Hotel Ceilidh-Donia

The property is a smart, well-kept, three-story Victorian house with large bay windows. A central, paved pathway, with a pretty garden on either side, leads guests up to the charming porch. There’s an original Victorian tiled floor and bouquets of fresh flowers on a shelf. The cream-painted front door leads into the warm and inviting hall, where visitor information, such as menus for local restaurants, is laid out. The property has a cozy and homey feel throughout. There are deep red carpets and walls in the hall, stairways, and corridors. Decorative skylights ensure it feels bright though. The restaurant is housed in a modern extension with a stone-tiled floor and a glass ceiling that allows natural light to fill the room. There’s also a lounge area which has coral walls, a wooden floor, and leather sofas. Families are well catered for as board games, DVDs and even plush toys can be borrowed from the lounge. Next to the lounge is a small bar with contemporary metal bar stools and tables, blue lighting, and a flat-screen TV. There are jars of candy, nuts, and chips on the bar. 

The hotel is a long way out of Edinburgh’s city center, so the main sights are not within easy walking distance. It’s easy and cheap to get there though - - taxis are reasonably priced, and there’s a good bus service too. The bus stop is just a few steps from the hotel, and they run every 10 minutes and take around 10 minutes to get to town. Around a 20-minute walk from the Ceilidh-Donia is Holyrood Park. This is the home of Arthur's Seat, a dormant volcano, which gives excellent views of the city. In the immediate vicinity, there are some lovely restaurants and traditional pubs. Cafe Cassis is an excellent French restaurant a 15-minute walk from the hotel. The street itself is one of the nicest roads in the area. The houses are very attractive and well-kept, and it’s an extremely quiet and secluded location. 

Guest rooms in the Ceilidh-Donia are individually furnished in a homey style. Most have neutral, cream-colored walls and brown carpets, with large windows and lots of natural light. There are nice views of the pretty street outside, and many have vistas towards Holyrood Park and Arthur's Seat. Rooms come equipped with a small flat-screen TV with digital channels, a desk, tea- and coffee-making facilities, free bottled water, free Wi-Fi, MP3 docking stations, a DVD player, hairdryer, free newspapers, and cribs or infant beds on request. The guest booklet in every room is packed with useful information about the property and the area. Bathrooms are clean and bright, with a modern white suite, plenty of free toiletries, and walk-in showers. The Triple room is ideal for families, and also has an extra large bathroom.

The restaurant at the Ceilidh-Donia serves a good variety of food at breakfast. Guests can try a range of things including Eggs Benedict, an American-style breakfast with bacon and maple syrup, or traditional Scottish haggis. In the evening, there's no a la carte menu in the restaurant, it's just open for bar food on some weekday evenings. The hotel staff are happy to recommend restaurants in the neighborhood though, and they can also provide cutlery and crockery for guests ordering take out from local eateries. The bar and lounge are relaxed communal areas. Families often make use of the lounge as a place to play the board games that can be borrowed from the hotel’s library. Guests are also welcome to take DVDs up to their rooms. There’s also a free computer station, free Wi-Fi in the bar and lounge, free use of the hotel's iPad, and printing facilities are available. The property has some outside space too, there’s a wooden-decked terrace with blue-painted wooden furniture overlooking a small garden with a range of trees, shrubs, potted plants, and a fish pond. Free on-street parking is also available but this is on a first-come, first-served basis.