Best Western Kings Manor Hotel

Although occupying what was once a convent dating back to the mid-19th century, the hotel is mostly made up of modern add-ons, so there's little evidence of its heritage remaining. Fronted by a long, glass conservatory, once inside the reception area guests find a standard chain hotel in style with modern furnishings and a generic, charmless quality. Throughout most of the common areas of the hotel, the decor feels dated and shows a lack of maintenance (and there's more than a whiff of mustiness in the corridors). The sports center section of the hotel, however, is extremely clean, modern, and impressive for this level of property, while staff are also generally very friendly and professional, and the family-fun hotel operates with a strong environmental ethos.

The hotel overlooks a main road in a residential area on the edge of the pretty Edinburgh seaside suburb of Portobello. There's not much in the immediate area in the way of bars or restaurants, however the pretty golden sands of Portobello Beach are a 10-minute stroll away. Being around four miles from Edinburgh's center, it's certainly not convenient for tourists looking to explore the city, though it's about a 20-minute drive in, or half an hour by bus. Brunstane train station is also just a five minutes' walk from the hotel and connects to Edinburgh's central Waverly station in under 10 minutes. 

The Kings Manor Hotel has 95 rooms, some of which are more modern than others. Standard amenities include free Wi-Fi (which can be slow at times), tea/coffee facilities, hair dryers, and flat-screen TVs with a few satellite channels, while Club level rooms come with the option of PlayStations. Bathrooms are modern and clean, many with shower/tub combos, though some are on the small side and toiletries are from pump dispensers. Despite a nearby road, traffic noise is generally not an issue in rooms; however, the lack of air-conditioning could be annoying during the warmer months. 

The hotel's leisure facilities are certainly the highlight here. This Best Western features a decent-sized indoor swimming pool (with separate section for small kids), hot tub, sauna, and steam room as well as a modern gym and outdoor tennis court. There are also a couple dining options on-site -- Lauders Restaurant, serving breakfast and dinner, and Options Bistro for lunch and dinner -- as well as Bar Zest that is open all day and has outdoor seating in the summer. There's also plenty of free parking for those arriving by car and Wi-Fi is free of charge throughout.