Craigleith, United States
Clean, modern hotel in excellent condition across from Craigleith Retail Park
A five-minute drive or 10-minute bus ride to Princes Street
Rooms come with coffeemakers, satellite TV, and free Wi-Fi; some have views of the city skyline and
Edinburgh Castle
Cocktail bar and restaurant with breakfast buffet (for a fee)
and Scottish and international fare for lunch and dinner
Business center and free parking
Discount offered at nearby gym
Outdoor children's play area
Lower rates than for comparable properties in the city center
Free basic Wi-Fi (spotty)
Kids under 13 eat for free (with an accompanying adult)
Fee for breakfast
Charge for faster Wi-Fi
Some
rooms are small, with cramped bathrooms
No on-site fitness facilities
Holiday Inn Edinburgh City-West is a modern mid-range
hotel in the Craigleith area across a busy road from the Craigleith Retail
Park. The hotel has a restaurant and bar, and rooms are
functional, clean, and quiet. Free Wi-Fi is offered, but it's often so slow that guests find it necessary to upgrade to faster Wi-Fi, which comes with a fee. The
hotel is southeast of the city center -- it's within a five- to 10-minute
drive or a 10- to 25-minute bus ride away from such attractions as Princes Street and Edinburgh Castle. Because of its location, rates are lower than what comparable properties would cost in the city center.
Disclaimer: This content was accurate at the time the hotel was reviewed. Please check our partner sites when booking to verify that details are still correct.
Scene
Modern chain hotel with busy restaurant, bar, and conference rooms
The Holiday Inn Edinburgh City - West evokes the chain hotel vibe, with bustling public spaces. The look is contemporary and uninspiring, except for the funky modern chandelier in the lobby, which breaks the mold. The hotel's
meeting rooms and central business-area location draw business travelers as well as tourists (it's on a direct bus line to several major sights). Guests mingle freely while indulging in Scottish and international fare in
the restaurant, or sip drinks and watch live sports on the bar's TVs.
Location
In Craigleith next to shopping, a 10-minute bus ride to Princes Street
The Holiday Inn is in the Craigleith area, across
Queensferry Road from Craigleith Retail Park and its many stores, including Sainsbury's, Marks & Spencer, and Nike Factory Store. The city center
attractions to the southeast are a bit of a hike on foot but are easily accessibly
by car or bus -- there's a bus stop right in front of the hotel. Travel times are
roughly five minutes by car and eight to 10 minutes by bus to Princes Street,
10 minutes by car and 15 to 20 minutes by bus to the Grassmarket and Old Town,
and 10 minutes by car and 25 to 30 minutes by bus to Edinburgh Castle. Closer
to the hotel are Murrayfield Rugby Stadium at a five-minute drive south, Royal
Botanic Garden at a five-minute drive northeast, and the Edinburgh Zoo at a
five-minute drive southwest of the hotel. Edinburgh Airport is a 15-minute
drive southwest.
Rooms
Simple, clean modern rooms with coffeemakers and free Wi-Fi
Arranged on eight floors, the Holiday Inn's 101 all
non-smoking rooms convey the clean functionality of the Holiday Inn brand. Sparsely decorated, the rooms feature white cotton bedding with red, blue, or
tan bed throws, plus red curtains, light-wood headboards and furniture, and
largely bare white walls with a few reproduction prints. Rooms are clean
with no smells, and the double-glazed windows keep the noise out. Beds are reasonably comfy, with thick mattresses
and cotton sheets. All rooms have desks, safes, individual climate
control, coffee/tea makers, free Wi-Fi, and satellite TV (not all TVs are flat-screens, though). The free Wi-Fi can be slow, and many guests end up upgrading to a higher speed for a fee. Rooms do not have mini-fridges or
minibars. Some rooms have some combination of sofa beds, bathrobes and
slippers, scales, and trouser presses. Some rooms have views of the city
skyline and Edinburgh Castle. Twin rooms are small, with snug
bathrooms with the toilet wedged in between the bathtub and counter. Aside from that, bathrooms are clean and spacious, with good water pressure and bath
products supplied.
Features
Cocktail bar, restaurant with breakfast buffet and Scottish cuisine
The Holiday Inn offers discount vouchers for a health club
that's within a five-minute drive -- it has a swimming pool, tennis courts,
and a fitness center. The Holiday Inn serves an ample breakfast buffet (for a fee), which includes a range of hot Scottish items like
black pudding and grilled tomatoes, and cold continental items such as baguettes,
croissants, cereal, and fresh fruit. The restaurant serves a moderately priced international and Scottish a la carte menu for lunch and dinner, with
an emphasis on burgers and steaks. Kids under 13 can eat for free with an accompanying
adult, and 24-hour room service is available. The cocktail lounge has a wide
range of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, and is the place to catch live sports on its
big-screen TVs. The hotel also has a business center, free parking, conference
rooms with catering, and an outdoor children's play area and garden.
