quote:Originally posted by pjh


I see you tried the haggis...

Paul


Yes a first for me very tasty, the potato cake not so sure about[:D]


Standard fare in our 'canteen' - Lorne Sausage (the square type), haggis and potato cake in bap.

Stayed here for the Millenium Magic weekend (neither Millenium nor Magic but never mind). First visit to Murrayfield and I was completely underwhelmed.

Anyway, the hotel was great. 2 nights on HHpoints and upgraded to a suite plus full breakfast in Chisolms. The downside with the Castle view rooms is that they also overlook the street where the bus interchange is, so quite noisy. But then again, the sirens never seem to stop so it gives the buses some competition. I think the quieter rooms have very dismal views of the back of other buildings or the car park so I'd go for the castle view plus earplugs.

Breakfast was good with fizz in a bucket as well as a huge range of options (most of which seem to have got on JP's plate). Doorman was a great charachter and all staff were really helpful.

Note that the adjacent/incorporated pub (JB's? the same as York) doesn't allow under 18s in in the evening. Not realising this, the Daught hadn't taken ID out with us and we didn't bother going back as it seemed a bit raucous for 6.30 p.m. anyway - complete with burly doormen.

A few piccies to follow when I remember how to do it[:I].

Regards
RedV

quote:Originally posted by RedVee
Anyway, the hotel was great. 2 nights on HHpoints and upgraded to a suite plus full breakfast in Chisolms. The downside with the Castle view rooms is that they also overlook the street where the bus interchange is, so quite noisy. But then again, the sirens never seem to stop so it gives the buses some competition. I think the quieter rooms have very dismal views of the back of other buildings or the car park so I'd go for the castle view plus earplugs.


Glad you enjoyed it. Some of the quieter rooms do have those dismal views, but I must spring to the defence of a number also have either views of the small area at the back of the restaurant (those that end '49') or overlooking Rutland Street (the evens that end between '48' and '60', which also tend to be the refurbished rooms). I'm amazed how much better I sleep without the Lothian Road Symphony, but the views of the castle are worth the earplugs for a couple of nights...

Henry J Beans is the 'attached' bar. In two years here I've actually never been in there. For my younger colleagues the plethora of fashionable bars on George Street prove more of a pull, and I find either Mathers or the Oxford Bar (Rebus's drinking establishment) more to my taste.

Paul

We had a couple of cheap pints in Henry J Beans, never felt so old in my life,had to laugh at the bouncers they wouldn't last long in Mansfield[:D]

Promised photos are now uploaded to the photo gallery in the 'Hotels' section.

Regards
RedV

quote:Originally posted by RedVee
Promised photos are now uploaded to the photo gallery in the 'Hotels' section.

Regards
RedV


Thanks for uploading the photos.

What did you think of the hotel ? From the photos to looks rather dated and tired (atleast to my old eyes).

Regards,

HG

quote:Originally posted by hackneyguy
quote:Originally posted by RedVee
Promised photos are now uploaded to the photo gallery in the 'Hotels' section.

Regards
RedV


Thanks for uploading the photos.

What did you think of the hotel ? From the photos to looks rather dated and tired (atleast to my old eyes).


HG

RedVee's room pictures are of a suite that is yet to be updated; if you look at Jaguarpig's pictures you'll see the style and decor of the refurbished rooms.

The general style is kind of 'dated', but is in keeping with its history. It isn't, however, to everyone's taste and a number of my colleagues prefer the rather more modern surroundings of the Marriott out near the Gyle Centre.

Paul

quote:Originally posted by pjh
[RedVee's room pictures are of a suite that is yet to be updated; if you look at Jaguarpig's pictures you'll see the style and decor of the refurbished rooms.

The general style is kind of 'dated', but is in keeping with its history. It isn't, however, to everyone's taste and a number of my colleagues prefer the rather more modern surroundings of the Marriott out near the Gyle Centre.

Paul


Thanks Paul for that (I cant access Jaguarpig's photos - just get a box with a red cross in it).

I was always a fan of staying in a suite at The Balmoral - who seem to be able to mix old, style, and modern very well (and to my taste (I have an early Victorian property in Town and have tried to do the same)) but am a recent convert to The Malmaison in Leith.

HG

quote:Originally posted by hackneyguy
I was always a fan of staying in a suite at The Balmoral - who seem to be able to mix old, style, and modern very well (and to my taste (I have an early Victorian property in Town and have tried to do the same)) but am a recent convert to The Malmaison in Leith.


I can see what you mean about the Balmoral - unfortunately the rates are rather over what I pay at the Caley.[:)] I think we have a company rate at the Malmaison - and have heard good reports of the hotel - but it's ways away from where I work.

Paul

The pictures are a bit more washed out and drab looking than things actually were (lost something in the resizing for uploading), but the decor was, you could say - muted. If it hadn't been refurbished it was in very good condition if perhaps a bit dull - grey and grey green woodwork, brown and grey tweedy furniture. But it was all completely in keeping with the period of the hotel.

I was more than happy with the room, it was very large and had sunny (well, at least it was when we were there) arch shaped windows with window seats where you could people watch whilst browsing the newspaper. The drapes were quality too. Ceilings were around 10ft high, including the bathroom which was also fab - seperate tub and shower. Bed and linens were the usual Hilton standards

It's not a contemporary hotel in any way, but neither is it old fashioned in a worn out way. And it made a change from my usual modern haunts of Tower Bridge, Canary Wharf and Deansgate to name a few.

Hope this helps.
Regards
RedV

quote:Originally posted by pjh
quote:Originally posted by jaguarpig
quote:Originally posted by pjh


I see you tried the haggis...

Paul


Yes a first for me very tasty, the potato cake not so sure about[:D]


Standard fare in our 'canteen' - Lorne Sausage (the square type), haggis and potato cake in bap.


Potato Cake?! Tattie Scone surely [:)]