The Rutland Hotel

The Rutland Hotel is an unassuming Georgian town house with a psychedelic sea of colorful interiors. It sits above a large lounge-style bar and restaurant, which is a hot spot among locals and guests alike; it attracts after-work professionals and cocktail drinkers, and is a favored haunt of rugby fans when there’s a game at Murrayfield. While the hotel oozes quiet comfort -- soft carpets, designer wallpaper, and slinky furnishings -- guests can slip downstairs for a drink or meal in nightclub-style surroundings -- think velvet and leather chairs, a mirror-lined staircase, and sexy red lighting. The wraparound windows in the bar and restaurant are great for people-watching. The clientele here is mostly couples, but The Rutland is not without its kid-friendly perks, which include free toy boxes and packs with baby monitors.

On a cobblestone street at the west end of Princes Street, the Rutland is near several major Edinburgh sights. It's close to the National Gallery -- a 10-minute walk -- which includes masterpieces from artists such as Cezanne, Constable, Degas, Monet, Goya, Gauguin, El Greco, and Titian. Princes Street Gardens is a grand public park beneath Edinburgh Castle, and is a 15-minute walk from the lobby door. The gardens can be entered via gates all along Princes Street. It's a happening place, hosting the Winter Wonderland at Christmas, Summer Festival events, and various concerts throughout the year. The gardens are home to the Floral Clock and impressive Ross Fountain. Princes Street itself has loads of restaurants, bars, theaters, and shops. For rugby fans, Murrayfield Rugby Stadium is within a five-minute drive. George Street also has plenty of pubs, restaurants, and bars.

Rooms at the Rutland Hotel are bright, spacious, and tastefully opulent with bold designer wallpaper, dramatic headboards, concealed bed lighting, and bright accent colors on velvet cushions. Furniture is a mix of lacquered white tables, retro-style chairs, and baroque mirrors -- while large bathrooms are sleek and have walk-in showers or whirlpool baths. Lighting and in-room entertainment systems can be a bit fiddly, though. The best rooms have views of the Castle, but guests can request rooms with views of Princes Street or the Firth of Forth. There are free Wi-Fi, minibars, in-room safes, wall-mounted flat-screen TVs, an iPod dock station, Bluetooth audio connectivity, and a pair of GHD hair straighteners. Added perks are free daily newspapers, homemade muffins on arrival, and filter coffee and designer teas. The bedding is luxurious -- quality goose-down duvets and pillows, and fine Egyptian bed linens. There's an outrageously orange French console table outside one of the rooms, and an ornate bed in another. There's a two-bedroom apartment with its own lounge and kitchen, best for bigger groups or families.

Top-quality Aberdeen Angus beef is served in the hotel’s restaurant, which is reportedly the Scottish capital’s first gourmet steakhouse. Its food is all locally sourced -- the beef comes from local farms and the seafood from Scottish lochs. Guests get a 20 percent discount on a la carte meals. Breakfasts, which are not included in the room rate, include a full-on Scottish choice of items, and are served in the bar area. The bar and basement club, The One Below, is glamorous with a long cocktail list, and its style credentials are impeccable. Free Wi-Fi is available throughout the hotel.