B+B Edinburgh

I want to be clear that I see the breakfast problems as a management issue, not the staff's fault. The front desk team were amazing, and the bar and library interiors were lovely. Our room was okay, nothing special, but fair for the price. Breakfast was a small continental buffet with baked goods, fruit, yoghurt, granola and coffee, plus UK-style breakfast you could order from a menu. We arrived at 9am, with breakfast running until 10, and there were no baked goods, not even bread. They refilled once, but it was gone before I could get any, and they didn't replenish it again. There were no coffee cups for about 30 minutes. The staff seemed overwhelmed, and ordering took a long time. First we got food meant for another table, then our meal went to the wrong table. My order was incomplete, and I couldn't catch a staff member because they were busy. Worst of all, the table next to us was served a raw sausage. That can't happen. The problems on their own weren't too bad, apart from the raw sausage, but together they mean I wouldn't recommend breakfast here.

The price was a bargain for what you get. The location is great, five minutes from Dean's village and ten from Princess Street. The staff were lovely and welcoming, and the grand interior made me feel like a 19th-century socialite. My room was spacious and full of light, and the bathroom had been freshly renovated with classic touches. Everything was spotless. SPLENDID!

The staff made a big difference. Olga, the manager, was incredibly friendly and said they'd look after our luggage until 11pm on checkout day. We could also stay in the library as long as we liked. That's why complaints about 'late check out' confused me: you check out at 11am but can still use the hotel's public areas. Jackson is the elevator, old, small and narrow, and he complained every time we used him, but I wasn't going to climb to the 4th floor again and again. He was working throughout our stay, which was what mattered to me. We were there for a week in February. The room got overheated and had no AC, but in the cold weather we could open the windows and turn down the heating when it felt too hot or stuffy. The room was roomy enough for two and had an amazing shower, though the old carpet could use a deep clean. House shoes are an option, and I bring them to every hotel. We could see the sea from the room, and the view was beautiful. The library is open 24/7 and has a calm feel; we didn't try the bar. The breakfast was surprisingly good, and the staff would bring anything we asked for. They deserve a raise, whatever they already earn. Walking about 20 minutes to the royal mile worked for us, two 30-year-old women with no walking disability and no car. Parking would be a struggle. For anything farther, we took an uber or train; haymarket station is about a 15-minute walk. We were really happy with our choice and would return, just maybe not in summer.

The hotel is a stone's throw from Haymarket Station, the stop I'd recommend when arriving by train from London, though Waverley is also nearby. The location couldn't be better. Breakfast was fresh and satisfying, and the French pressed coffee from the kitchen was a real highlight. They also looked after my luggage after checkout so I could do some last-minute shopping. Thank you, Olga. From the moment I arrived, smiling, helpful staff made me feel welcome. That warmth continued throughout the stay, from the attentive breakfast waitress to Olga the manager, whose professionalism set the tone. The room was ready just right, with soft towels and a comfortable temperature, neither too warm nor too cold. I felt at home away from home. A lovely stay from start to finish, and one I'd happily repeat.