Premier Inn Edinburgh Cc York Pl/St James Quarter

The staff made this hotel for us. On Christmas Day, the front desk team were also covering the bar, restaurant, cleaning, check-ins and check-outs, all with big smiles. Everyone we dealt with was wonderful, and the kitchen staff worked from breakfast through dinner. I'd choose this hotel again whenever I'm back in Edinburgh. My sister and I stayed four nights during Christmas week. The receptionist quickly fixed a booking mistake I'd made. Our room was clean and looked out onto the church next door. We could walk to everything we wanted, and the tram was about a seven-minute walk away. There were plenty of places for food and drinks within five minutes. The restaurant was clean. It served the same food each morning, but there was enough, and they handled our vegetarian and celiac/gluten-free needs well. In the evenings, the bar was a nice place to work or play games. Lots of families brought their own games and spent hours there. The photo is from our room window.

The large room was good value on the January deal, and the staff were great, even though they seemed stretched thin between the bar and reception while check-in was handled at a kiosk. At full price, I doubt we'd have been as happy. For a fairly new hotel, maintenance was disappointing. The in-room fridge's freezer compartment was packed with ice. The shower screen wasn't sealed properly, so the floor got soaked each time we showered. The skirting was already damaged, so it seems this has been happening for a while.

We were in town for a show at edinburgh playhouse and the location was spot on, close to it, shops and cafes, with the bus station two minutes away. The city centre and train station were about a ten-minute walk. The room was spacious, clean and warm, and the bed was comfortable. But room 417 creaked with every step, and we felt bad for whoever was below us. People shouting in the hallway woke us at 7am, though that's not the hotel's fault. We regretted having breakfast there instead of going out. The coffee was fine, but the cooked food was cold and tasteless. The mushrooms were freezing, the tomatoes rock hard, and there was only one egg left. They didn't seem to bring out more, even though we were there at 9.15 with over an hour before breakfast ended. The hash browns were cold and hard too, and the bread was horribly stale. I'd stay for the location and comfortable bed, but definitely wouldn't have breakfast there again.

This could have been a full five-star stay, especially because it was so quiet. I sleep really well here, without 5am glass collection or flashing lights, and the reception staff were lovely. With the restaurant closed, guests could also help themselves to complimentary croissants, tea, coffee and fruit. The location is great for shops and the busy city centre, with restaurants nearby. The big letdown was how dirty the room was. The toilet clearly hadn't been wiped for a while, and there was hair from a previous guest, or maybe even earlier, stuck to the shower tiles. One bed wasn't made when we arrived, despite checking in after the official time. They said they'd sort it while we were out, and did, but I wasn't comfortable with all my things left in the room. It should have been ready before we arrived. If the bathroom had been clean and the bed made, I'd have given it all the stars.