hub by Premier Inn Edinburgh - Royal Mile

The bathroom could do with better cleaning and maintenance, though it works as it should. The room was fine, and the AC was intermittent, but it cooled things nicely, which matters because the window won't open. It's a decent place for a few days in the inner city, with a very good location just off the Royal Mile and a few hundred yards from Waverley station. Pretty decent for the price.

The bathroom has frosted glass only halfway up, so you can literally see someone showering. It doesn't feel private. The bed is boxed in on three sides, meaning you have to climb over your partner to get out. Mattress was comfortable, but the pillows were too flat. The carpet was stained, dirty and outdated, though the rest of the room was clean. The room was way too small, even by the standards of European hotels we're used to being smaller than places in the States. It might be okay for one person. Breakfast was very mediocre, and the 24-hour coffee is instant. Staff were friendly enough. If I come back to Edinburgh, I'd probably look for somewhere with more space to relax.

Handy for the station, Royal Mile and Edinburgh Playhouse, and luggage storage is available. The reception staff were friendly at check-in. It was warm, clean and functional, and fine for a quick stopover. Check-in took ages because both automated desks were out of order, which was frustrating. There was no tea or coffee in the room, and the coffee machines were broken, though basic tea and coffee are available in the bar all day. Breakfast was limited, not a full Premier Inn continental. Some of the food wasn't fresh, with stale bread at the front, and the coffee machine didn't work. The toasters were so slow they caused a queue. I know that's a first-world problem, but it backed things up. Breakfast staff seemed more interested in chatting among themselves than with guests. You might be better off going next door to the big Premier Inn or the huge Costa.

The location is excellent: paid parking nearby, across from the train station, five minutes on foot to the Royal Mile and ten to the Christmas market and town centre. The hotel itself was a huge disappointment for what we paid. I've stayed at Premier Inns across the UK, and this was by far the worst. I've made a formal complaint and would avoid it in favour of another hotel in the same area. Our check-in dragged on because a family was demanding a full refund. One of them warned us not to stay and said their room was disgusting, which was alarming while we waited. Both self-check-in machines were out of order. Once in our room, we found mould in the bathroom and on the ceiling, plus strands of hair around and in the tub. The temperature wasn't regulated, and there was no way to crack a window for air. We didn't have enough towels or toilet paper. There's no standard daily housekeeping, and even when we put out the door card for cleaning, we got no fresh towels during our three-night stay. The hotel was understaffed. Breakfast was okay when there was food, but the hot buffet often ran out and took ages to restock. Bar staff seemed incompetent, with advertised drinks unavailable. I heard a staff member telling another off, and other guests came back from the bar shaking their heads and saying “never again.” Wi-Fi was extremely poor and unusable. Across from the hotel, homeless people and people who seemed drunk or on drugs were shouting.