Thistle Edinburgh City Centre, The King James

The Thistle Edinburgh City Center, The King James, is in a large, nondescript building that lacks the grandeur of its surroundings, including Edinburgh Castle in the near distance, and the Gothic Sir Walter Scott monument, just down the street. The Thistle is a chain outpost with a chain hotel vibe, despite the tartan carpets, and black-and-white city photographs on the walls. The common spaces are simple and large, with plenty of room to move around. Decor is basic: light wood and white walls, without the special Scottish touches that can be found in many neighboring properties. The lobby has plenty of comfy, pale gray couches and armchairs for gathering to plan a day’s sightseeing, or taking advantage of the hotel’s free Wi-Fi. Hallways and stairs show some wear and tear, but the spaces are clean and tidy. Craig’s, the third-floor hotel restaurant, has nice street views, but the low ceiling and ever-present buffet steam-tables detract from the fine dining atmosphere. The Boston Bean Company Bar is huge, with lots of polished wood accents and rich leather, but, again, it could be a generic hotel bar in many cities around the world. Tourists do stay here, but the property is especially suited to business travelers. 

This hotel is in a fantastic location for business travelers, in Edinburgh’s New Town and surrounded by offices and public buildings. Tourists will also benefit, as the hotel sits right on the edge of the city’s historic Old Town, where all the popular sights can be found. Edinburgh Castle, Holyroodhouse, and the National Museum are all within a mile. Princes Street, the city’s major shopping destination, is around the corner, and the hotel is surrounded by restaurants and shops. The Waverly train station is yards from the front door, as are taxi and bus stops.

Guest rooms have the look and feel of a chain-hotel. Decor is simple, with plain but serviceable furniture (including desks), light walls, colorful striped or dark plaid curtains, fabric or wood headboards, and ceiling fans. Bathrooms are small and nondescript, with little to no counter space, and shower/tub combos. Oddly, bathmats must be requested from the front desk. Street-facing rooms get noise from the busy street below; windows are double-glazed to minimize the sound, but some guests have still experienced noise. Amenities include flat-screens with basic cable, coffee and tea facilities, safes, irons and ironing boards, and free hotel-brand toiletries. In sum, the guest rooms lack style, but the location rocks.

The hotel offers two choices for diners. Craig’s Restaurant serves a combined British/Scottish and European menu with locally-sourced produce, as well as a substantial hot breakfast each morning (for a fee). The bar, Boston Bean Company, serves drinks as well as light meals and bar snacks in comfy armchairs or at the long bar from noon until late at night. The Thistle stages fun evenings of traditional Scottish music, dance, and food, held nightly from April to November. There are a variety of meeting and event spaces with up-to-date tech equipment, and, in the largest room, theatrical seating for 250 guests.