Novotel Edinburgh Centre

The location is great, but it's expensive. Breakfast was good, and the facilities were clean and comfortable. Lucas in the dining room was especially polite and helpful, definitely deserves a promotion. The rooms feel basic for the price, and not having proper coffee or biscuits feels mean. Reception was a complete mess, like Fawlty Towers, with long queues, chaos and no pleasantries. We waited 15-20 minutes to check in while a confused staff member seemed unsure of her job and didn't apologise. You also have to queue at reception for a pool ticket. Once in the pool area, there's a mirror that lets men see into the tiny female changing room. When we complained, the manager said there'd be a team meeting, but where's the action? Housekeeping and dining staff were great. Reception and management need replacing, and that mirror needs to go.

The staff were professional and friendly, and the room was spacious and clean. We also really enjoyed unwinding in the clean pool, jacuzzi and sauna after a day of walking. Breakfast was a smaller buffet, but there was more or less everything, and the waffle maker was a tasty little extra.

The bar and restaurant are well worth visiting, the staff there were amazing. The room was a good size and fairly quiet, with a nice terrace, though the terrace was in poor condition and one window was cracked. Cleanliness was just okay, especially around the toilet, which could have been much cleaner. The large shower had excellent water pressure. The pool was a disappointment and one of the reasons we booked here. The chlorine smell was so strong it felt potentially dangerous, so we only took a quick look and left. The blue floor carpets also seem like bacteria nests and feel dated. Check-in was somewhat chaotic, with a messy-looking reception. The Novotel Edinburgh City Centre is very well located, around a 15-minute walk from Edinburgh Castle and the old town, and handy for heading west to Haymarket and the conference centre. Good location and room size, but the cleanliness and pool area need work. Management should get rid of the carpets in the rooms.

The bathroom arrangement was awkward: the toilet is in its own room with no sink, so you have to go into the main bathroom to wash your hands. At check-in, we arrived early and knew the room might not be ready, so we left our bags and went out. When we came back around 1pm, we were told check-in was at 3pm. We waited at the bar, but nobody let us know when a room was ready. We checked ourselves and found one available. A quick update from reception would have been appreciated. Even with that, we had a pleasant stay and would come back. Everything was very clean, the furniture modern, and the beds had a great, comfortable mattress. The hotel was actually better than some 4-star places we've stayed at in London.