Holiday Inn Express Edinburgh City West by IHG

We picked the hotel because we knew the name and it was easy to reach from the airport. The room was clean, the beds were comfortable, the staff were nice, and the curtains kept the light out when closed. We also had an amazing view. We walked all over the city, often 10-15 miles a day, and found the lobby map useful. There are plenty of buses, trains, and Ubers nearby, and the most we paid for transport was £12. A shopping centre and three grocery stores are right across the street, handy for snacks, pastries, or meals. The airport is close too. Breakfast was included, but by day three I was tired of it. It's a heavy meal, and adding a couple of different main items or lighter choices would help. The staff were friendly, though not very useful when I asked about directions and local sights. I got answers like “Google it” or “I don't know.” It wasn't a deal breaker, but we had to figure things out ourselves. I expected a microwave or fridge in the room. There was no microwave on site, and no fridge in our room. I heard other guests ask about it too. With shops just across the road, a fridge for cold snacks would have been useful, though it was only an inconvenience. We had five nights here; three might be my limit. I'd recommend the hotel, and would consider coming back, unless I wanted to try somewhere different. I gave as many categories five stars as I could, but those issues brought my overall rating to four.

I travelled from Manchester for one night to see my son's family, especially my grandson on his third birthday. I was on my own and using crutches, and the staff made the whole visit as comfortable as possible. There was a disabled parking space just steps from the entrance, with a note on the wall asking us to call reception for help. Charlotte came quickly and kindly. From arrival through checkout, every staff member was aware of the difficulties I had and did their best to help. I'm very grateful.

We went near the end of May, before the main tourist season. The staff were lovely, particularly at breakfast. Honestly, nearly everyone we met in Edinburgh was polite, patient, and friendly. I could request veggie sausages ahead of time, which was great. I missed having cheese, salami, ham, or vegetables at breakfast, apart from some fried tomatoes. Maybe those foods spoil quickly, though they served yoghurt every day. The beds were bouncy and medium-firm, and the room was clean, though it felt a little dated. The bathroom seemed especially old, and there were carpet stains that must be hard to remove. On our last night I had one of the worst Caesar salads I've tried. The lettuce was wilted, the mayo-style sauce tasted artificial, and the meal was bland apart from some garlic on the croutons. The thick chicken breast was a bit undercooked and had no flavour, not even salt. At least there was parmesan, which the salad really needed. For a cute distraction at breakfast, sit by the window. Squirrels live in the trees near the little playground, and we had fun watching them over tea. The coffee was awful, though that's probably more of a UK thing than just this hotel. Buses 47 and 43 stop practically outside, which was convenient. It was still a lovely stay and I'd come back.

Breakfast was delicious, the staff were very friendly, and the rooms were lovely and really clean. There are supermarkets right nearby, plus good bus connections straight into the city. I'd book this hotel again if I came back for another holiday.