InterContinental Edinburgh The George

We slept really peacefully, and breakfast was superb with a great choice of dishes. The staff were friendly, helpful and informative. We enjoyed our stay and do recommend it, though the comments are against what I expected for the price. The room was nicely decorated and mostly clean, but there were a few stains on the settee. The suite-sized room was a lovely birthday upgrade, with a kind message and chocolates. It had two showers and a bath, though the bath was small and the water wasn’t piping hot on the first day. The heating was noisy and the room too hot when we arrived. Complimentary drinks were nice, but the fridge didn’t work, so the juice and wine were warm when we wanted them. The hotel decor is a bit bland, mostly grey. Some of that may be nitpicking given the price and compared with other IHG hotels in Edinburgh.

The room was spacious, comfortable and well equipped, with robes and slippers, and it was very quiet despite being right in central Edinburgh. The hotel was lovely and genuinely dog-friendly: bowls and beds arrived almost immediately after check-in. We paid a small fee to upgrade the second night, which we appreciated. Service could still be better. If you’re bringing a dog, note that the restaurant next door, where breakfast is served, is very much not dog-friendly. There are plenty of dog-friendly places in central Edinburgh, so I’d eat elsewhere. A few service problems got in the way. I asked to extend a one-night stay to two and was quoted a very high price. When I told reservations I could find the same room for half that elsewhere, they stopped replying. We ended up with two separate bookings, which was inconvenient, and had to go to reception the next day to reactivate our key. On the second day, we came back in the late afternoon to find a “supervisor” checking the room, which felt unusual, but the tea and coffee hadn’t been replenished between nights. At checkout I was told the receipt would be emailed, but 48 hours later it still hadn’t arrived. I’d ask for a paper copy at checkout to avoid chasing it. Our second stay was part of a package that should have included a bottle of Prosecco, but it never appeared.

The building is beautiful and old, with contemporary touches, lovely flowers in reception, and a nice fragrance and decor. We were up for a birthday and to see friends. Our fifth-floor room near the lift was lovely and had a great view. We used the bar on Friday night during the Six Nations. It was very busy, but the staff handled it well. The location made everything walkable. Breakfast was great, and the hours were as listed. We went earlier on Saturday; on Sunday people came down later, and it was getting busier by 0830. We’d packed before breakfast. Checkout was lovely. The lounge looked like it had a nice view and outdoor area, though we didn’t use it. The library was occupied, otherwise I’d have liked to have a look around. I’ll use this hotel again.

10/10. I love the hotel, and Intercontinental keep winning me over. The heated rail in the bathroom was great to have. There was a fire alarm at 5 am, so everyone had to leave the hotel and stand in the freezing cold. The staff were very nice, of course, and it wasn’t the hotel’s fault. I hope to come back someday!