Is 100 Princes Street hotel in Edinburgh worth the splurge?
A royal treat or overpriced escape? And thoughts about university choices in the UK. #91
In the previous issue of the newsletter, I asked you if you preferred a simpler version of the newsletter, with just one feature or one with a multiple of items, mixing reviews, finds, recommendations .. Thanks to those of you who voted and in majority asked for just one feature. Today this will be about our latest hotel stay, 100 Princes Street in Edinburgh.
We were there for one of the last university open days for Mademoiselle. She really liked it and did put it down as one of her choices. For those of you not in the UK, in your last high school year, students have to submit their five preferred unis and based on their predicted grades, receive offers from some or all of them. It’s a bit of a strategic game and also a big decision for students. They’ll spend three years of their lives there. Back in my time and in France, you would just choose a degree and had absolutely no idea of what the place looked like until you showed up for your first day! Anyway, she’s now sent off her application and feel very relieved to have this big step off her plate.
All those open days gave me the idea of putting together a newsletter about suggestions for hotels next to universities in the UK. Would that be of interest?
I quite like those little polls so for next newsletter, here are some options, let me know which one you’d like me to write!
October is now well advanced and with it the real sense of autumn: an abundance of reds and oranges and yellows, shuffling through fallen leaves during a walk, a quiet book, puzzle or newsletter writing while the wind blows outside, a hot tea, flickering candle and relaxing jazz music….
We are off to the Newt again for a few days of all of that and also to celebrate our 10th wedding anniversary (yes, we got married late…). Pictures coming up soon and on Instagram although you’ve seen it many times from me before.
Have a good half term or “vacances de la Toussaint”.
100 Princes Street hotel, Edinburgh - my review
For one of Mademoiselle's final university visits, we travelled to Edinburgh.
We stayed at 100 Princes Street, a new luxury hotel that opened approximately 15 months ago.
First impressions: stepping into scottish luxury
As its name suggests, it is located at 100 Princes Street, that grand main road in Edinburgh which divides the somewhat modern city from the old town with a view of the castle and is akin to Oxford Street in London. It is therefore well located if you want to explore the city and also get quickly to the main train station.
The hotel's entrance isn't immediately obvious. It's marked by steps, two small trees, and a flag which was not up during our stay. It leads up to the main door where a very welcoming doorman guides you into the lobby with a friendly banter.
With its striking black and white marble floors, dark green tones, a grand staircase, and thick carpet, the lobby immediately sets the tone for the hotel. Elegant, chic, luxurious and quite exclusive. Checkin actually happens in the bar cum lounge upstairs.
A lounge fit for royalty: tartans, antiques, and castle views
The lounge has large Victorian windows overlooking Edinburgh Castle, bringing much-needed light into the hotel’s cozy yet dark Scottish-themed decor. It features tartans everywhere along with dark greens, deep reds, and thick warm materials, creating an intimate atmosphere, especially lovely during autumn/winter when fireplaces would add charm.
Antique pieces such as marquetry tables are scattered throughout, along with train-like doors possibly referencing overnight trains from London to Edinburgh. Stunning murals in staircases depict Scottish explorers' travels worldwide, taking three years to complete.
We were offered champagne by the manager, which we gladly accepted! I believe this is offered to those booking suites or higher categories, though I'm unsure what lower categories receive instead. After a swift registration and lunch (more on this later), we were taken to our rooms.
Suite dreams: comfort with a catch
We had booked two rooms since Mademoiselle is now 17 and has her own. She had an entry category room, while we had a mid-category terrace suite.
The rooms are decorated either in dark green, as ours was, or red, as Mademoiselle's was. There were a few pieces of furniture and a desk in our room. Bathrooms were nice but not very big with fluffy towels embroidered with the number 100. Everything you need was there: a mini-bar, hairdryer, etc. and the beds were really comfortable. Turn down service brought us some home made chocolates.
All in all, pretty good but quite expensive for what it offers. In our case, in particular, what we thought would be a lovely terrace was an outdoor space with two lounge chairs overlooking the back of the hotel with a tall wall and a view of an office building! Not interesting at all and definitely not worth the extra cost.
From haggis bonbons to whisky wonders
I mentioned that we chose to have our lunch break in the lounge just after checkin as we had gotten up early at 5:30 to take an 8 am flight.
Side note: our flight was delayed so my other tip is to get to Edinburgh (if coming from London) by train rather than flying. I flew three times to Edinburgh in two weeks and every one of those flights were delayed. While the train journey is 4.5h, it takes you straight in the center of Edinburgh and you can do so much more on a train. And if you add up all the transfer times and checkin times etc. it really adds up to the same duration.
Back to our lunch. The menu offered simple choices including small sharing plates, salads, sandwiches, and main dishes. We opted for shared plates: haggis bonbons, smoked salmon, tomato tarts, calamari, and cheese toastie. Everything was absolutely delicious – beautifully presented with great flavors and seasonings – accompanied by a glass of white wine.
The lounge also houses a bar with a beautiful display of bottles behind it. There's another separate room dedicated solely to whisky with entire cabinets full of whiskies. The bar offers homemade cocktails that look very good. It's a place where you come for a drink, read newspapers or books – simple pleasures in a pleasant setting with attentive staff.
This lounge and bar are the hotel's only common areas and where breakfast is served; if you have lunch or dinner there or just want a drink – this is where you'll be. The hotel itself is quite small with about thirty rooms; most spaces have been converted into rooms including tiny reception areas just outside the bar without their own dedicated spaces; making it feel somewhat enclosed after several nights without much opportunity for other activities within the hotel itself.
Edinburgh is certainly wonderful to explore but having additional spaces within the hotel would be nice too – perhaps even a gym which isn't offered here.
Service fit for a king
What stands out most about this hotel though is its incredibly welcoming staff making guests feel important without ostentation. They wear elegant uniforms adding charm and elegance to the place. Note that there’s an additional £20 per room per stay added to your bill at the end as a gratuity to them.
The verdict: beauty and service, but at what cost?
In general, it's a very beautiful hotel with fabulous service, great attention to details and making you feel like a royal or a very important guest.
However we did find it expensive for what it offers. For the same price, we stayed in hotels which offered much more space, amenities and experiences. My recommendation i to try it for one night; if you do so, either take an entry category room like Mademoiselle's (her window had film on it to obscure the view outside – she managed to see a bit by opening it and found only offices) or go for a total splurge and choose one of the suites that have a view of the castle and are bigger. Anything in between doesn't seem worth the price.
You could also just come here for diner and enjoy the beautiful salon and service.
And at about 25 to 30% cheaper just around the corner is the Charlotte Square Kimpton Hotel– less elitist but with good service, restaurant, café, pool, and sauna in the basement. This will be my next review!
My daughter almost went to uni in Edinburgh (she stayed a week!) but on our check out the city, we stayed in the Klimpton, Charlotte Square and I found it quirky with a good bar/restaurant/spa but it was very noisy. I preferred the Market Street Hotel. Look forward to your review. Plus if only we could get trains from Belfast to Edinburgh. We have similar problem - always delayed by hours!