Grassmarket Old Town Boutique Apartment

The room was spacious and the noise wasn't bad. We were right at the end of Victoria Street, handy for lots of attractions, and the adjoining bar had a complimentary breakfast menu as well as a buffet. Parking took a bit of planning: we used the hotel discount code at Q-Park Omni, about a 20-minute walk away, for a deeply discounted rate. Set that up before you arrive. A cab to the car park was under 20 pounds. The receptionists were friendly and called us a cab, though we got into the wrong one for the airport at first. Check with the driver where they're going before you get in. We managed to switch to the right cab within the block. The shower floor was very slippery, so we laid a towel down.

The bed was hard as rocks, and the shower seemed to have only two settings, scalding hot or melt-your-skin hot. Still, the location right on Victoria Street was fantastic. The person checking me in was kind enough to take my luggage up while I went to park the car.

Hoi at the front desk was charming and sorted out a reservation change with no trouble. Our room was large and comfortable, with a spotless bath and a luxurious rainforest shower. The hotel sits at the bottom of Victoria Street, close to the castle and plenty of local pubs and places to eat. We had a perfect stay. If you're coming from the US, be ready for some stairs.

The convenient location was the one thing I appreciated. The floors were worn and dirty when I arrived, the shower was moldy, and the toilet ran all night. I felt uncomfortable in a place that was supposed to be somewhere to rest. This was the worst hotel I think I've ever stayed in. I cancelled a separate stay I had booked for later that week. If I hadn't needed to be somewhere within an hour of arriving, I would have cancelled this stay too and found somewhere else.