The Scotsman

This red sandstone building was once home to the offices of the Scotsman newspaper (hence the name). The location, on North Bridge, is a (very) short walk from Waverley Railway Station, Princes Street, and the Royal Mile. From the exterior, this is quite obviously a historic location. Inside, the sense of history is still evident in such touches as the authentic Scottish estate tweeds that decorate the guest rooms. But the design, even in some of the more retro-themed spaces, is anything but stuffy.

What the Scotsman hotels are becoming known for, though, is first-class charm, hospitality, and service. Like its Parisian sister hotel, La Tremoille, the Scotsman features one certain convenience that we can't wait to mention: The Hatch. Never again will guests be forced to actually open their doors to receive room service, or laundry, or freshly shined shoes. The Hatch is a cross between a dumbwaiter (one that does not actually traverse floors, but passes from corridor to room) and the slot in the cell door through which prisoners' meals are delivered.

The result is utter privacy — one could conceivably lounge in one's bathrobe for the duration of the stay, enjoying the built-in Edinburgh Monopoly game (this, we assure you, is no joke), carving pistols from bars of soap and rattling one's tin cup against the bars of the cell door (metaphorically speaking, of course). All this while receiving 24-hour room service anonymously through The Hatch.

But to do so would be a shame, for one would miss out on certain of the hotel's amenities which are too large to pass through a compartment into the guest room. Take, for example, the traditional drawing-room-styled bar, or the breakfast room with replica Versailles chandeliers.

Essentially, the Scotsman is about bringing the luxury escape hotel and the modern business traveler's hotel together under one roof. And in this it succeeds. Neither a drafty old castle nor a trendy nightspot, this hotel, and in fact the Scotsman family, is a solid luxury experience with personality - unique, charming, and historical.