As so often, it's the smaller details that make it such a romantic and endearing place to stay. We remember homemade shortbread and good in-room coffees and teas; underfloor heating in the bathrooms; classy tweed key rings; and a poem on our pillow after the nightly turndown service. We also enjoyed browsing the Orkney mementos on the walls of the common rooms, including black and white photos of fishermen and local characters - and, by coincidence, a portrait of this writer’s grandmother as a child. How's that for personalised service?
Highs
- A friendly welcome extended to families and dog-lovers, and warm, helpful staff
- Beautiful decor and character in the rooms, along with fabulous showers and Fired Earth copper bathtubs
- We loved the specialist whisky and gin bar
- Modern Scottish classics in the restaurant: oak-smoked kippers, hand-dived Orkney scallops and haggis bon bons
- The airport bus stops right outside
Lows
- It’s a 20-min walk or 10-minute bus ride to the centre of town
- No other bars or restaurants in the immediate area
Best time to go
Our top tips
- Boutique Hotel
- 35 rooms
- Restaurant and bar open daily
- All ages welcome
- Open all year
- Pool
- Spa Treatments
- Beach Nearby
- Pet Friendly
- Disabled Access
- Car not necessary
- Off-street Parking
- Restaurants Nearby
- WiFi
- Air Conditioning
- Guest Lounge
- Terrace
- Garden
- Gym
Rooms
In serene, earthy colours, the 35 rooms are sumptuously comfortable, with Loaf sofas to sink into, pale Scottish tweed, peacock wallpaper, huge upholstered headboards on kingsize beds, and soft carpet underfoot. Spacious bathrooms house good walk-in showers, Noble Isle toiletries and Moroccan-meets-Victorian-caustic-style tiling.
This is a place where the suites are totally worth the extra outlay; they’re indulgently huge, with free-standing copper bathtubs from Fired Earth, and great for honeymooners. We had The Roseate Suite, a wonderful first-floor room, with rolltop bath in the bay and large bathroom, but the other suites are equally good. Also recommended are the Executive Rooms, with views from the bed to the grandiose multi-turreted 19th-century Donaldson’s school. In one there's a seating nook with more views, armchairs and a telescope. The Superior Rooms may be smaller, but they also have plenty of charm, character and comfort.
Features include:
- Bathrobes
- Hairdryer
- Minibar
- WiFi
Eating
The restaurant is sitting-room comfortable, and breakfast is served here (or in your room if you prefer). Besides the buffet of fresh pastries and yoghurts, you can choose from a Scottish cooked breakfast, porridge with various toppings, eggs Benedict and more. Our pancakes were served with a tangy berry sauce, accompanied by French-press style coffee.
For lunch or dinner, there’s a pleasingly straightforward menu of modern Scottish classics, served as small or large plates. Haggis bon bons, Orkney smoked salmon linguine, and Scrabster haddock goujons. The Dunstane's drinks list is more complex, with a great range of local gins, and an incredible range of whiskeys. The extremely knowledgable waiter, when we asked, delivered a fascinating lecture about Scotch and how it became his passion, and when I ask to try something especially obscure, he brings me a very niche (and nice) Glenfiddich finished in IPA craft beer casks.
Features include:
- Bar
- Coffee / tea making
- Restaurant
- Room service
Activities
- You're a 10-minute bus ride from the centre of Edinburgh, with its many monuments, museums and shops. Don't miss the Royal Mile and the Castle
- We loved Mary King's Close, a warren of 17thC streets frozen in time below the Royal Mile (book in advance). Similarly eerie are the Dungeons
- Sweep away the cobwebs with a walk up to Arthur's Seat, perched atop an extinct volcano, with magnificent views over the city
- You're close to Murryfields Stadium for a match or a gig
- Edinburgh Zoo is also near
- The hotel can arrange a number of quirky tours, such as trips around the countryside in vintage cars
- Cosy up at the hotel bar and taste local whiskies and gins
Kids
The Roseate Edinburgh welcomes families who receive complimentary hot chocolate on arrival, complimentary parking is also offered. Cots, sofa beds and folding beds are available, as well as kids' meals and optional room service. Edinburgh is a very family-friendly city with heaps of attractions and sights.
Best for:
Babies (0-1 years), Children (4-12 years), Teens (over 12)
Family friendly accommodation:
All Suites and Executive Rooms (excluding Scapa Suite in Dunstane House and Hamnavoe Suite in Hampton House) can each fit a baby cot and/or rollaway bed
Distances:
- Airport: 15 minutes
- Hospital: 7 minutes
- Shops: 2 minutes
For more family-friendly places, see our Kids Collection
Location
The Roseate Edinburgh is in the Haymarket area of central Edinburgh, just outside the West End.
By Air:
Fly into Edinburgh Airport (9km) then take the airport bus, which stops outside the hotel, or a taxi. Or hire a car; the hotel has a private car park. There's no EV charging at the hotel, but there are charging points nearby.
By Train:
Edinburgh’s Haymarket station is 10 minutes' walk from the hotel.
Detailed directions will be sent when you book through i-escape.
More on getting to the UK and getting around
Airports:
- Edinburgh 9.0 km EDI
Other:
- Beach 6.0 km
- Shops 0.5 km
- Restaurant 0.5 km