Haymarket Hotel

The townhouse itself has a lovely classic look, and the hotel is handy for exploring, just a short walk from Haymarket Station and around 30 minutes from the Old Town. We were in Edinburgh for my partner's birthday, and the staff made the surprise cake work perfectly. I'd arranged for it to be delivered and asked if they could put it in the room before we arrived. They happily did. Our room was generally clean and comfortable, though we could hear noise from neighboring rooms and there was a slightly old smell in the bathroom. Still, we appreciated the thoughtful service and had a nice stay.

Getting around was easy, with town close by and the train station, tram and bus line about two minutes away. The room was cosy, comfortable and nicely set up with the things we needed. We only stayed one night, so the weak shower and loud street noise weren't dealbreakers, though both were noticeable. There's no car park. The pay-and-display spaces out front were full when we arrived, so we parked a couple of streets away. Check the prices first, as parking cost us more than all our activities over the two days 🙃. A very nice stay for a short trip.

Breakfast was exceptional, and the hotel was nicely furnished and in a good location. My room, though, was in a basement in a separate building, with no lift, so getting my suitcase there wasn't practical. It was chilly in the evening, with no way to adjust the heat, and the TV didn't work. Noise from the street and people in the corridor made it hard to sleep. I also couldn't find any hand soap in the bathroom. That really should be a basic part of the stay.

We usually enjoy coming here: the rooms are lovely, the food is excellent and the staff are friendly. This visit left me fed up. Check-in happened twice, and they kept moving us between rooms for no good reason. The staff seemed unsure of themselves, which was unsettling. Our room was okay, but the stairs had dirty carpets with mould in places. Breakfast was another letdown. We waited 50 minutes, and I had to try three times to get someone's attention to order. The waiter was looking at his phone. We're regular guests, but can't count on getting good service, so we decided not to have breakfast here again. The online service also uses really poor English, with obvious spelling and writing problems. It just isn't up to scratch, and I don't want to stay again.