Travelodge Edinburgh Central Queen Street

The family room was roomy, very clean, warm, and had lovely high ceilings. Every receptionist we dealt with was friendly and helpful, nothing seemed too much trouble. We stayed one night to explore Edinburgh's New Town. The hotel sits in an elevated spot in a handsome terrace of houses overlooking a park. There's only a small flag to show which part is the hotel. Our room faced the front and had a great view towards the Firth of Forth.

The staff were nice, and the room was generally clean with most things working. The sink drained very slowly, but these things happen, and I let the staff know. The bigger problem was construction behind the building, where work started well before 7am. Hotel staff had reported the company to the local council but got a dismissive response. It's a shame the council doesn't seem to care about tourists. I'd suggest asking for a room away from the construction, if one is available.

The location was the best part, with most places a short walk away and buses or trams available if needed. Staff were very friendly, and tea, coffee, and creamer were available whenever, along with a vending machine. The room was a standard size, neither large nor tiny. I didn't try breakfast. There was no fridge or microwave, though I guess that's what comes with a budget hotel.

The hotel's location was great, just around the corner from High Street and the Royal Mile. We had a lovely, quiet, spacious room on the first floor, recently decorated, with a nice view of a church next door. There were plenty of sockets, and the beds were very comfortable, even the foldout one I slept on. Reception lent us a hair dryer. The breakfast buffet was great, and staff in general were very friendly. At the restaurant, one young woman was handling both orders and drinks and doing a great job on her own. We ordered pie, mash, and peas, which tasted good, but waited an hour and a half. One family waited so long they gave up. Later in the week, service was fast when we had a light meal, so perhaps the first wait was down to staffing. Reception also varied, with three staff at times and one looking quite stressed at others. There was a fire alarm at midnight, and we couldn't leave our luggage at the hotel. WiFi cost £3 extra per day and wasn't very strong. Our key cards repeatedly stopped working several times a day. The young woman at reception didn't seem very welcoming. I'd made several bookings and called a few days before flying to confirm we could keep the same room for all four days instead of moving daily. She first said that hadn't been arranged, then saw in the system that her colleague had set it up as requested. We finally got to the room.