Malmaison Edinburgh

The tram stop is practically at the front door, and the rooms look nice. Deluxe rooms are noticeably larger and come with things like a sofa, though the standard room amenities were fine too. My only real gripe is that the gym needs a refresh. Luckily, there’s a PureGym nearby.

The reception team were helpful and very pleasant. We enjoyed the benefits of Club Mal, but chose not to upgrade this time, so our room was at the back of the hotel. It was comfortable, though the view wasn’t anything special. We had breakfast on one of our two mornings. There was plenty to choose from, and the quality was very good. We’d made other plans, so didn’t eat dinner at the hotel on either night.

The bed was comfortable, breakfast was good, and I liked the tea selection in the room. My room also had a lovely reading nook with a nice chair. The cleaning staff were considerate and quiet in the morning. There was good water pressure and a nice deep bath. The floors squeak terribly, though. It didn’t bother me on the third floor, but I felt bad for whoever was below. I expected better communication from reception. I mentioned three times over four days that the gym needed cleaning, then was finally told it would close for the second half of my stay. It was a disappointing gym to begin with, just a few light dumbbells and a treadmill, with no sanitizing spray. I hope they move it to a bigger space and add more equipment. Also, be warned that they test the fire alarm every Tuesday. It scared the life out of me because nobody mentioned it ahead of time, even though I’d been there since Friday and spoke with reception daily. At least you wouldn’t sleep through it in a real fire. The comfort and location were good, but I expected more from the service and gym.

Leith was a great base, easy to reach by public transport or car. Our room was clean, tidy and brilliant, and the fridge had chilled water, tea and coffee. We brought our dog and paid an extra fee, but that felt reasonable since the room also had a dog bed, two bowls, treats and a toy.