Four Points Flex by Sheraton Edinburgh

I spent two nights here and had a great experience. My room was really clean and the bed was comfortable. I first got upgraded from a standard room to a family room, then there was apparently an issue with that room’s alarm, so they moved me up again to a family studio. That was a nice bonus, and I had a great room to myself. The location by Princes Street is excellent, with everything easy to reach. Highly recommend it if you want somewhere near the New Town.

Our suite was spacious and lovely, with floor-to-ceiling windows, a roomy bathroom, and bunk beds that our child was thrilled with. It was serviced each day and kept spotless. We were there for a couple of nights with my family to celebrate my birthday weekend, and the staff were kind, welcoming, and very accommodating. They surprised us with balloons, chocolates, snacks, drinks, and a beautifully handwritten birthday card. That really touched me. Thanks especially to Scott at the front desk, who was a true gentleman, and to the lovely lady who wrote the card by hand. It’s an easy walk to Edinburgh’s main attractions, including the Royal Mile, about 15-20 minutes away. It was a pleasure meeting all the staff. I’d recommend this hotel for a short visit, and Geebs gives it a definite yes!

The best thing about our stay was how close the hotel is to the castle and Princes Street. Otherwise, things were below even budget standards, despite the lovely high ceilings and crown molding. There’s no fridge, restaurant, or room service, and there are very few power outlets. None are by the bed or in the bathroom, and the others are awkwardly low on the baseboards. The bathroom is cramped, has no vent, and getting into the tub for a shower means stepping over a fairly high edge and through a swinging glass divider. Housekeeping was hit or miss: once they just tucked the comforter back in without straightening the sheets, then stacked the towels on the bed. When we asked for an extra blanket, the front desk managers looked at each other and asked, “do we have anymore?” They also photographed our personal things in the room without our consent. For clarity, this is a standalone franchise, not owned or managed by Sheraton or Marriott, despite using the name. I wouldn’t stay again.

We had a midday checkout, so departure day felt unhurried. We left our bags at the hotel while we explored the city before our train. It’s a short walk from Waverley station, but feels nicely tucked away, and everywhere we chose to visit was within about five minutes on foot. We arrived early and could leave our luggage while the room was being finished. The helpful man at reception, whose name I didn’t get, gave us good suggestions for places to go and for food and drinks. While we were at the castle, he called to say the room was ready and our bags were waiting inside, a lovely touch. The room was compact but had everything we needed. I’ll keep this hotel at the top of my list for next time.