Merith House Hotel

I’d give this place zero stars. I’ve been here for three days, and tonight is my first night; I want to cancel and leave. If you’re unsure, book one refundable night and see it before committing to a longer stay. The website photos are misleading. The rooms are neat and clean, which is the one saving grace, but they’re old and refurbished, nothing like the pictures. This feels like a house turned into a college dorm or hostel and passed off as a hotel. It’s badly managed, with odd rules, including no visitors after about 8:30 pm. The manager smokes on the steps by the entrance, even though it’s meant to be a no-smoking hotel. There’s no hand towel, just one bath towel. An Asian woman next door told me her towel hadn’t been changed for three days. The manager was rude. This should be described as college-dorm-style housing, and I’d raise the issue with the Edinburgh tourism department.

The photos on the website looked decent for a weekend away, but the room was filthy, tiny, smelled awful and had vulgar decor. I could barely move around. The promised flat-screen TV turned out to be a 16-by-8-inch set in the corner. I was also told there was no breakfast and that I’d have to share a toilet. When I asked for a better room because the website was falsely advertised, the man at the desk addressed me aggressively while his presumed partner made snarky comments under her breath. I cancelled. I wouldn’t wish a stay in this dump on anyone, and customer service gets minus 100.

The bus stop right outside made getting into the city easy, about 15 minutes by bus, with one coming every 15 minutes. The room itself was quite nice, and the facilities were good. I had a twin room with shared bathrooms. WiFi was weak in my room, and I couldn't get any mobile reception. Breakfast was available for £3.50.

Davie, the manager (I think), was friendly at the front desk and helped look after guests at breakfast. I slept well, and the continental breakfast was good. The bed was very comfortable, and both the room and en suite were clean, though the bedroom was tiny. This is a bed and breakfast, not a hotel, with no restaurant or bar. If it had been advertised as a B&B, I'd have given it three stars because expectations would be clearer. My work booked it thinking it was a hotel, and that was a real disappointment. Fine for one night, but I wouldn't stay longer.